DRIVEN Gazoo Racing Yaris • Maserati GT • Panamera Sport Turismo • 454bhp Renault Zoe

McLaren 570S Spider

Is it all the McLaren you’ll ever need?

CELEBRATING
THE ICONS
Ferrari at 70, Caterham Seven at 60, the ’Ring at 90

October 2017 evo.co.uk £4.70

PLUS Hyundai i30 N • AMG GT Roadster v R8 Spyder

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Ford Mustang range: urban 14.1-28.0 (20.1-10.1), extra urban 28.8-41.5 (9.8-6.8), combined 20.8-35.3 (13.6-8.0).
Official CO2 emissions 306-179g/km.
The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.
ford.co.uk/mustang
 #239

EDITORIAL
020 3890 3890
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proclaiming that by 2040 the last new petrol- and diesel-engined
‘In 23 years’
S TA F F P H O T O G R A P H E R
Aston Parrott cars will have been sold in Britain, the motoring public forced time the internal
into automobiles powered exclusively by electricity. I imagine you
SUBEDITOR
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combustion engine
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This is the problem when politics and the motor industry mix.
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The former has absolutely no idea how the latter works or, indeed, more efficient than
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although the idea of the engineers at Jaguar building an XJ that
it is today’
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CONTRIBUTING EDITORS vaporises unwanted politicians once the armoured doors have
sealed shut does have an appeal.
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Richard Meaden Rather, the motor industry is a remarkable machine that still FIND US ON…
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surprises us cynics today. Granted, Dieselgate and allegations of
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price fixing cartels aren’t doing the reputations of some brands any
ONLINE
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www.evo.co.uk
COLUMNIST on the front line are still pioneering technology that makes the car
Ted Kravitz as relevant today as it was during its early days of mobilising the YOUTUBE
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#239
094
McL AREN 570S
SPIDER
McLaren’s use of a carbonfibre
tub for its supercars has always
given the marque’s drop-top
offerings a dynamic edge over
more conventionally engineered
rivals. Now it’s taken the top
off the sublime 570S coupe,
potentially unleashing the best
Sports Series car to date
CONTENTS
F E AT UR E S
056
F ER R A R I AT 7 0
The world’s most iconic sports
car brand has turned 70. To
celebrate, we chart the models
introduced during the evo era
066
CATERHAM SEVEN AT 60
How best to honour the Seven
and its six decades of existence?
Take the cars that bookend the
range back to their origins
076
NÜR BURGR ING AT 90
Frightening and inspiring
in equal measure, the Ring
has evolved into the ultimate
challenge for cars and drivers
086
A MG G T ROA DS T ER
v R8 SPY DER V10
Two brash dropheads, two big
power outputs, two ways of
going about it. Which is better?
098
F OR MUL A E IN PA R IS
Performance-car makers are now
flocking to join the electric single-
seater series. We head to the Paris
ePrix to find out why
102
REN AULT ZOE E-SPORT
Worried about petrol bans and
an all-electric future? Then let
Renault’s 454bhp all-wheel-drive
hot hatch concept offer you hope
www.evo.co.uk 009
 TAKE YOUR BMW
TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Enter a new dimension with the Akrapovič Evolution Line for the BMW M2 (F87).
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www.peron-automotive.co.uk
 CONTENTS
#239
REGULARS
015 034
BR IEF ING F IR S T DR I V E S
Hyundai puts WRC know-how
into its first hot hatch, there’s a 034 TOYOTA YARIS GRMN
new Rolls-Royce Phantom, plus 038 PANAMERA SPORT TURISMO
the low-down on alloy wheels 043 FORD FIESTA ST-LINE
044 RANGE ROVER VELAR
031 047 JAGUAR F-TYPE 2.0
048 MASERATI GRANTURISMO
L E T T ER S
Maybe we’re not in such a golden
age for hot hatches after all, and
050
one reader stops chasing power C OL UMNS
to focus on ten-tenths driving Meaden, Porter and Kravitz
109
E VO M A R K E T
It’s time to buy a Lotus Elise
S1, plus a buying guide for the
Ferrari F355 and evo’s pick of
£15k Japanese rally specials
137
L ONG -T ER MER S
What we drive: Porsche 911
Carrera, Audi RS5, Alfa Romeo
Giulia Quadrifoglio, Mazda
MX-5 RF and SEAT Leon 300
152
T HE K NOW L EDGE
Essential data and an evo star
rating for every performance car
worth mentioning – now with
more entries than ever before
170
F IN A L F R A ME
We pick a photograph that has
given us pause to reflect this
month, in this case Richard
Meaden in an Aston at the Ring
www.evo.co.uk 011
 #239

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012 www.evo.co.uk
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HYUNDAI • ROLLS-ROYCE • TRACKDAYS • TECH • MOTORSPORT

HYUNDAI SHOOTS H
Y UNDA I’S DECISION TO ENTER THE WOR LD OF
performance cars is a bold one. A reputation for affordable family
motors and long warranty periods doesn’t necessarily go hand in

FOR THE STARS hand with driving thrills and Nürburgring lap times. But campaigning a
car in the World Rally Championship on and off for 17 years has gradually
and subtly given the Korean brand a more sporting persona. Since 2014 the
STEPHEN HALL

The new i30 N ha s an ambitious goal –
to be king of the hot hatch sec tor
by WILL BEAUMONT
i20 WRC car has been wearing the ‘N’ badging of Hyundai’s performance
sub-brand; now the first road car to wear that letter, the i30 N, has arrived.
The N, by the way, references Hyundai’s global R&D centre in Namyang,
South Korea, although another place beginning with N, in a mountainous
region of Germany, also played a role in this car’s development.

www.evo.co.uk 015
 If it’s brave for Hyundai to
launch a performance car, it’s
even braver for that car to be
a hot hatch. There is no other
sector so packed full of impressive
machinery. Even the worst of the
breed are exceptionally competent
machines, and the best are some
of the most talented performance
cars at any price.
Thankfully, every nugget of
information we’ve received,
every hint about the attitude
behind the car’s development,
every individual we know who
has been involved and every test
location that has been visited has
been encouraging. Together it
all suggests that Hyundai knows
the i30 N needs to appeal to evo
drivers if it is to establish a strong
reputation for the N brand.
The most keenly received
016 www.evo.co.uk
information was that Albert
Biermann – former boss of
BMW’s M division and the man
responsible for the BMW M3
GTS and 1M Coupe – would be in
charge of the project. And when we
drove a prototype i30 N (evo 236),
it became clear that Biermann’s
knowledge and expertise is being
put to extremely good use.
What we didn’t know at the
time of our drive was the full
specification of the i30 N, nor
exactly how it would look. Now
both have been revealed.
Power comes from Hyundai’s
1998cc Theta T-GDI four-cylinder
turbo petrol engine, available here
in two states of tune: 247bhp and, if
yougofortheoptionalPerformance
Package, 271bhp. Peak torque
for both versions is the same:
260lb ft spread between 1450 and
4000rpm. Drive is sent to the front that alters the volume and
wheels through a six-speed manual aggressiveness of the exhaust
gearbox and, if you opt for the more note and includes an ‘after-fire’
powerful version, an electronically (backfire) mode.
controlled limited-slip differential. The i30 N uses the same basic
The extra power and traction of suspension architecture as the
the Performance model results regular five-door i30. That means
in a 0-62mph time of 6.1sec, MacPherson struts at the front
0.3sec faster than the base car. A and a multi-link axle at the back.
launch control system as standard
should mean those figures will
be achievable by anyone. As with S P E C I F I C AT I O N ( P E R F. PA C K A G E )
many new performance cars today,
there’s also a rev-matching system Engine In - line 4- c y l, 1998cc ,
turb ocharged
for downshifts.
Power 27 1b h p @ 6000rp m
In the i30N’s cabin, the engine Torque 260lb f t @ 1450 -4000rpm
note will be augmented by an 0 - 62m ph 6.1sec (claimed)
Electronic Sound Generator that Top sp eed 155m p h (limited)
sits at the base of the windscreen Weig ht 1429 k g
and promises ‘extra acoustic Power-to - 193b h p/ton
weig ht
drama’. And as part of the Ty re s 235/35 R19 Pirelli P Zero
Performance Package there’s a Price TBC
Variable Exhaust Valve System O n s ale L ate 2017
 NEWS
by WILL BEAUMONT

Above: i30 N’s cabin is abundantly

equipped with all the latest electronic
aids, from multiple driving modes
to infotainment systems. Right:
turbo four-pot comes in two states
of tune – standard with 247bhp and
Performance Package with 271bhp

www.evo.co.uk 017
However, the i30 N sits 4mm lower,
while the Performance Package
drops the car a further 4mm. As
well as the lower ride height, both
versions get adaptive dampers.
A major difference between the
regular i30 N and the Performance
model are the wheels and tyres.
The entry-level car has 7.5 x 18in
wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport
4 tyres. The PP, however, gets 8
x 19in rims – to accommodate
larger-diameter brake discs – shod
with Pirelli P Zeros that have been
developed specifically for the car.
Biermann promises a low
driving position, one that provides
enough headroom for you to
wear a helmet without it banging
on the headlining, while on the
steering wheel you’ll find two
A low driving position provides
enough headroom to wear a helmet
018 www.evo.co.uk
blue buttons. The first allows you
to toggle between three different
driving modes: Eco, Normal and
Sport. Each mode changes the
engine’s response, how eager
the rev matching is, the sound
generator, the adaptive dampers,
the weight of the steering and,
with the Performance Package, the
aggressiveness of the differential
and exhaust. The second button,
the N button, allows you to toggle
between N mode – a further
driving mode that goes beyond
Sport and which also slackens off
the ESC – and N Custom. The latter
can be programmed with your
favourite settings for each of the
configurable components. These
buttons are very much like those
on the steering wheels of modern
BMW M-cars, so are clearly a
Biermann trademark.
Down by the gearlever is a
button to turn off the rev-matching
function, should you want to blip
the throttle yourself as you work
your way down the ’box. There’s
also a button that turns off the
traction control and ESC. And it
really, properly turns off the latter.
And now to the inevitable
comparison with the Golf GTI.
Both Hyundai and VW offer a basic
version of their hot hatch and a
Performance model. But as well as
the Golf suffering power deficits of
20 and 29bhp respectively when
comparing the non-Performance
and Performance versions, it
also doesn’t appear to have been
developed with the same focus
and passion as the Hyundai; it
doesn’t exude the sense of purpose
that the i30 N’s equipment list and
background suggest.
As such, a more natural rival
for the Hyundai will be the more
exciting and athletic Peugeot 308
GTi. These days solely available
with 266bhp, it sits between the
two versions of the i30 N in terms of
power, but it doesn’t have adaptive
dampers or an electronically
managed LSD, just a mechanical
Torsen type. And yet the team at
Peugeot Sport display a similar
understanding of the importance
of driving enjoyment as Biermann
does, and that’s a spirit that makes
hot hatches truly great. We’ll know
if the i30 N is truly great late in
the autumn.

Rolls-Royce’s new
opulent express
To retain the Phantom’s reputation a s ‘ the best
car in the world’, the eighth-generation model is
blending high-tech with traditional luxury
I The modular
T’S NOT AS IF THE EXISTING
Phantom, launched in
2003, had relinquished its
claim to be the world’s best über-
limo. But its eighth-generation
successor – built around an all-
new aluminium-matrix modular
architecture that will serve the
forthcoming Cullinan SUV as well
as other future Rolls-Royces – is
aiming not just to raise the bar, but
to put it out of reach.
Phantom VII had unusual, but
highly distinctive, proportions.
The new car is the work of Giles
Taylor and his design team and
by DAV ID V I V I A N PHOTOGRAPHY by ANTONY FRASER
is all about flow. It looks more
traditionally balanced front-to-
rear, with a swage line beginning
just inboard from the top edge of
the grille and moving outwards
along the body to the tapered
rear. The most potent aesthetic
is the grille itself. For the first
time on a Phantom it’s integrated
into the surrounding bodywork,
so it looks cleaner and more
modern, especially flanked by the
sharper graphics of the ‘laserlight’
headlights, which can cast their
beams 600 metres down the road.
aluminium The weight-saving aluminium
architecture is also roughly 30 per
architecture is cent more rigid than the Phantom
VII’s space frame. In conjunction
roughly 30 per with the air suspension, 21-inch
wheels and specially developed,
cent more rigid ultra-quiet tyres, it should lead to
an even silkier ride than before.
than the old car’s And thanks to more than 130kg
of sound insulation and applied
space frame acoustic science, the new Phantom
is around 60 decibels quieter inside
than its predecessor at 62mph.
Virtually silent.
N E W M E TA L
Self-closing doors, the finest
traditional and contemporary
materials used in more bespoke
and original ways, and an interior
that generally looks to the future
rather than the past, were all part
of the brief for the new Phantom.
Gone is the cliff-face facia and
grouping of large analogue dials,
replaced by a seamless swathe of
toughened glass that spans the full
width of the bulkhead, beneath
which sit 12.3-inch TFT colour
screens with LED backlighting
displaying virtual instruments and
read-outs and a bespoke clock.
Propulsion is again provided by
a 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12, now
making 563bhp, and 664lb ft of
torque from just 1700rpm, up from
453bhp and 531lb ft respectively.
The addition of Satellite Aided
Transmission, married to a ZF
eight-speed gearbox, should
ensure that the Phantom is always
in the optimum gear.
The new Phantom goes on sale
next year. Expect it to cost upwards
of £350,000.
www.evo.co.uk 021
 JOIN EVO
ON TRACK!
Experience the thrill of driving at an evo track evening
held at Rockingham or Bedford Autodrome
In association with

re
Where and when? How much?
For mo it FRIDAY 18 AUGUST £131 per car, with up to two drivers.
info vis / ROCKINGHAM
.uk Additional drivers are £32 each.
evo.co ays
ckd
evotra FRIDAY 1 SEPTEMBER
BEDFORD AUTODROME What will I need?
A helmet is mandatory – if you don’t have
FRIDAY 29 SEPTEMBER
your own you can hire one on the day for £11.
ROCKINGHAM It is also essential to wear clothing that
Sign on from 3.30pm Bedford, 4.30pm Rockingham. covers your arms and legs when on track.
Track time from 5.30pm to 8pm You’ll need to bring your driving licence, too.

How do I book? Visit evo.co.uk/evotrackdays

 NEWS

evo track
evening:
7 July, Bedford
Autodrome
IN ASSOCIATION WITH

I
T WAS A FULL HOUSE OF ATTENDEES
for evo’s first ‘home’ track evening of
2017 at the Bedford Autodrome. The
result was a pitlane abuzz with chatter and a
delicious spread of metal, ranging from a tidy
Clio 182 Trophy all the way to a stealth-spec
McLaren 570S, with a wide variety of shapes
and sizes in between – all against the backdrop
of a gently setting sun and the unmistakable
aroma of cooling brakes and hot rubber.
Toasty ambient temperatures meant there
was bags of grip on track for the cars to
exploit, with the 2.8-mile South-West Circuit’s
final corner – a fast, sweeping right-hander –
goading drivers in all but the most powerful
cars to take it flat. Only those at the wheel will
ever know the truth…
If you missed out, evo’s next track evening
is at Rockingham on Friday 18 August, where
for £131 you can experience the seven-degree
banking and technical infield section of
one of the UK’s fastest circuits. As usual, an
assortment of evo’s Fast Fleet charges will be
in attendance, and GT Radial will also be on
hand with a variety of cars in which guests can
test the company’s performance tyres to the
limit. To book your place, head to evoevents.
eventbrite.co.uk

www.evo.co.uk 023

Aftermarket alloy wheels
D e s p i te c a r m a ke r s o f f e r i n g m u l t i p l e a l l o y w h e e l o p t i o n s t h e m s e l v e s ,
a d v a n c e s i n d e s i g n s o f t w a r e , m a n u f a c t u r i n g te c h n i q u e s a n d m a te r i a l s
a r e ke e p i n g t h e a f te r m a r ke t i n t h e g a m e
T
HE MAJOR CAR MAKERS
have a pretty good strike
rate in styling alloy wheels
for the cars that matter. Think
air-cooled Porsche 911s, many
a Ferrari, fast BMWs galore, RS
Audis, Ford Escort XR3 and Puma,
Lancia Delta Integrale, Peugeot 205
GTI 1.9 – and others you’re already
shouting about.
That might have made things
difficult for aftermarket alloy
wheels makers, but when a wheel
becomes ubiquitous, there are
always those who want to stand out
from the crowd, even if that crowd
congregated to celebrate good taste.
It’s slightly different today. Car
makers have cottoned on to the
financial potential of offering a
choice of alloys, in a variety of sizes,
TECH
b y B re t t F r a s e r
and many of those wheels are good
lookers. Why trawl the aftermarket
when it’s so easy to just tick another
box on the options sheet?
Yet the aftermarket prevails.
Despite the choice offered by the
OEMs, its repertoire remains
far greater. And it has another
weapon: size. Darryl McNey,
group sales director of UK-based
Rimstock, which produces Team
Dynamics wheels amongst others,
explains: ‘What people expect
from the aftermarket, and what
the aftermarket delivers, are larger
wheel sizes in either diameter
or width. It has become harder
though, as the OEMs have increased
their sizes; we’re in an era where
small hot hatches come on 18s as
standard. So we have to stay one
step ahead. It’s now quite normal for
us to produce 23in wheels and 24in
is the new ambition of the market.
Such extreme sizes are in part
driven by the fact that commercials
– vans and pickups – are the biggest
growing sector of the market.’
Huge wheels may grab eyes and
headlines, but the aftermarket still
develops new products around the
ethos of ‘lighter, faster, stronger’.
Ever-more sophisticated CAD
programs have helped enormously
in pursuing that goal, identifying
areas of the wheel where it’s
possible to remove metal – and thus
save weight – without affecting its
structural integrity. Look closely at
modern wheels and you may see
evidence of this in the slenderness
of the spokes and thinness of
the wheel rim; you might notice
grooves channelled into the sides
of the spokes and, on the rear, spot
where large amounts of metal have
been removed from, say, the wheel’s
hub where it mates to the car’s hub.
And this more intimate knowledge
of structural influences has allowed
wheel designers to exercise more
creative flourish.
Traditionally, forged alloy
wheels, fashioned from a single
extruded aluminium billet using
intense pressure and heat, which
creates a product that’s very light
and supremely strong, have
represented the pinnacle of
aftermarket desirability. But
they come with a steep price
tag. ‘It’s an expensive and very
small, specialised segment,’
reveals McNey. But a process
called flow-forming – claimed
by Speedline to be its own,
yet now practised by most big
players and several smaller
ones – provides the lightness

and strength benefits of forging at a
more reasonable price.
With flow-forming, a wheel is
cast in the normal fashion but with
a thicker and narrower rim. While
hot, it’s placed on a spinner and
rotated at high speed; at the same
time a shaping device that employs
high-pressure rollers is brought to
bear and, starting from just below
the wheel’s outer face, moves
downward, stretching the metal
of the wheel’s rim downwards as
it goes. The elasticity of the hot
metal means it can be pulled out,
like warm toffee, by a considerable
amount, vastly increasing the width
of the wheel. The spinning and
stretching process alters the alloy’s
Dymag’s hand-built carbon
composite wheels are claimed
to be 25 per cent lighter than
their forged OEM equivalents
grain, making it stronger and in
turn allowing a thinner rim section
to be used – this thinner rim section
requires less aluminium so weighs
less, with savings of up to 25 per
cent compared with a regular cast
alloy item.
The most exciting development
in aftermarket wheels for the
past few years comes from West
Country-based Dymag, although
it’s far from an everyman product.
The company’s Boxstrom wheels
use a carbon-composite barrel
and rim, onto which a forged
aluminium centrepiece is attached
using titanium bolts. The hand-
built wheels are claimed to be 25
per cent lighter than their forged
OEM equivalents, with a 30-40 per
TECH
cent lower moment of inertia. The
latter affects how quickly a wheel
accelerates and decelerates, and
how its rotational force impacts the
steering in a corner.
The BAC Mono and new Fisker
EMotion electric car are using the
Dymag Boxstrom with their own
bespoke forged alloy centrepieces,
but the barrel and rim unit are
designed in such a way that it’s
relatively easy for other OEMs – and
other aftermarket wheel makers –
to create their own centrepieces.
Meanwhile, the industry
continues its hunt for lighter,
tougher alloys, new finishes
(ceramic coatings and, in the case
of Rimstock, two-tone colours), and
further improvements in quality.
www.evo.co.uk 025
 Concours celebrates elegance
Spor tscar racers star among st variety of
cla ssic s at Hampton Cour t Palace
T
H IS SE P T E M BE R , THE AU TOMOTI V E
summer will draw to a close at the sixth
annual Concours of Elegance, to be held
at Hampton Court Palace in Surrey. Presented in
association with evo’s sister magazine Octane, the
event takes place on 1-3 September and will feature
a vast array of exotic machinery.
Many of these cars will be available for viewing
on the club displays – this year’s event is being
supported by the Ferrari, Aston Martin, Jaguar and
Bentley owners’ clubs, to name just a few – while
the most exquisite examples will participate in the
concours itself. The entry list is spectacular and
diverse, although the era of ’50s and ’60s sportscar
racing is particularly well represented.
It’s tough to pick a star car, but the ex-Graham
Hill 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO will be hard to beat. The
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione
is also not to be missed. Attempting to steal the
limelight from the Ferraris will be the works Jaguar
026 www.evo.co.uk
D-type ‘OKV 1’, which finished second on the
model’s debut at Le Mans in 1954. Having recently
gone through a full restoration back to original Le
Mans spec, expect it to place highly in the concours
competition. Another show-stopping Jaguar will
be the ex-Roy Salvadori 1963 E-type Lightweight.
Only 12 Lightweights were made in period and the
chance to see an original seldom comes along.
More modern cars are also a strong feature of
the weekend. Rarest of them all will be the jaw-
dropping Alfa Romeo Touring Disco Volante Spyder.
This is arguably the car that has brought back the
concept of coachbuilding to the 21st century and
shows what can be done when one’s imagination has
no monetary restrictions.
Ticket prices for the Saturday and Sunday are
£40, but evo readers can reduce this to just £25
using the special promo code EVOVIP. For tickets
Tim Scott
and more information, including a full list of
concours entrants, visit concoursofelegance.co.uk.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SINGLE-MARQUE SALE IN AUCTION HISTORY
REGISTER TO BID

UK +44 (0) 20 7851 7070 CORPORATE +1 519 352 4575 CALIFORNIA +1 310 559 4575
TCR International Series,
Oschersleben, Germany
T
CR IS RAPIDLY POSITIONING ITSELF
as one of the most relevant tin-top series in the
world. With cars heavily based on production
vehicles and dozens of models eligible under the
regulations, there’s plenty of ‘win on Sunday, sell on
Monday’ potential. And there are a few top-name
drivers in the category’s international series, too.
One of those is ex-F1 driver Gianni Morbidelli,
who avoided a chaotic start to the second race at
Oschersleben in July, round 14 of the series. Off the
line the Civic of Roberto Colciago and the SEAT Leon
of James Nash closed together on the nose of Jean-
Karl Vernay’s VW Golf, pitching Nash and Colciago
into spins that took out half a dozen others.
Morbidelli sneaked his Golf through the spinning
vehicles on the grass, but the resulting carnage saw
the event red-flagged and restarted with a severely
depleted grid. Morbidelli once again fought his way
into fourth by turn one and set about hunting down
the cars ahead. Daniel Lloyd’s SEAT Leon was first to
fall, followed by the first-start surviving Verney a few
laps later. Ahead was pole-sitter Mat’o Homola’s Astra,
which Morbidelli passed on the final lap to take his
second win of the weekend.
MOTORSPORT MOMENT

www.evo.co.uk 029
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 I N BOX
Spider man
I read with great interest your new-
versus-used twin-test with the Abarth
124 Spider and 981-generation Porsche
Boxster, as I recently swapped my
62-plate Boxster for the Abarth.
Although the Boxster was much
quicker and more refined, I always felt
that unless you had a large expanse of
clear tarmac ahead of you, you rarely
had the opportunity to put your foot
down and enjoy its obvious capability.
I just didn’t really feel the thrill of
driving in it on a regular basis and
also had concerns about any future
maintenance and potentially high
repair bills.
Having driven the Spider for more
than six months now, I love it. It is
much more nimble, rewarding and
engaging around town and on country
lanes and it brings a smile to my face
every time I drive it. It is clearly not the
quickest sports car but it is engaging
and responsive enough when you need
it to be, particularly in the mid-range,
and it certainly provides enough pace
and enjoyment for everyday driving. In
fact I look for any excuse to get it out
of the garage, even for that short trip
to the shops for a pint of milk.
I also like the fact that the Abarth
is rare on British roads (I’ve only seen
one other), so gets far more admiring
glances and people stopping to talk
about it with genuine interest.
I now have a new car with a three-
year warranty, and the dealership
even threw in a three-year servicing
package, leaving me set for low-cost,
open-top motoring for years to come.
So if you are considering your
options on a sports car, go and test-
drive the 124 Spider. You may, like me,
decide it’s a great all-rounder.
M Revill, West Sussex
letters@evo.co.uk t @evomagazine f @evomagazine
What golden era?
I love hot hatches, and right now the
consensus is that we have never had
it so good. But is this true?
My wife and I will soon drive to
the airport to pick up her three old
school-friends. We will do so in my
Renault Sport Mégane 275 Cup-S. It
is amongst the purest drivers’ hot
hatches ever made, it turns heads
and it seats five, all while returning
more than 30mpg.
I have been contemplating a Civic
Type R – the outgoing FK2 model
or the new FK8 – just to continue in
my Rage Against the Dying of the
Light (I am 60). To my horror I have LET TER OF THE MONTH
discovered that it only seats two
in the back. A real shame, as it has
space aplenty in the rear, and four
doors – the one drawback of the
Load star
coupe elegance of the Mégane. I ENJOYED READING JAMES DISDALE’S ‘WAGONS ROLL!’
It got me to thinking. Which hot twin-test between a new Mk7.5 Volkswagen Golf R Estate and a similarly
hatches fulfil all the same criteria priced but lightly used Mercedes C63 AMG Estate (evo 238). I can
as the Mégane? Thirty-plus mpg? certainly relate to his points of view and comments.
Eliminate Audi RS3, Mercedes-AMG Eighteen months ago I part-exchanged my Audi RS3, which I had
A45, Ford Focus RS. Their amazing owned from new, against a second-hand 2014 C63 Estate, actually an
0-60 times come at a price: 23mpg. Edition 507. While in truth my Audi was nearly as quick and was safe,
Turns heads? Eliminate SEAT (why oh comfortable and efficient, it perhaps lacked any real soul and – dare I say
why make it so bland?) and even, I’m it? – was a little boring. This is something I cannot accuse the C63 of, even
afraid, the Golf R. So I am staying with if this means the occasional accidental loss of the back end when pulling
the RS 275. away at a junction or roundabout if it is at all damp!
Ho-hum. First World problems… I also never tire of being asked at petrol stations when filling up
Nick Harry, Marden, (something you do a lot with a 6.2-litre V8) to ‘Rev it, mate!’ or hearing
Hereford my four-year-old grandson telling me, ‘Your car growls.’
In fact, overall my experience confirms exactly what James said:
sometimes it really does pay to let your heart rule over your head.
Bob Lendon
The Letter of the
Month wins an
Aviator watch
The writer of this month’s star letter
Noise annoys receives an Aviator Airacobra P45 Chro
I must disagree with Ian Eveleigh Inspired by the pilots’ watches of the
about the desirability of the ‘salute 1940s, it has a 45mm case, a Swiss-mad
of firecracker pops and bangs’ that quartz movement, and SuperLuminova
indexes for outstanding legibility.
your Fast Fleet Mini JCW Challenge
emits (evo 238). It seems to be
something that manufacturers are
increasingly grafting onto sportier
cars – as they go from multi-
cylindrical musicality to downsized,
 I N BOX
turbocharged characterlessness – under
the mistaken belief that it adds a frisson
of sportiness. It doesn’t – it just sounds
aftermarket and tacky, most definitely
not ‘characterful’.
The Golf R does similar things, and
greatly misses the old V6 soundtrack (if
not its thirst and emissions). Four-pot
TTs do it, and even Jaguar – a company
whose cars are mostly not short on
cylinders – seems to have been suckered
into artificial snap, crackle and pop.
Personally, I’m not sure which offends
my ear and mind the most: this or the
artificial soundtrack.
Simon Bartlett
Carbon cancelled
I couldn’t agree more with Richard
Porter and his hatred of carbonfibre
baubles, gimcracks and trim-pieces
(column, evo 238).
In my fantasy world I’m sitting in the
McLaren Technology Centre speccing
my new top-of-the-range supercar.
When my pen falls on the interior trim
section I call over the man from MSO,
tick the box for brushed aluminium and
then instruct him to have those parts
painted in crackle-finish black. Lovely.
Tim Halket
MR2 memories
I enjoyed Colin Goodwin’s revisiting of
the Mk1 Toyota MR2 (evo 237). I owned
one back in 2005. It was Sky Blue with
the T-bar roof and leather interior and it
had around 120,000 miles on the clock. I
bought it from a lad in Barnsley for £300.
It was rust-riddled [see picture, above
right] but had an MOT and the engine
was smooth as a nut, though the seller
advised me not to take it past 6000 revs,
which I later found out was because it
hadn’t had a belt change.
It was a very good car to drive (given
its age, mileage and condition) and I
just loved bombing along in it during
the summer months with the roof off.
The problems surfaced after the first
rainfall… The roof leaked and the engine
was incredibly susceptible to damp.
Soon a tarpaulin and WD-40 became my
best friends. After a couple of fail-to-
start issues the missus refused to set
foot in it, and I’m still reminded of the
occasion when I had to get my dad round
to tow it off our sloping drive when it
effectively blocked in our daily driver.
I quickly put it up for sale and
eventually sold it – for £350. My
memories of the car are the fantastic
seating position, great steering feel, good
accelerator response and the indicator
stalk that always caught me out by
being on the wrong side. When it worked
and the sun was out it was brilliant. I’m
almost tempted to buy another.
Graeme Davison
Too FQ
After reading Richard Meaden’s column
in evo 237, I felt compelled to write in
to say that although I disagree with his
solution, I do agree with his thoughts
on modern performance cars becoming
too fast to enjoy.
I had an itch I had to scratch a few
years ago and purchased a Mitsubishi
Evo X FQ-330, but I quickly learned
that within even ten seconds I could be
doing speeds that are not only highly
illegal but also highly dangerous.
Looking at today’s hot hatches I
baulk at the idea of owning a car such
as the new Audi RS3 with almost
400bhp. Surely that much power is
more of a status thing than actually
adding to the thrill of driving?
My personal preference for my
driving future will be a mundane car
for daily use alongside something
lightweight such as a two-seater or
 letters@evo.co.uk
junior hot hatch with no more than, say,
200bhp. Keep it light, keep it fun and
keep it (relatively) safe!
Daryl Anderson
Sims not the answer
I hold no one in higher esteem than
Richard Meaden, but his column in
evo 237 has made me begin to question
my judgement.
Simulators replacing fast cars?
Really? I don’t see it. I use three-axis
aircraft simulators on a regular basis,
and impressive though they are, they
really don’t replicate the bombardment
of your senses that flying an actual
aircraft does, and I would imagine that a
car sim would be much the same, if not
more so – it’s the sounds, smells, wind
in the hair and feel of it all that makes
actual driving unique and irreplaceable.
No, the answer isn’t simulators, it’s
cars that give you all that lovely tactile
stuff at sensible speeds. Something like
a Peugeot 106 Rallye would do it…
Mark Andrews
Simple pleasures
I have been a subscriber to evo for
more years than I care to remember
and have owned a number of
affordable, evo-endorsed cars in my
time. Nowadays, I too have stopped
chasing the performance car arms race
and have reverted to the joys of ten-
tenths motoring.
One of my favourite cars I have
owned was also my first new car, a
lovely Peugeot 106 Rallye Mk1. Only
100bhp, but so much fun to drive. Now,
24 years later, I find myself enjoying
the same simple pleasures with
Mazda's latest MX-5 (1.5). On today’s
crowded, camera-strewn roads, driving
pleasure needs to be redefined by
car manufacturers.
t @evomagazine f @evomagazine TA ILOR ED
F I NA NCE FOR
STUN N ING
CA RS
Oh yes and one more thing: many
women like driving too. How about a
female perspective in your road tests
sometime?
Kate Andrews
Gone in 62 seconds
After checking out the new-format
Knowledge section (evo 238) and
noticing that the 0-60mph column
has become 0-62mph, my thoughts on
acceleration times were re-ignited.
With 0-62mph (0-100kph) the
industry standard in Europe and
0-60mph in the USA and UK, are the
manufacturers who quote the latter
doing so because of the country they
hail from, or rather to gain a marketing
advantage over their rivals?
This is only the start. Are the tests
conducted with minimal fuel, fluids, a
lightweight driver and optimum tyres,
road surface and weather conditions?
(Too much information to list in the
fine print next to the asterisk in the
brochure.) Not quite representative
of the real world, then. And to what
lengths do manufacturers design a car,
particularly its gearing, in the pursuit of
quicker acceleration times?
With so many variables, should we
focus on these headline figures, or base
our purchase decision on other factors?
I would hope that within the evo
community our decision is based on the
many other aspects of a car that enable
it to deliver the thrill of driving. To put it
simply: don’t believe the hype.
Andy Wells, Boston,
Lincolnshire
Call us now for a competitive
The eye of the beholder quote on 020 3355 0046 or
visit our website: jbrcapital.com Official
That new Civic Type R [above]. Jesus.
Finance and terms subject to status.
Finance
It looks like it caught fire and someone Partner
Advances between £25,000 and £3m.
put it out with a lump hammer.
Glenn Churton
 TOYOTA YARIS GRMN // JAGUAR F-TYPE 2.0 //
PORSCHE PANAMERA TURBO SPORT TURISMO //
RANGE ROVER VELAR // FORD FIESTA ST-LINE //
MASERATI GRANTURISMO MC

Toyota Yaris
GRMN
In a bid to create a link between its WRC car and road-going line-up,
Toyota has developed a low-volume, slightly unhinged 210bhp
version of the Yaris. We drive a near production-ready prototype

034 www.evo.co.uk
 YOSHINORI SASAKI, THE CHIEF ENGINEER ON YARIS
GRMN, tells a lovely story about the birth of Toyota’s
first hot hatch for at least a generation. During the
GT86 project, for which he was assistant chief engineer to
Tetsuya Tada, he and Tada were testing said coupe in Wales
when a small hot hatch latched onto their tail. ‘I don’t know what
car it was, a Clio, a Polo maybe, but I drove faster and faster and
still couldn’t shake them off,’ says Sasaki. ‘When we finally got
to a village we realised it was old lady driving. I said right then
[laughing], we must make just such a car!’
It’s an unintentional reminder that Toyota’s recent history
isn’t exactly crammed with classic hot hatches. But now we
have ‘new’ Toyota. It may have taken a while for boss man Akio
Toyoda’s enthusiasm for performance cars to filter down through
the ranks, but this Yaris – which will be the first GRMN model to
go on sale in Europe, the sixth in Japan – won’t stand alone, as
there’s the spiritual successors to the Supra and the MR2 to look
forward to at the very least. GRMN, by the way, stands for ‘Gazoo
Racing tuned by Meister of the Nürburgring’. We kid you not.
It’s at the Ring, specifically Toyota’s test garage there, where
we meet a pre-production Yaris GRMN and the small team
behind the project. Toyota sees this car as a bridge between the
WRC Yaris and the current road-going models, a bit of good old
fashioned leveraging, if you like, in a modern era where limited
homologation requirements mean we’re starved of competition-
bred machinery for the road. Alas, being front-wheel drive the
Yaris GRMN has little in common with the WRC entry.
It’s also soon clear that this is not a car to make a profit on,
because of the engineering effort plus the complexities of
building it on the Yaris production line. Stijn Peeters is project
leader, and it’s patently obvious that he, and the rest of the
team, are massive petrolheads at heart. With just nine months
to develop the car, he’s called on various outposts of the Toyota
empire, fine-tuning the Yaris both on the Nordschleife and on
public roads, including in the UK.
What really marks the Yaris GRMN out as something different
is its engine. In an era of ‘downsized’ turbocharged units, it’s
refreshing to find that there’s a 1.8-litre supercharged motor
www.evo.co.uk 035
Specification
Engine
In-line 4-cyl, 1798cc, supercharged
+ Naughty exhaust noise; fun to drive; potent performance - Expensive; poor driving position for taller drivers; could Toyota be even bolder?
crammed under the little supermini’s
bonnet. Okay, so it also uses forced
induction, but the 2ZR-FE engine, co-
developed with Lotus and familiar to
anyone who’s driven a recent Elise,
promises to give the car an entirely
different personality.
With the assistance of the
Magnuson Eaton rotor-type
supercharger and its integral
water-cooled intercooler (die-cast
as one unit), it should produce
around 210bhp and 184lb ft of
torque once homologation is
completed this autumn. Packaging
the engine and drivetrain has been
a major challenge, requiring, for
example, a unique air-to-oil cooler.
As a regular Yaris uses a 42mm-
diameter exhaust pipe, fitting the
GRMN’s 60mm item into the space
under the car has been a very tight
036 www.evo.co.uk
Power Torque
c210bhp @ 6800rpm c184lb ft @ 5000rpm
squeeze too: just one cat is used
– an expensive, high-quality Lexus
item, allowing the secondary cat to
be deleted. A bespoke centre-exit
tailpipe apes that of the WRC car.
As for the chassis, the team
has worked with Sachs for some
much more sophisticated damping
control, combined with a 62 per
cent higher spring rate and thicker
anti-roll bars. The monocoque is also
significantly stiffer, thanks to the
stronger subframe from the Yaris
diesel (with unique GRMN bushing)
and additional bracing front, centre
and rear. A front strut brace was a
later addition, significantly quelling
torque-steer that became apparent
once a limited-slip differential was
added. That diff, sourced from
Toyota’s J-TACs customisation
division (think ambulances and
0-62mph Top speed
6.3-6.5sec (claimed) 143mph (claimed)
police cars), helps deploy drive that’s
sent through a reinforced six-speed
manual gearbox. The wheels are
forged 17in items from BBS, 1.6kg
lighter per corner than regular
Toyota 17in wheels, and shod with
Bridgestone Potenza RE050 rubber.
Behind the spokes are upgraded
brakes, including new four-pot
calipers up front with larger discs.
The Yaris GRMN is a car of
contradictions, inside and out. To
hear it fire up across a car park is to
think an R3-spec rally car is idling
away, such is its hollow bark, yet
apart from the sizeable rear wing
and the black ‘n’ red stickers, it lacks
the visual presence harnessed so
effectively by an old Clio 197 with its
bespoke wide panel-work. Inside
the GRMN there are Toyota Boshoku
sports seats, specifically designed
Weight Basic price
1135kg (188bhp/ton) £26,295
evo rating ;;;;2
to lower the driver in the car. They
succeed, to a point, and are very
supportive, but it’s the driving
position that’s perhaps my biggest
frustration. The moment I climb in
I feel I’m sitting too high, and the
GT86 steering wheel is too far away
unless I want to sit almost on top
of the pedals, making heel-and-toe
changes impossible. Otherwise,
the interior is respectable, but
hardly exciting.
No matter, we’re underway, and
while my arms may be outstretched,
I’m completely distracted. The
GRMN is loud. It’s a non-synthetic,
honest sort of noise. The kind of
noise made by a competition car
without even a whiff of a marketeer
present. It starts off at low revs with
a gravelly, almost metallically grating
sound, then rises in pitch and volume
 Toyota Yaris GRMN

Left: our man Towler finds that his tall

frame is a tight fit. Bottom left: engine
is a supercharged 1.8, as powers many
a Lotus. Below: the GRMN as dressed
up for the showroom, but not as wild-
looking as its spec suggests

through the mid-range to a genuine

7000rpm crescendo of piercing
intensity. More than once I snatch a
glance over my shoulder expecting
the rear bench to be absent, so
loud is the exhaust note. At 1135kg
the Yaris GRMN is pleasingly light
by modern standards, particularly
given the headline power figure,
but it’s soon obvious this is a car
and engine combo that requires
energetic exercise to get the best
out of it. Without that instant hit
of turbocharged torque, you have
to drive the GRMN like you might an
old-fashioned small hot hatch, and in
return you savour the unrelentingly
sharp throttle response from
the supercharged motor and the
involvement that brings.
If the initial impression is of a very
firm ride, then that soon passes
as the speed rises above 30mph.
The GRMN steers with decent the aid of the diff is good without interior specification, that cultivate a grin a few minutes later, having
accuracy, although there’s a slight any real torque-steer to speak of, the nagging thought that Toyota made some calculations, and says
detachment around the straight- but the Potenzas seem to relinquish could have been even bolder with ‘up to 60kg!’ Given the already
ahead and in the mildly artificial way their grip relatively early, which limits this very low volume, niche vehicle. notable difference in performance
it self-centres. We drive Toyota’s how much you can provoke the car. Every Yaris GRMN has DAB, climate between driving one-up and with a
Ring road-test route, which throws Sasaki admits to testing the GRMN control and a full infotainment passenger, I’d say a back-to-basics
up some surprisingly poor surfaces with an RE11S Bridgestone, a semi- system, but in an idle moment I ask approach would be worth it here,
for Germany, and the little Yaris feels slick not available or road legal in the Peeters how much weight could unlike with the tiny reductions for
very composed at speed over them. UK. Perhaps stickier rubber should be saved if they were all removed huge cost associated with so-called
Brake as you turn and the tail is quick be a factory option? and wind-up windows installed ‘lightweight’ supercars.
to come round, and traction with It’s this question of tyres, and of instead of electric. He returns with The GRMN is on sale now, online
only, and I’ve got to break this news
to you: it costs £26,295. That’s a
lot of money for a Toyota Yaris.
‘The GRMN Just 400 will be made, with around
90-100 projected to come to the UK.
is loud. They’ll be built on the regular Yaris
production line in France, but by a
It’s a non- specially selected team of 20.
synthetic, Flawed and expensive it may be,
but the Yaris GRMN is infectiously
honest sort fun to drive, and sitting on the plane
home the next morning I find myself
of noise’ aching to be behind the wheel again.
Most of all, I’m so very glad cars like
this are still being made. Now, Mr
Peeters, how about that lightweight
‘Rallye’ version? L
Adam Towler (@AdamTowler)

www.evo.co.uk 037
Porsche T
THE FEVER THAT
surrounds the
Panamera Turbo
announcement and
subsequent first drive of any 911
developed in Andreas Preuninger’s
Sport Turismo
lair deep within Weissach is
both predictable and wholly
understandable. It has become a
phenomenon that has helped spur
With its shooting-brake rear end, the Sport on the prices of pretty much all older
Turismo adds an element of practicality – and 911s and especially those with a
motorsport connection.
style – to Porsche’s ballistic Panamera Turbo Yet here we are surrounded by
the same sense of anticipation you
might expect for the launch of a
Preuninger product, but for a four-
wheel-drive estate car. So it makes
038 www.evo.co.uk
the Panamera Sport Turismo’s
arrival all the more intriguing. Its
debut is not exactly a shock, the
model having been previewed as a
concept at the Paris motor show in
2012, and following last year’s arrival
of the new and updated Panamera
saloon, the trim lines, engines and
powertrains come as no surprise
either. And yet the build-up to the
first drive verdict is GT3-esque.
Has it been worth the wait? Well
yes, because it’s fundamentally still a
new Panamera, which is the Porsche
that melds the attributes of a sports
car with those of supersaloon and
does it so much better than the

Cayenne mixes the attributes of a
sports car with those of an SUV.
Therefore, despite the 40kg
weight penalty accrued by the
all-new body from the B-pillar back
– which includes the first active roof
spoiler fitted to a production car –
the Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo,
as driven here, delivers a mighty
shove when you ask the 542bhp
twin-turbocharged V8 to power-
drink superunleaded as quickly as its
injectors will allow. As the V8’s crank
hits 3000rpm the pair of turbos are
already gulping down litres of air with
the enthusiasm of an ex-footballer
pocketing a BBC salary.
Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo
Add a further 2000rpm and
‘There’s the the 568lb ft of torque that’s been
controlling the show since 1960rpm
same sense of is diminishing, but no worries,
because you’re now in the thick
anticipation of the power curve and pushing
headlong to its near-6000rpm peak
you expect for and the 6800rpm rev limit. An estate
a Preuninger car that cracks 62mph in 3.8sec (3.6
with Sport Chrono fitted) is frankly
product, but for ridiculous, and its 8.5sec dash to
100mph is supercar-troubling.
a four-wheel- As with the Panamera saloon line-
up, a pair of turbocharged petrol V6s
drive estate’ are available – a single-turbo 326bhp
unit and a biturbo 434bhp motor.
The only diesel option is the 4-litre
Left: driving
environment
is unchanged
from that of the
latest-generation
Panamera saloon.
Far left: roofline
is new from the
B-pillars back;
active roof spoiler
is a first for a
production car
twin-turbo V8 producing 416bhp and
a chunky 627lb ft. There’s a hybrid,
too, with a 325bhp turbocharged six-
cylinder petrol engine and a 100kW
(134bhp) electric motor, which
together deliver peaks of 456bhp
and 516lb ft of torque.
Porsche’s PTM four-wheel-drive
system is the only driveline option,
not only for the Turbo but for all
Sport Turismos at this stage, as is
the eight-speed PDK gearbox. It’s a
transmission so perfectly suited to
the car’s characteristics that it’s no
surprise Porsche isn’t considering
the switch to a conventional wet-
clutch auto that a number of rivals
www.evo.co.uk 039
 Bottom middle: twin rear
seats are an option; the
standard arrangement has a
centre seat of sorts, best for
short journeys only

Specification
Engine Power Torque 0-62mph Top speed Weight Basic price
V8, 3996cc, twin-turbo 542bhp @ 5750-6000rpm 568lb ft @ 1960-4500rpm 3.8sec (claimed) 188mph (claimed) 2035kg (271bhp/ton) £118,828

+ Performance, looks; drives better than its weight suggests - Expensive, not exactly a load-lugger evo rating 33332

are planning or have already made.
Only a slower than anticipated
downshift when braking for the
long, sweeping, downhill third-gear
left-hander at the Vancouver Island
Motorsport Circuit (where we are
for the car’s launch) is a cause for
concern during our time on track
with the car. And yes, this track
performance is largely irrelevant for
an estate car, the owner of which is
likely to have one of Preuninger’s GTs
in the garage, too.
With Turbo models fitted with
air suspension and PASM adaptive
dampers as standard, Porsche has
attached most of its chassis toys
to the top-level Sport Turismo,
although rear-wheel steering and
torque vectoring remain options. For
those who enjoy making the most
of what even a 2035kg estate car
can do, they’re worth the premium
– unlike the optional dynamic anti-
roll bars (PDCC), which make the
otherwise linear and nicely weighted
electrically assisted steering nervous
and hyperactive. It’s one of the few
systems Porsche’s engineers have
yet to master.
Drive a Panamera saloon and
Sport Turismo back-to-back and
you’d be hard pressed to tell the
difference. There’s clear fluidity to
how the ST flows over the most
poorly surfaced roads we can find
during our test, the revised three-
chamber air suspension untroubled
by the biggest potholes and razor-
edged surfaces of Vancouver’s road
network. Grip is never an issue,
and for a two-ton, five-metre-
long estate car, the Turbo Sport
Turismo changes direction with an
unexpected agility. Find yourself on
a stretch of exciting road and you’re
unlikely to regret not being there in
something more focused: this car
has few compromises from a driving
perspective. The new AMG E63 S
Estate might prove to be a sharper
steer when we get to drive it later this
year, but for now the Sport Turismo
defines the super-estate segment.
Which is hard to write when you’re
an RS6 fanboy like me.
A couple of things do differentiate
the Sport Turismo from the saloon.
Firstly, the boot is bigger in terms of
height. And you can now seat three
in the rear, although the passenger in
the middle tuffet seat needs to share
tight footwell space with the other
two occupants; it’s really little more
than an occasional perch.
Being a new Panamera means
Porsche’s advanced cockpit is
standard. So, too, is a panoramic
roof, and if you prefer carrying just
two rear-seat passengers, the
individual rear chairs of the saloon
can still be specified, as can a list
of technology, luxury and dynamic
options, some of which you may or
may not think should be standard on
a car with a £118,828 price tag.
If you’re looking for a cliché,
the Sport Turismo is the car the
Panamera should have been from
launch back in 2009. Why it’s taken
Porsche this long to bring one to
market is anyone’s guess.
For many the ST resolves the
Panamera’s awkward design,
taking the bulk out of the body
and delivering a finer level of
sophistication to its look. It will
never be considered a classic design
but it’s certainly the best-looking
Panamera there has been, a
sentiment that sums up the Sport
Turismo as a whole. The Panamera
has always been a fine way to cover
big distances at silly speeds in
supreme comfort, and the Sport
Turismo is now the best way of
doing this whether you need the
extra space or not. L
Stuart Gallagher
(@stuartg917)

040 www.evo.co.uk
 Powered by a hand-wound versionsion of our
Calibre SH21 movement, the C8 introduces
a power reserve complication foror the first
time – when fully wound, the decor
corated
twin barrels provide an incredible
dible five days
of power. Meanwhile, the black DLC
DL case
and altimeter-inspired date calendar match
that practicality with stunningly innovative
design.

Swiss movement
English heart

Discover the new breed of watchmaker...

christopherward.co.uk
2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0.
Sold for (£) 208,130

2nd September 2017

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Ford Fiesta
ST-Line
Photography by Pete Gibson
Ford’s revised warm hatch
makes a welcome return
and bodes well for the
genuine ST derivative
HERE AT EVO WE’VE
H always been fans of the
Ford Fiesta, which even in
its humbler guises serves up more
driving fun than buyers have any right
to expect from a simple supermini.
Spend time behind the wheel of one
and it’s clear lots of investment and
know-how have been lavished on
steering and suspension that easily
exceeds that of the competition.
So when Ford reveals an all-new
version that promises to be more
grown-up yet just as entertaining
from behind the wheel, we’re more
than a little curious. Particularly when
you consider that this car will form
the basis of the next Focus ST.
It’s evident Ford’s engineers have
made all the right changes to the new
Fiesta, which is loosely based on the
same Global B platform as the old
one. The suspension is a familiar strut
setup at the front and torsion beam
at the rear, but the front track has
been widened by 30mm and the rear
by 10mm. Elsewhere, the electrically
assisted steering has 20 per cent less
friction, while a brake-based torque-
vectoring system similar to that on
the larger Focus has been added.
The changes don’t end there,
either. Go for the ST-Line version,
as driven here, and you get a 10mm
lower ride height, stiffer springs and
Specification
Engine Power
In-line 3-cyl, 999cc, turbocharged 138bhp @ 6000rpm
+ Agile and engaging handling, smooth ride, vastly improved interior - Not exactly cheap to buy, could be quicker
dampers and remapped steering
assistance. When combined with
the punchy 138bhp turbocharged
1-litre EcoBoost engine, on paper it’s
a promising little package.
It’s the quietness you’ll notice first.
Improvements to sound insulation
and mountings mean this three-
cylinder unit is less intrusive than
before. Once started it settles to a
subdued idle, while working it hard
results in a characterful thrum, but
with none of the unwanted tingles
and vibrations that occasionally
blighted the old car.
It performs well too, pulling with
reasonable strength from low revs
and spinning happily around to
6000rpm or so. You’d struggle to call
this car fast (Ford claims 9.0sec for
the 0-62mph sprint), but with peak
torque arriving at just 1500rpm, it
feels muscular enough. Performance
is aided by the new six-speed
Torque
133lb ft @ 1500rpm
gearbox, which has more closely
stacked ratios and a sweet, precise
shift action.
As previously, the driving position
places you low in the car, while the
major controls are perfectly located:
from the moment you pull away
you can tell the new Fiesta ST-Line
has been developed by people who
understand driving engagement.
The revised steering is a fraction
lighter than before, but the rack is
progressive and there’s just enough
feedback to make things interesting.
Ford claims that the wider track and
the adoption of the torque-vectoring
system mean grip levels are up
10 per cent, and the car certainly
clings on harder than before, while
the front tyres do a good job of
resisting understeer.
There’s a playful side to the Fiesta,
too. You can’t disengage the ESP, but
the electronic safety net gives you
enough leeway to trim your line with
either steering or throttle. And like the
best Ford designs, the Fiesta feels like
it pivots around your hips as it swings
through a series of corners. Adding to
the impressive dynamics are brakes
that offer excellent progression and
decent stopping power.
The really clever bit, however, is
that this nimbleness doesn’t come at
the expense of comfort. Even on the
0-62mph Top speed
9.0sec (claimed) 125mph (claimed)
‘It feels like it
pivots around
your hips as it
swings through
a series of bends’
more firmly damped ST-Line the ride
is cushioned and controlled. There’s
some low-speed firmness, but even
then the edges are taken off sharp
ridges and potholes.
The Fiesta’s ease-of-use is
further boosted by a cabin that
combines extra space with higher-
class materials than before and
more standard equipment, while
Ford’s new SYNC3 touchscreen
infotainment system brings all the
connectivity you’re likely to need.
At £16,495 the three-door ST-Line
driven here isn’t exactly cheap, but
it delivers more smiles per pound
than most of its supermini rivals.
Crucially for hot hatch fans, the raw
ingredients supplied by the standard
Fiesta suggest the ST – which will
be developed by Ford Performance,
creators of the Focus RS and Ford GT
– should be a spicy treat. L
James Disdale
Weight Basic price
1144kg (123bhp/ton) £16,495
evo rating ;;332
www.evo.co.uk 043
Range Rover
Velar
Land Rover claims the Velar
is the most dynamic and
car-like vehicle it has ever
built. Time to find out if
those claims are true
THE NEW RANGE ROVER
T Velar is designed to fill
the ‘white space’ between
the Evoque and the Range Rover
Sport in the maker’s lineup. This was
news to me: I thought that’s what
the Land Rover Discovery Sport was
for, but then that doesn’t have the
all-important Range Rover badge. You
could feasibly fit the Jaguar F-Pace
into that slot too, now that LR’s sister
company has its own SUV.
You can draw your own
conclusions on the styling, but if ever
an SUV could be described as sleek,
this is the one. Surfaces are clean and
details are neat, from the ultra-slim
LED headlamps (with laser high
beams available) to the retracting
door handles. To use them is to open
Specification (P380)
Engine
V6, 2995cc, supercharged
+ Attention to detail; interior ambience; all-round ability - P380 is expensive; firm ride on larger wheel options
044 www.evo.co.uk
the door on one of the best cabins
you’ll currently find, if not quite the
game-changer the company might
have you believe.
The architecture is pure Range
Rover Sport, but it’s separated by
the details, notably the use of a
pair of 10-inch screens in the centre
console, the upper of which stands
to attention when you turn on the
ignition and displays navigation,
audio and external camera images,
while the lower one allows access to
ventilation controls and the Terrain
Response functions. Both screens are
touch-sensitive, and leagues ahead of
anything else JLR is currently using in
terms of response and ease-of-use.
The rest of the cabin is made from
tactile materials and positions the
Power Torque
375bhp @ 6500rpm 332lb ft @ 3500-5000rpm
‘The V6 produces
a smooth,
cultured tone
and a healthy
turn of pace’
driver and passengers suitably high
up, a crucial Range Rover selling point.
Only a high belt line spoils the illusion,
and leaves the cabin feeling less airy
than it might.
The Velar’s powerplants are less
novel than their wrappers, with
the usual JLR selection of 2-litre
in-line fours and 3-litre V6s in both
petrol and diesel forms. We drove
the D300 turbodiesel and the P380
supercharged petrol, both V6, and
developing 296bhp and 375bhp
respectively. At 6.5sec to 62mph the
diesel is a little slower, but its 516lb ft
torque figure isn’t to be sniffed at,
and nor is its £57,670 entry point.
As is often the case with a choice
of petrol and diesel, the P380 feels
like the car you’d have with no other
factors to consider, producing as it
does a smooth, cultured tone and
a healthy turn of pace. The D300
doesn’t hide its dirty secret quite as
well as a BMW or Mercedes diesel six,
0-62mph Top speed
5.7sec (claimed) 155mph (limited)
but does feel more effortless than the
P380 at low revs and drinks less fuel,
officially 44.1mpg against 30.1mpg.
Both are connected to an eight-
speed ZF automatic, as quick and
entirely unobtrusive as ever.
Land Rover can’t resist showing
us how capable its products are
off-road, and true to form the Velar is
quite remarkable in the rough, even
if its customers will rarely explore
beyond the Harvey Nichols kerbside.
You’re made aware of how much the
electronics are helping out not just by
the ease of traversing tough terrain,
but also by the stench of hot brakes
being used to bolster your traction
uphill and down dale.
On the road there’s consistent,
accurate and well-weighted steering,
and the air suspension provides an
impressive balance between body
control and pliancy. It’s a little too
sudden on the optional 22-inch
wheels, though: the 21s offer a tad
more compliance, and an engineer
confides that the 20-inch option is
the best at mixing turn-in precision
with ride quality.
It’s all relative of course, and
there’s no hiding that the Velar’s heft
ultimately limits its agility, but as a
more advanced, opulent alternative
to a Jaguar F-Pace, it’s very well
judged indeed. L
Antony Ingram (@evoAntony)
Weight Basic price
1884kg (202bhp/ton) £70,210
evo rating ;;332
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THE
FERRARI
TESTAROSSA
Ferrari began its programme to redevelop the BB series
in 1978. At first the brief was to redesign the existing
512BBi but revised safety and emission regulations led
to Ferrari developing a complete new model.
The all new Ferrari Testarossa premiered at the 1984 Paris
Auto show. With blistering performance, Striking looks,
superb handling and yet more luxury it’s easy to see how the
new Ferrari GT car became the poster car of the 80’s. This
model was face lifted in 1992 to become the 512TR. Only the
very early Ferrari Testarossa’s carry the ‘Flying Mirror’ and are
referred to as the Monospecchio. This unusual characteristic
was the result of a misinterpretation of European law by the
design team, The design was later revised to a conventional
set up. The very first US car to carry double mirrors was
chassis No. 67487 and built in 1987.

S A L E S • S E R V I C E • R E S T O R AT I O N

CURRENTLY IN STOCK:
1977 FERRARI 308 GTB Race Car 3.0L RHD
1985 FERRARI Testarossa Monospechio 4.9L LHD
1990 FERRARI 348 TS 3.4L RHD
1990 FERRARI Testarossa 4.9L LHD
1999 FERRARI 360 Modena 3.6L RHD
2000 FERRARI 550 Maranello 5.5L LHD
2004 FERRARI 360 Spider 3.6L RHD
2005 FERRARI F430 Spider 4.3L RHD

RENAISSANCE CLASSICS, Trackspeed House,

Portsmouth Road, Ripley, Surrey GU23 6HB
01483 225878 info@renaissance-classics.co.uk
www.renaissance-classics.co.uk
Jaguar
F-type 2.0
A 2-litre, four-cylinder F-type
doesn’t sound all that
promising and yet Jaguar
seems to have pulled it off
RISKY BUSINESS, THIS
R downsizing lark. God help
us and anyone who reads
the internet the day Lamborghini
is finally forced to ditch 12-cylinder
engines, or when AMG bites the bullet
and swaps its thundering V8s for
hybrid-assisted V6s.
Likewise, dropping a turbocharged,
in-line four-cylinder engine into a
Jaguar F-type might be considered
a sign of impending apocalypse,
given the coupe and cabrio have
until now used a selection of more
exotic supercharged sixes and eights.
Thankfully, both those configurations
continue, and the four simply brings
an extra, more affordable option at
the bottom of the range, with the
same levels of style the F-type has
always offered.
Naturally, you can’t just throw any
old engine at a sports car and hope
it’ll stick, so Jaguar has pinched the
2-litre, 296bhp Ingenium unit from
the XE and F-Pace in the hope it
can provide the necessary urge. On
paper at least, it does, finding enough
traction from its rear-drive layout for
a 0-62mph time of 5.7sec, aided by
the quick changes of the standard
eight-speed ZF automatic. Top speed
is quoted as 155mph.
The elephant in the room is that
Specification
Engine
In-line 4-cyl, 1997cc, turbocharged
+ New four sounds good and the F-type’s as stylish as ever - A little pricey; lacks top-end verve
those numbers are now well within
the reach of several hot hatchbacks.
A Civic Type R matches the Jag to
62mph and hits a higher top speed,
while a Focus RS will scrabble its way
up to 62 a full second quicker and
then top out 10mph later than the
Jaguar. Few will cross-shop premium
GTs with brash hatchbacks, but
with the F-type starting at almost
£50,000, that’s also seven grand
more than the quicker and lighter
Porsche 718 Cayman. Irrespective
of the latter’s disappointing boxer
engine, that’s quite a gap.
To Jaguar’s credit, it’s done well to
turn a relatively bland in-line four into
something that befits a sports car
home. A press of the starter button
doesn’t arouse the same bark as
the V6 or the yowl of the V8, but the
bassy grumble that emerges from the
central tailpipe is far from unpleasant.
Cruise around in the normal drive
mode and you’ll hear very little from
Power Torque
296bhp @ 5500rpm 295lb ft @ 1500-4500rpm
either engine or exhaust, while
switching to Dynamic (or pressing
the exhaust button in R-Dynamic
trim) brings back the deep, angry
tone upon any application of the
throttle. The sound is rich enough
that you might mistake it for a V8 in
certain situations, but otherwise it’s a
unique tone and one that justifies the
engine’s presence in the F-type.
The performance does too, if only
just. Here the hot hatch comparison
continues, as the F-type doesn’t
feel quite as spry off the mark nor
quite as dramatic as the revs rise.
Quick getaways are tempered by the
traction control – that’s gutsy low-
down turbocharged torque for you
– but while the mid-range is strong,
the top-end lacks the snarl and
enthusiasm of the larger powerplants.
We’d be tempted to keep the car
set to Dynamic at all times, where
throttle response is enhanced and the
gearbox seems a little less slovenly in
0-62mph Top speed
5.7sec (claimed) 155mph (claimed)
‘The sound is
rich enough you
might mistake
it for a V8’
its downchanges; the result is a more
eager feel to the whole drivetrain.
Another benefit of the four is
weight. Jaguar claims a 1525kg kerb
weight for the coupe, 52kg lighter
than an auto-equipped V6. That’s all
weight taken from the nose, though a
snoop under the front-hinged bonnet
reveals the four-cylinder still sits
disappointingly far forward.
Low Norwegian speed limits on the
launch event provide little challenge
for the chassis, so sadly we can’t
confirm any handling benefits at this
stage. But the new four-pot F-type is
still an improved car thanks to recent
changes to the platform, including a
more progressive, natural and well-
weighted feel to the steering rack.
The result is that the F-type is a more
involving and friendly companion than
it used to be, and a more accessible
one too – if not quite as affordable as
we’d have liked. L
Antony Ingram (@evoAntony)
Weight Basic price
1525kg (197bhp/ton) £49,900
evo rating ;;342
www.evo.co.uk 047
Maserati
GranTurismo MC
Refreshed with a new face, the elderly mainstay of
Maserati’s range remains a tempting left-field choice
Photography: Barry Hayden
IT IS QUITE A DROP FROM
I the upper hall at the
Geneva motor show. Not
big enough to kill you, but
enough to break a few bones as
you crash onto the roof of a Nissan
below. So it was worth putting up
a struggle to not be pushed over
the railings by an irate PR man from
Maserati. I’d just been on the launch
of the 1994 Quattroporte and our
friend had taken offence at one of
my criticisms (the car had conked
out at the side of the road).
Fortunately this chap, for whom
anger-management classes had no
effect, has left the industry. He’d not
be pleased by my observation that
the facelifted, 2018MY GranTurismo
is very much like the current Ford
Mustang. He’d have flown off the
handle before I could explain that
this is, in fact, a compliment.
Before I explain why, a quick
048 www.evo.co.uk
rundown on the new GranTurismo
and GranCabrio. Maserati told us
a few years ago that both models
(the coupe is ten years old now, the
cabrio seven) would be replaced by
the end of 2014. That didn’t happen
and the word now is that they’ll be
here in the next few years. To fill
the gap, the existing models have
been facelifted and given updated
infotainment systems (including a
new 8.4-inch touchscreen).
The front grille is deeper, echoing
that fitted to the Alfieri concept car
of 2014, and the rear bumper and tail
lights are new. Until now there was
the choice of 4.2- or 4.7-litre engines,
but the majority of customers went
for the bigger option, so the smaller
one has been dropped. The 4.7-litre
naturally aspirated V8 is made by
Ferrari and is fundamentally the
same engine that was fitted to the
F430. Power remains unchanged
from the pre-facelift GranTurismo
‘The engine is
Sport at 454bhp, and this engine
is the heart and soul of the car,
the heart and sounding great and revving to
7500rpm. No turbocharged flat
soul of this car, torque curve here.
When the next-gen car does
sounding great arrive, it’ll undoubtedly be fitted with
a turbo engine – most likely the one
and revving currently in the Ferrari California –
to 7500rpm – and will exchange the sweet sound
and character of this V8 for improved
no flat torque (on paper) emissions and economy.
It’ll probably also have the latest
curve here’ eight- or nine-speed automatic ’box
from ZF, whereas this facelifted
car still uses a six-speed torque-
converter from the same maker.
By now you will have picked up
the trail of my Mustang analogy.
Both feature old tech (though in
fairness the Ford’s V8 is newer than
the Maserati/Ferrari engine), both
have realistic on-road performance,

Left and right: MC
model identified by
a bonnet scoop and
a carbonfibre spoiler
on the bootlid; all
facelifted models get
a deeper grille and
gaping air intakes.
Below: naturally
aspirated 4.7-litre
V8 unchanged at
454bhp; it can trace
its roots back to the
early 2000s
with the entry-level GranTurismo
managing 0-62mph in 4.8sec –
docile by modern standards – and
both are entertaining as soon as
you start their engines. Neither
is available with a host of ‘driver-
assistance’ systems, which are
anathema to many enthusiasts.
Two versions of the coupe and
cabriolet are now offered: the Sport
and the MC, for ‘Maserati Corse’.
Both the closed and open cars we’re
driving are in the latter spec. You can
spot an MC easily by its carbonfibre
bonnet scoop, and when you get in
by the sill plates with ‘MC’ embossed
in them in red. The MCs are each 7kg
lighter than the Sports and drop the
0-62mph time down by a tenth (the
open-air models are two-tenths
slower than their hard-topped
siblings), but apart from that there’s
no dynamic difference between
Sport and MC. Alloy pedals that look
as though they’ve been milled from
manhole covers probably don’t help
with the MC’s 1873kg kerb weight
(1973kg as a cabrio). A ground-up
replacement should at least be
lighter thanks to the use of high-
strength steels and more modern
production techniques.
There’s a massive sense of
Specification
Engine Power Torque 0-62mph Top speed
V8, 4691cc 454bhp @ 7000rpm 383lb ft @ 4750rpm 4.7sec (claimed) 185mph (claimed)
+ Facelift improves the package but keeps the good bits - GranTurismo really showing its age now
Maserati GranTurismo MC
occasion in the GranTurismo,
helped by the history of the iconic
trident badge and the immaculately
trimmed interior. There’s little
point in benchmarking the car
against rivals from Porsche,
Mercedes or Aston Martin. None
of them embarrasses the Maserati
dynamically; the Modenese car rides
well, the steering is better than I
remember and the six-speed auto
works well. Kick-down is usually
enough to bring the engine into its
powerband when overtaking, but
you can always use the paddles.
The choice between GranTurismo
or GranCabrio will probably come
down to geography. There’s a hint
of scuttle-shake in the latter over
particularly bumpy roads, but the
appeal of the open-topped four-
seater while driving along the sun-
blasted shore of Lombardy’s Lake
Iseo doesn’t require explanation.
And here’s the thing about these
Maseratis: they may well be replaced
by much more competent and
sophisticated models in a few years,
but those cars could well not offer
the same emotional experience,
even though they might be lighter,
faster and have more gears. L
Colin Goodwin (@Askgoodwin)
Weight Price
1873kg (246bhp/ton) £109,740
evo rating ;;;;.
www.evo.co.uk 049
 RICHARD MEADEN
Car, driver, road: they’re all important, but which of these variables holds
most sway when it comes to a rewarding drive? Meaden has the answer
I
T ONLY OCCURRED TO ME THE OTHER DAY
that while I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been
asked what the best car I’ve ever driven is (a question that’s
impossible to answer, in case you’re wondering), no one
has ever asked me about the best road.
That’s understandable, as the cars are the stars. Or at least that’s
how we tend to portray them. We don’t grow up with posters of
tarmac on our walls, do we? But perhaps we should, for in reflecting
upon my favourite routes, I realised that the key component in any
great drive isn’t the car but the often overlooked road.
It seems obvious now I’ve written it down, but this light-bulb
moment still surprised me when it came. Probably because it’s
contrary to the natural order of things. What
do I mean? Well, think of it this way. If you put
a company of amateur actors on stage at the
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, you’re unlikely
‘It felt so right
to witness an epic interpretation of Henry V, retracing the
just as you ain’t gonna get the Foo Fighters in
full spate simply by throwing Glastonbury’s tyre tracks
Pyramid stage open to a ropey pub band.
However, put Dave Grohl and his bandmates of the Martini
in your local boozer and you might just have
the best live music experience ever.
2.8 RSR of 1973’
By this token the Route Napoléon would be
ruined by driving it in a rental hatchback, but a Carrera GT would
unlock previously undiscovered magic from a morning commute
on the A14. Yet we know this to be utter nonsense. That’s because
the act of driving is uniquely special. Alchemic, almost. A physical,
emotional and cerebral process in which the road, the car and the
driver become completely intertwined. What interests me is that
if you break this experience down, the critical ingredient isn’t the
car, or indeed the driver. It’s the road that brings the magic.
That’s not to say the car doesn’t play its part. With magazine
work it’s often baked into the story. Amongst the best of these I can
remember was driving a first-generation 996 GT3 on the Targa
Florio route in Sicily. It felt so right to be retracing the tyre tracks
of the Martini 2.8 RSR that won the legendary road race in 1973.
Yet I also know I’d happily go back to Sicily tomorrow and drive the
route in the first car I could rent from Palermo airport.
So, what’s the best road I’ve ever driven? Hmm, much like
picking the best car, it’s a tricky one. In the UK there’s Snowdonia
in Wales and the North York Moors in England, either of which
Richard is a contributing editor to evo and one of the magazine’s founding team
050 www.evo.co.uk
will take your breath away whether you’re completely new to them
or returning for the hundredth time. However, forced to select a
favourite, I’d have to say the A82 across Rannoch Moor, through
Glencoe to Fort William is pretty remarkable. To be honest,
Scotland is blessed with hundreds of stunning roads (the North
Coast 500 connects many of them), but there’s something about
the scale of the scenery and the flow of that section of road that
draws me back to Glencoe every few years. Just go out of holiday
season to avoid the coaches.
Mountains are a common link in all my favourites. You get such
a breadth of pace and intensity, from the fast flowing roads that
run along the valley floors to the tight tangles of corners as you
work your way up the climbs. Naturally you
have the reward of a spectacular view as you
reach the summit, and if you happen to be
in a breathless rental, you’ve got the fun of a
fast, gravity-assisted descent to enjoy.
Europe is the happiest hunting ground for
mountain adventures, with a choice of routes
through the Alpes-Maritimes that look down
upon Nice and Monaco. Alternatively there’s
the web of Alpine passes that straddle France,
Switzerland and Italy. The St Gotthard is a
classic, but many of the lesser-known cols are
just as jaw-dropping. And if you head for the Stelvio, once you’ve
done the iconic ladder of hairpins be sure to drop down the other
side of the mountain, then turn around and climb back to the
summit, as this flowing section will really knock your socks off.
It’s fantastic to have your go-to greats – the roads you look
forward to driving again, much like seeing an old friend – but there
are always new gems to discover. Something I was reminded of
just the other day on the McLaren 570S Spider launch in Spain (see
p94). I’ve visited Barcelona on many occasions but I’d never driven
from this wonderful city towards Andorra. Varied in character,
smoothly surfaced, almost deserted and seemingly endless – the
roads that criss-cross this region are right up there with the best.
Yes, it helps if you’re in a new McLaren, but judging by the pace
with which the locals were hooning around in their SEATs, it’s
a drivers’ paradise in any car. And that is the most compelling
message: while driving the world’s sports and supercars is a reality
for only a fortunate few, the best roads are out there waiting for
everyone. All you need to do is get out there and drive them. L
t @DickieMeaden
 RICHARD PORTER
Porsche has built another dangerously fast and proficient rear-engined,
rear-drive mega-machine, but it’s not really what the 911 is about, is it?
G
I V E N T H E SU B J EC T M AT T E R OF T H E
magazine you’re currently holding in your hands, it
should come as no surprise when I say that I like cars.
In fact, I love cars, I dream about cars, I take pictures of
cars in the street. Cars are my bag. I particularly like Porsche 911s.
Barely a day goes by when I’m not idly browsing arse-engined
Stuttgartian smut on the second-hand market, wishing 993s
weren’t so pricey, darkly willing a market crash for tidy early ’70s
stuff, eyeing up cheapo Cat D 996s on the internet and wondering
what’s the very worst that could happen. I’m completely, boringly,
nerdishly obsessed with cars and giddily fixated with Porsche 911s.
So riddle me this: why am I not interested in
the new 911 GT2 RS?
Well, the first problem is that it’s a GT2,
and we know that script off by heart.
‘A stiffened,
Turbocharged, rear-wheel drive, slots, slats, steroid-injected
stripe on the steering wheel. Tell us one
we don’t know. But wait; this one has more 911 just isn’t
of something and less of something else,
all leading to a tiny reduction in one thing fulfilling its
and a microscopic increase in something
else. And still I’m struggling to give a flying
main role in
turbocharged toss about any of it.
The next turn-off is the media coverage
the automotive
it’ll garner. Oh God, the coverage. First the animal kingdom’
breathless tech-spec reviews, the clammy-
handed but insight-free passenger rides, and
the videos of Walter Röhrl doing something heroic with it. Next,
the actual access, which will be divided into two categories. Firstly
the vloggers, who will debate their own GT2 orders with the furrow-
browed concern of someone brokering peace in Syria rather than
the self-absorbed concerns of a family-money halfwit wondering
whether to get a blue one. REMEMBER TO SUBSCRIBE, GUYS!
Secondly, the helmswright writers, who will imply that the new
GT2 RS can heal the sick, feed the poor and, it would seem, allow
frustrated racing drivers to achieve some sort of climax. Alongside
which there’ll be an interview with that unspellable chap from
Porsche’s GT department in which he is treated like a minor deity
as he explains that the carbonfibre seatbelt-release button saves
0.0001 seconds around the Nürburgring.
And here we get to the gristly core of my disinterest problem.
I don’t care about track 911s. For me, the 911 is a road car. A
Richard is evo’s longest-serving columnist and the script editor on The Grand Tour
052 www.evo.co.uk
glorious, charismatic, brilliant road car that you can use all day,
every day, and still get some kicks from if you somehow end up on
Brands Hatch. But from the spec alone you can tell the GT2 isn’t
like that. Show me a person who thinks they can use more than ten
per cent of the performance and abilities of a 691bhp, rear-drive
Porsche on the road and I will show you a liar or a cadaver. I’m
sure there will be lots of claims that the GT2 is really friendly, even
when there are members of the public in Citroën Picassos coming
the other way, but I can guarantee that the inability to deploy its
huge horse count and incredible G-generation without becoming
dead or arrested will make it deeply frustrating on the road. And
that’s really why I’m not interested in it. Even
if I had one, what am I going to do with it
except fear for my licence and my life?
I admire the elasticity of the basic 911 idea,
from soft-topped, PDK-’boxed boulevardier
at one end to turbonutter track-hammer at
the other, but in my book those po-faced,
tenths-shaving, roll-caged monsters aren’t
what the 911 stands for. It’s like watching
Steve Coogan playing a straight acting role.
He’s very good at it, but you also know he’s
one of the best comic performers we have
and you’d secretly rather he got back to that.
Likewise, a stiffened, steroid-injected 911
isn’t fulfilling its main role in the automotive
animal kingdom; it’s not being the best on-
road performance car in the world.
I could have kissed the man from the GT department when I
read about the 911 R and how it was optimised for road use. That,
to me, was the very spirit of 911ness and all the better for it. I’d
have mine without the stripes for maximum everyday stealth. Oh,
hey, by the way, I’m going to need that million pounds you owe
me. Aside from the R, my fantasy 911 spec is the fine-riding non-
RS GT3 with the rumoured Touring Pack that will delete the rear
wing and generally conform to the downplayed 911 creed – which
says that it’s no one else’s business what a bloody nice time you’re
having. To my mind, such a thing represents the multi-layered
and accessible spirit of the 911. The GT2 RS doesn’t. It’s all just too
much in the wrong direction.
Don’t get me wrong, I love 911s. But when it comes to the
overblown GT2 RS, I find more appeal in that Cat D 996 on eBay. L
t @sniffpetrol
 TED KRAVITZ
Lewis Hamilton recently dropped the PR ball but went on to
dominate his home race in the same week – so can we criticise him?
F
IRSTLY, AN APOLOGY TO ALL LONDONERS.
Sorry if Formula 1 disrupted your Wednesday a few
weeks ago. Sorry if your bus couldn’t get to its destination,
or if you were late to your theatre, cinema or dinner date
because the roads around the West End were gridlocked. I’m sorry
if you couldn’t access your home, hotel, or, like the waiter at the
House of Commons restaurant that I met, your place of work,
because everything had been closed off.
I’m really sorry if you heard about the F1 Live event the day
before, took the afternoon off work, or the kids out of school
and came down to nab yourself a good spot in Trafalgar Square,
only to discover you couldn’t see a single F1 car in the flesh as the
route took them up and down Whitehall. Or if you turned up after
7.30pm, expecting cars to be running into
the evening, as had been advertised. And
I’m especially sorry for the crowds who were ‘Since when did
barricaded in pens either side of Whitehall,
prevented by misdirected security guards
partying on a
from being allowed to do anything as simple
as taking a photo of the cars in the pits or
Greek island
leaving to answer a call of nature.
Formula 1 events are usually much better
constitute best
organised than this one was, so on behalf of preparation for
whoever did organise it, I apologise. In their
defence, it was their first time and the next a pivotal home
one is sure to be much less chaotic. For anyone
who wasn’t there, consuming the event online Grand Prix?’
or on TV, it looked fantastic, the cars gunning
it up and down Whitehall, all burnouts, doughnuts and wailing
V8s. There were sets by the Kaiser Chiefs and Little Mix and 19 out
of the 20 F1 stars appeared live and in person, on the big stage.
The one exception being, of course, the driver who stood to
receive the warmest welcome: Lewis Hamilton. He chose not
to attend, explaining that he wanted to go on a short holiday to
Mykonos over the three days between races in order to be in the
best possible shape for the British Grand Prix. Hamilton then
posted a clip of what he was up to for a moment during that holiday
– what looked for all the world like an all-day knees-up.
And so the debate began: did Hamilton have a moral obligation
to attend a free event in London for his supporters, his team and
his sport in general? Or did he owe more to his die-hard racing fans
who were already at Silverstone, having paid hundreds of pounds
Ted is the pitlane reporter for Sky Sports F1
054 www.evo.co.uk
to see their hero win the British GP? Hamilton chose the latter and
didn’t disappoint, so his judgement was vindicated.
What nobody was asking, though, was this: since when did
partying on a Greek island constitute best preparation for a pivotal
home Grand Prix?
Sure, it worked, and racing drivers throughout history, from
James Hunt to Kimi Räikkönen, have proved that ‘zeroing yourself’,
as Mika Salo once put it, is just as effective a method of making
ready as locking yourself into a darkened room with engineers’
reports or spending hours on a simulator practising the perfect line
for Copse corner. It’s just a bit more full-on than we might expect
from one trying to rest and recuperate.
What Hamilton’s preparation strategy does prove, and what
he admitted at Silverstone, is that this
is the toughest championship he’s ever
competed in. The fight against Ferrari is
demanding perfection at every turn, or else
Sebastian Vettel will be there, waiting to
take advantage. There’s an intensity to the
battle that’s taking a high mental toll on both
contenders, so any opportunity to reset must
be taken.
One man who’s had a mental reset is
Robert Kubica. The owlish Pole was on the
verge of a stellar Grand Prix career and a
likely move to Ferrari when, on the eve of
the 2011 season, he crashed into a barrier
during the Ronde di Andora rally in the north
of Italy. The Armco – the section of which in question had been
bolted together improperly – pierced the car’s cockpit and almost
severed Robert’s right arm.
He’s spent the last six years in between operations and training
routines, with the result that he is now able to drive a 2012 Renault
F1 car reasonably quickly and without fundamental limitations.
Kubica must change gear via a single paddle pushed or pulled
by his left hand and he lacks the fine motor function to change
steering-wheel dials with his right, but he’s done enough at tests in
Valencia and Paul Ricard to be ready for a run in this year’s RS17.
Renault has made clear it would only offer Kubica a race drive
if he’s good enough to win: anything else would be detrimental to
both parties. But what a comeback that would be… Puts a few days
in Mykonos in perspective. L
t @tedkravitz
 TA ILOR ED F I NA NCE
FOR STUN N I NG CA RS

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 F E R R A R I 70 t h – T H E EVO Y EA RS

Ferrari
The years
It’s 70 years since Enzo Ferrari
put his family name on a
Tipo 125, and for 19 of those
evo has been on hand to put
you behind the wheel of the
marque’s finest creations

by R IC H A R D M E A D E N
F E R RA R I 70 t h – T H E EVO Y EA RS

058 www.evo.co.uk
The V8s
The evo years
THE FIRST FERRARI WE DROVE
T in evo was an F355 Berlinetta as part
of our inaugural eCoty, held late in
1998. However, the first all-new Ferrari
launched under our watch was the 360 Modena.
We were first invited to Maranello early in ’99 for a
technical briefing on the car we would return to Italy to
drive later that same year. Looking back, the 360 was
a radical car for Ferrari: the first with an aluminium
chassis and body, the first where aerodynamics were
a major influence and the first to deliver genuine
usability. If we’re being harsh, it was also the moment
Ferraris ceased to be classically beautiful, but then the
F355 was a tough act to follow.
The 360 was bigger than its predecessor, which
masked the weight benefits of aluminium. Fortunately
the larger motor (up from 3.5 to 3.6 litres) had
increased power, from 374 to 394bhp, and a fatter
spread of torque. It also had a drive-by-wire throttle,
second-gen F1 paddleshift as an option and faster
steering – an indication of the role technology would
play in Ferrari’s quest for ultra-responsive dynamics.
Of course, there was a subsequent Spider version (in
which we retraced the Mille Miglia route), but the 360
would also be the spark for a more explicit and exciting
breed of track-biased Ferrari, the first of which being
the delectable 360 Challenge Stradale.
This would serve as a blueprint for faster, fiercer
creatures to come, its simple recipe of less weight
(110kg lighter than the regular Modena and just 20kg
more than the Challenge race car), wider rubber,
lower, firmer suspension, a faster gearshift and a more
potent engine focusing the performance of Ferrari’s
mid-engined V8 model as never before.
It’s a mark of just how far things have come since
that the Challenge Stradale’s bald performance
figures – 0-62mph in 4.1sec, 183mph top whack – Left: hardcore 360 CS
pale a little in the context of 2017, yet there remains weighed a mere 20kg
something compelling about this car. A fact reflected more than the 360 race
car. Bottom left: it was
in its appreciating value and covetable status amongst
succeeded by the 430
collectors and, inevitably, investors. Scuderia, which took V8
Five years after the 360 came the F430. Borrowing Ferraris screaming through
some styling cues (and optional carbon-ceramic the 500bhp mark. Below:
brakes) from the Enzo and embracing Ferrari’s love you’ll pay £250k for the
view out the back of the
and mastery of cutting-edge technologies, the leap in razor-sharp 458 Speciale.
performance and urgency was far greater than that Worth every penny, right?
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F E R RA R I 70 t h – T H E EVO Y EA RS
from 355 to 360. But then this was also in the midst
of the Scuderia’s unprecedented dominance of F1
thanks to Messrs Brawn, Byrne and Schumacher.
The F430 continued the love affair with
aerodynamics (50 per cent more downforce than
the 360, no additional drag) and electronics, with
the first appearance of the E-diff and steering wheel-
mounted manettino switch, with which the driver
could ramp-up the rate of response while relaxing
the intervention thresholds of the TC systems.
The 483bhp engine was a big step. Not least
because this ‘all-new’ 4.3-litre V8 was actually a flat-
plane-crank derivative of the F136 unit first seen in
4.2-litre Maserati form. In the F430 it had 23 per cent
more power and 25 per cent more torque, the result
being a series-production model significantly faster
and more expressive than the special-series 360 CS.
This seemingly exponential rate of development
continued with the 430 Scuderia. Power had now
breached the 500bhp mark, putting this scalpel-
sharp machine firmly into V12 territory and well
ahead of that iconic V8 Ferrari road-racer, the F40.
060 www.evo.co.uk
Despite the technology, the Scuderia could be wild,
but only when poked with a stick. For the most part
it traded on precision and response. Oh, and noise,
which was blood-curdling at high revs.
By now Ferrari had really hit its stride. With
massive profits came investment in new technologies,
and with it unprecedented product development. The
zenith, at least so far as the naturally aspirated V8
was concerned, came in the insect-like form of the
458 and 458 Speciale. With these cars you really got
the impression Ferrari wanted to make a statement –
to put Maranello on a pedestal courtesy of arguably
the finest non-turbo road-car engine ever made,
Above left and combined with the most sophisticated electronics.
below: when the 488 Unsurprisingly the results were electrifying.
GTB arrived in 2015,
it was the first time
Normally when you make an engine bigger you
a mid-engined V8 also make it lazier, yet Ferrari managed to build a
Ferrari had featured 4.5-litre V8 that revved to 9000rpm without resorting
turbochargers since to titanium internals. It did the numbers that matter
the F40. Right: 575M
– 562bhp at the limiter, 398lb ft at 6000rpm – and
Maranello broke the
200mph mark and claimed to be cleaner, too. A move from a single-
gets prettier with clutch transmission to DCT (and the abandonment
each passing year of a manual option) led to even quicker shift times,
which helped the 458 hit 62mph in just 3.4sec. Top
speed was 202mph. As for the 458 Speciale, it remains
possibly the car that exemplifies the modern Ferrari.
What of the future? Well, it’s already here in the
shape of the 661bhp 488 GTB. After such a run of
increasingly inspirational V8s, turbocharging was
something to fear, yet Ferrari still leads the way for
throttle response. The overall improvements are still
technology-led, but there’s a lightness of touch about
its application that keeps the driver at the centre of
this relentless quest for speed – something that’s set
to continue with the new ‘super’ 488 later this year.
The V12 GTs
The evo years
WHEN IT CAME TO THE V12 CARS,
W Ferrari had implemented the big changes
a few years before evo came to be. We’re
now used to Maranello’s big-banger
GTs having their V12s sitting well back in the nose
rather than behind the seats, but even when the
575M Maranello was introduced in 2002, it still felt
odd not to have a flat-12, Testarossa-shaped flagship for
the series-production range.
The 550 of 1996 was a mellow machine, and the
575 continued that vibe, albeit with more power (508
versus 478bhp) and the option of an F1 paddleshift
gearbox. The early cars proved to be considerably
quicker than the 550, but also a bit at sea damping-
wise. There simply wasn’t enough support, so the 575
tended to scrape its belly through big compressions.
The subsequent Fiorano Handling Pack addressed
the issues and the 575M belatedly found its feet. We
weren’t fans of the F1 ’box – though more potent, the
575’s demeanour still better suited a stick – but things
would start to change with the 575M HGTC. This car
brought some aggression to Ferrari’s V12 proposition.
It was great to drive and eye-wateringly expensive, but
nothing compared with what was to come.
The 599 GTB Fiorano of 2006 was a bruiser of a car.
One powered by a 611bhp derivative of the Enzo’s V12
and mated to what at the time was the best paddleshift
’box around. Then there were the newfangled magnetic
dampers and those aero buttresses that formed the
C-pillars. This looked and felt like more of a leap than
a step – 21st-century thinking applied to a recipe that
could be traced back to the very origins of Ferrari.
I can remember driving Harry Metcalfe’s 550 over
the Alps to Italy, where we then compared it with the
new car. The older car was wonderful, but the gulf in
performance was shocking. This was an altogether
different kind of Ferrari GT. One that could eat miles,
but one that did so with urgency and aggression.
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F E R RA R I 70 t h – T H E EVO Y EA RS

It stands to reason that Ferrari’s V12 GTs followed Above: 599 GTO was
the same trajectory as its mid-engined V8s, but the savagely quick, with
effect somehow seemed more shocking. A case in point 661bhp and frisky
was the 661bhp 599 GTO of 2011. Not for the faint of dynamics kept in check
by the electronics.
heart, it signalled a shift in strategy and trickle-down Right: even in standard
of technology from the XX customer programme. form, the 599’s Enzo-
I still struggle to get my head around the F12. derived 6-litre V12 was
Launched in 2012, it was a downsized 599 with utterly formidable, with
611bhp. Below: the new
upsized performance. Its pace was truly explosive,
812 Superfast gets a
as you’d expect from something with 730bhp on tap. 6.5-litre V12 that revs to
Top speed? 211mph. 0-100mph? 6.5sec. Dynamics? a surreal 8900rpm
Well, if it wasn’t for the electronics that tame its
inner dervish, the F12 would have a widowmaker
reputation to put the F40 in the shade.
And yet, despite being far faster and wilder than it
has any right (or need) to be, if you could summon the
self-restraint, the F12 would happily grind through
mind-numbing London traffic without complaint.
That juxtaposition and breadth of ability remains one
of this century’s greatest automotive magic tricks.
Like the GTO did for the 599, the 769bhp ‘tdf’ of
2016 revealed a spikier, edgier side to the F12. Rare
and raucous, it was a heart-pounding demonstration
of what Ferrari can do when it pulls out the stops.
It’s too soon to say where the new 812 Superfast
(driven in evo 238) fits into the grand scheme of
things, but there’s no question it takes the front-
engined V12 into even thinner air. A 6.5-litre V12 has
no right to rev to 8900rpm, yet the 812’s 789bhp motor
romps to the red line. This stratospheric performance
is delivered by technology that endows this 1630kg
machine with the agility that was once the preserve
of far more explicit, one-dimensional supercars. If this
is indeed the last naturally aspirated V12 Ferrari GT
there could be no better sign-off.

062 www.evo.co.uk
The V12 2+2s
The evo years

FERRARI 2+2s HAVE ALWAYS BEEN

F a source of fascination. Exceptions that

prove the rule, they take a tangential path
from Maranello’s well-established model
lines to offer something altogether different. Always
unpredictable, they are eccentric conveyances for a
small but discerning group of customers.
evo’s first exposure to this kind of Ferrari was 2004’s
612 Scaglietti. To say its styling challenged convention
is an understatement. I’m not sure I’ve ever attended
a launch where there was greater unease over a car’s
styling, or a car that was such a departure from its
predecessor (the beautiful 456 GT), yet when I see a
Scaglietti in 2017, I think it looks sensational. Go figure.
Much like its styling, the 612 ushered in a new era for
Ferrari’s 2+2s – one in which its construction mirrored
its all-aluminium stablemates and its 5.7-litre 533bhp
V12 was slung behind the front axle for a front-mid-
engined layout. The tech revolution didn’t sweep away
all traces of the past, though, as the 612 came with a
manual transmission as standard. That said, most were
ordered with the optional F1A single-clutch paddleshift
gearbox, making stick-shift Scagliettis more like
unicorns than Prancing Horses.
It might have looked a bit ungainly, but the 612
had a beautiful balance and bulk-belying poise that
encouraged you to drive it as a Ferrari should be driven.
On the launch, that meant a blast up to 185mph on the
autostrada. And before you say anything, that sort of
behaviour was acceptable in Italy in 2004.
Looking back, it was a special car. One that offered
a unique range of abilities and revealed a glimpse
of Ferrari’s mature side. Consider just 40 cars were
expected to come to the UK in that first year, and that it
was priced at £170,500 (Aston was asking £104,000 for
the new DB9) and you can see why it confidently laid
claim to being the world’s best four-seater.
It’s an indication of Ferrari’s worldliness that in 2011
it replaced the 612 with the FF. A car more suited to the
tastes of increasingly influential Russian and Chinese
markets, the FF’s all-wheel drive and shooting-brake But whenever I drove one I never quite gelled with it. Top: styling of the 612
Scaglietti didn’t exactly
styling were an even greater departure from the norm. Largely because it had the same rapid reactions as the
go down a storm in
Like the 612, it was a big car; Audi A6 Avant big. Yet true sports cars in the Ferrari range, yet would have felt 2004, but it’s proving
its whirring, turbine-smooth V12 engine ensured it better if its focus was to soothe rather than stimulate. to be a grower. Above:
could hurl itself down the road like a supercar. Think And so to the less-than-snappily titled GTC4 Lusso. GTC4 Lusso continued
3.7sec to 62mph and an Enzo-chasing top speed of Unlike the jump from 456 to 612, and then to FF, this the shooting-brake
theme with four-wheel
208mph. Gone was the choice of manual or paddles, was an incremental evolution rather than a complete steer and 680bhp
but to be honest the performance and demeanour of the revolution. The engine now has 680bhp (there’s also a
FF combined with the effectiveness of the DCT gearbox 602bhp V8-powered Lusso T), the gearbox is quicker-
really had rendered the stick-shift obsolete. witted, the AWD has been further developed with four-
I loved the idea of the FF, but never truly fell for the wheel steer. Perhaps inevitably, it hasn’t made the same
reality of it. The absurdity of it still tickles me to this leaps in performance and, perhaps disappointingly, it
day – I mean to say, who would have predicted Ferrari remains a somewhat confused proposition. And yet the
would build a 651bhp, all-wheel drive, three-door world is most definitely a better place with a quirky 2+2
estate car? – and the interior is a fabulous place to be. Ferrari in it. Long may that continue.

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The Hypercars
The evo years

FEW CARS CREATE A FURORE
F like a full-on Ferrari hypercar. Models
such as the 288 GTO, F40 and F50 pre-
dated evo, but we were truly gripped by
Enzo fever when that car was introduced in 2002.
As you’d expect, we first drove it in the controlled
confines of Fiorano. You know the drill. Passenger ride
with a test driver (in this case Dario Benuzzi), stern
briefing, then a handful of laps to try to glean some
meaningful driving impressions beyond ‘OMFG’.
The F50 had already done the carbon tub thing. And
it went one better by using the engine block from one
of the Scuderia’s Grand Prix cars. But in terms of the
driving experience it was as old as the Apennines: a
big, bellowing V12 unfettered by electronic driver
aids and stirred into action via a six-speed manual.
The Enzo was different. From the tip of its pointy
nose to the abruptness of its Kamm tail, this was
a millennial machine that drew inspiration from
technology not tradition. A new, 651bhp V12 – the
start of an extraordinary family of engines that would
only get more ferocious – sat at its heart. Active airflow
management helped reduce downforce at high speeds
to nudge the car’s top speed to 217mph.
The driving experience was unlike that of any
Ferrari before it, with an abundance of grip and
traction augmented by a multi-mode stability-control
system and Launch Control. Compared with its
contemporary rivals – the Porsche Carrera GT and
Mercedes SLR McLaren – the Enzo was more rooted
in the 21st century. It wasn’t as pure as the Porsche,
perhaps, but it was a truer reflection of what Ferrari
was about than the CGT was for its maker. More
importantly – and admirably – the Enzo would have a
direct influence on every Ferrari that followed.
F E R R A R I 70 t h – T H E EVO Y EA RS
Were it not for the rise of hybrid tech, following the
Enzo with something meaningful might have been
tricky. After all, when your series-production GT has
the best part of 800bhp, where do you go from there?
The LaFerrari emerged at a time of unprecedented
growth for the hypercar – largely thanks to a growing
global community of car-loving ultra-high-net-worth
individuals, but also because adding battery power to
conventional petrol power meant 1000bhp was within
reach in cars two-thirds the weight of a Veyron.
Of the so-called ‘Holy Trinity’, Ferrari was alone in
choosing pure performance over any notional nod to
zero-emissions motoring. The result was a screamer of
a V12 bolstered by the freakish torque-fill of electric
motors for a cartoonish Ferrari-on-fast-forward
sensation. That Ferrari looked at making the LaFerrari
capable of running in electric-only mode but decided
against it suggests the company couldn’t (or rather
never intended to) match the true plug-in hybrid
functionality of the Porsche 918 Spyder and didn’t see
the point in offering the minimal all-electric range
of the McLaren P1. Whatever the truth, it’s amusing
that Ferrari exploited the performance-enhancing
qualities of hybrid and ignored the rest.
The LaFerrari driving experience mirrors that of its
direct siblings, the 458 and F12, in that it combines
an incredible level of technology with a true sense of
connection and the emotional exuberance of a true
Italian exotic. That the technology enables you to dip
Far left: 950bhp and
into the best part of 1000bhp on the road and then a 1574kg kerb weight
unleash as much as you’re comfortable handling on make the LaFerrari
track makes it something truly extraordinary. mind-scramblingly
If the LaFerrari has the same influence over future fast. Below: it was the
Enzo, however, that
Ferrari production cars as the Enzo did in its day, we set the tone for post-
have a scintillating future to look forward to. L millennium Ferrari
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6 0 Y EA R S O F T H E S EV E N

066 www.evo.co.uk
 by J A M E S D I S DA L E

P H O T O G R A P H Y by D O M I N IC F R A S E R

Magnificent
Seven at 60
It’s almost impossible to distill the thrill of
driving into a more potent form than that
offered by the Caterham Seven. On the
model’s 60th birthday, we drive the cars
that bookend the current range and trace
their heritage all the way back to 1957
 FOR MOST PEOPLE, THE
F
arrival of a 60th birthday is usually
a sign that it’s time to slow down a
little. Maybe even consider retirement.
However, after six decades on sale, the
Caterham Seven has no intention of kicking back.
Three-score years on from its debut as the Colin
Chapman-penned Lotus Seven, this lithe and lightweight
machine is still setting the standard for drivers seeking
hardwired driving fun. And it shows no sign of settling
for the pipe and slippers just yet, with ever-faster versions
and technical innovations keeping it fresher than its
1950s styling cues would have you believe.
In an age of autonomous vehicles, the Caterham
remains an ever-present reminder of the joys of being in
total command of a car. This is driving in its rawest and
most rewarding form. So what better way to celebrate
this remarkable car’s success than with a road-trip that
takes in landmark locations that have played an integral
part in the history of this resilient machine? And what
better cars to choose than the models that bookend
Caterham’s range today – the entry-level 160 and the
deranged 620R. The former is the embodiment of the
1957 original, with its focus on lightness, simplicity and
affordability, while the latter is a vivid demonstration of
just how far the Seven concept can be stretched. Both are
widely different in their approach (and price), yet each
is spun off the same underpinnings, which have been
carefully and constantly evolved over the decades.
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Our first stop is Caterham’s current sales and service
HQ in Crawley, West Sussex, where we have an
appointment with these two machines, which will be
our mobile homes for the next couple of days. Caterham
moved into this large grey building in 2014 after its
original premises (more on which later) burst at the
seams with the sheer volume of Sevens being produced.
The industrial unit is no-nonsense on the outside, but
step inside and you’ll discover a spectacular shrine to
Caterham. The reception area is home to the original
Duratec-engined R500 press car, the AeroSeven concept
from 2013 and the short-lived, slicks-and-spoilers
SP/300.R trackday tool. There are more nods to the
brand’s history in the vast showroom, where there’s
a Caterham 21 (just 49 examples of this badly timed
Seven-based, Elise-rivalling roadster were built between
’94 and ’99) and an F1 racer from the marque’s short and
ill-fated spell at the top of the motorsport tree.
We could stay for hours poring over these vibrant
machines, but our reverie is shattered by the hard-edged
blare of the 620R sprinting from the workshops to the
front of the building to meet a waiting 160.
We plot a course for our next destination, which is on
the other side of London, in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.
What lies there isn’t the very beginning of the Seven
story, but it’s where the car’s success was first realised. It’s
a short blast up the M23 and then clockwise around the
M25, and given that it doesn’t look that far on the map
and the sun is shining, I take the plunge and lower myself
 6 0 Y EA RS O F T H E S EV E N

Clockwise from top left: ‘our’ Sevens leaving Caterham’s Crawley showroom; one of just 49 examples of the Caterham 21; the brand’s
‘museum’ is impressively diverse for such a small outfit; on the road with 470bhp in total; choose your colour; the mad AeroSeven concept

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 ‘It’s not hard to imagine the sound of a twin-cam motor
reverberating among the red brick walls’

070 www.evo.co.uk

into the 620R. I should really start steadily with the 160
and work myself up to the unhinged 620, but the lure of
its bright yellow paint and invigorating performance is
too much to resist.
It’s been around for four years now, but the 620’s
mechanical make-up is still worth repeating. At its
heart is a 2-litre four-cylinder Ford Duratec that uses a
supercharger to boost power to 310bhp and torque to
219lb ft. Both these figures are delivered way up the
rev range (7700rpm and 7350rpm respectively), which
gives a big hint as to this car’s fast and frantic character.
This impression is further enhanced by the standard-
fit six-speed sequential gearbox, which drives the rear
wheels through a racing-specification paddle-clutch.
The trackday focus intensifies with the suspension,
where you’ll find the springs and dampers have been
stiffened. There’s also a wider front track and Caterham’s
more sophisticated De Dion rear axle. Tiny 13-inch alloys
are standard, while the tyres are Avon ZZRs, which are
effectively cut slicks. Let’s hope the rain holds off.
As we crawl out of Crawley, it’s the noise and vibration
that strike you first. Even clean getaways result in a
juddering from the driveline, while the rear suspension
and differential are constantly clonking away. If you’ve
just stepped out of a soft-centred saloon then you’d be
convinced something was broken. However, you soon
realise that this is just the price to pay for the 620’s ability
to form a telepathic link with the driver when the road
gets interesting or you hit the track. There are no rubber
6 0 Y EA RS O F T H E S EV E N
bushes here, and ‘NVH’ was clearly a dirty word (well, Above: outside Lotus’s
modern-day HQ in Hethel,
initialism) during the development process. Norfolk, 60 years after the
Yet despite all this, the 620 proves to be far more original Lotus Seven was born.
composed than you’d think. The carbonfibre bucket Left: the Seven 160 parked
seats are hugely supportive, while the low-slung, laid- at Lotus’s old Delamere Road
factory in Cheshunt – the shed
back driving position is surprisingly comfortable. The
where these cars were made
wind deflector also does a good job, and providing you back in the day is now a gym
wear glasses there’s little need to don a helmet when
cruising on the road. You’ll get the odd fly in the face,
but it’s a small price to pay for the panoramic visibility.
There’s also plenty of heat-soak through the floor and
transmission tunnel as that tuned 2-litre tries to keep
cool in the hot, still air. The haze rising off the bonnet
makes the view ahead look like the beginning of a dream
sequence in an ’80s soap opera.
Before long we’re peeling off the motorway and
heading towards Cheshunt. It’s here, on a scrappy
industrial estate, that we find the old Lotus factory on
Delamere Road, which the company moved into in 1959
when the success of the Seven and the firm’s increasingly
ambitious motorsport activities meant the original
facility in Hornsey, north London, became too small.
Designed in 1957 as a simple and affordable sports car,
the Lotus Seven featured a tubular spaceframe chassis,
aluminium body panels, a live rear axle, drum brakes
and a 1-litre four-cylinder engine from the Ford 100E
saloon. Complete cars cost £1036, or buyers could wield
the spanners themselves – and save on the purchase tax,
which was a forerunner of VAT – for £536.
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 ‘With its live rear axle and skinny tyres, the 160 is
as close to original Seven motoring as you can get’
We find the Cheshunt factory buildings intact and still
in use. The shed where the Seven was assembled is now
a gym, but its façade still features the same large door on
the second floor, where complete cars were craned down
to the ground. The larger unit next door is also in one
piece, including the concrete ramp that was used to carry
Elites and Lotus Cortinas off the production line. As we
poke around, it’s not hard to imagine the sound of a twin-
cam motor reverberating among the red brick walls.
Less than a year after setting up in Cheshunt, Lotus
launched the Series 2 Seven. Featuring a wider track,
glassfibre panels and a simplified chassis for easier and
cheaper construction, the newer car looked much like
the modern-day Caterham. Under the bonnet was the
choice of a newer 1-litre Ford engine from the 105E or
Austin’s A-series unit. Later came 1.3- and 1.5-litre Ford
Kent motors, which when tweaked by Cosworth could
deliver 85bhp and 95bhp respectively. Luxuries such as a
heater and sidescreens also became available, as did the
option of front disc brakes.
The Seven’s popularity grew further, and with the
birth of the hugely desirable Elan and Lotus’s continued
Formula 1 success, it wasn’t long before another move
was on the cards. In 1966 Chapman upped sticks to
Hethel in Norfolk, which is our next port of call.
For the trip north I choose the slightly more sedate 160.
With its windscreen, doors and padded seats, it feels like
the height of luxury after the 620. We initially follow the
path of least resistance, spearing up the A11. But snapper
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Dominic Fraser is a former Norfolk-er and before long Above: 620R, in Firecracker
he’s plotted a cross-country route that takes in Thetford Yellow, is the fastest Seven
ever built, and seems almost
and Wymondham. grotesquely muscular next
These B-roads are just wide enough for two cars and to the narrow-tyred 160.
mix fast corners with challenging blind bends. Perfect Above right: the retro-
Caterham country, in other words. Better still, they’re styled car gets the luxury of
a windscreen, though – and
deserted, which makes the 160’s retro feel all the more
padded seats, and even a
fitting. With its live rear axle, skinny 155-section tyres, pair of doors…
a view down the bonnet that ends in a pair of chrome-
backed headlamps and those front wheels bobbing
up and down in rhythm with the road, this is as close
to original Seven motoring as you can get. Only the
occasional chatter from the wastegate of the 660cc turbo
three-cylinder Suzuki unit pulls you back to the present.
It’s nowhere near as breathlessly quick as the 620,
but with a dry weight of just 490kg, the 80bhp triple
can crack 0-60mph in 6.9sec. There’s plenty of torque
too, and you’re soon making brisk progress, flicking the
stubby gearlever around the gate to make the most of the
smooth and thrummy engine’s limited output.
Narrow tyres mean the 160 moves about more
than other Caterhams, but the handling is beautifully
progressive and any slides happen at such modest
speeds that they prove to be hilarious rather than heart-
stopping. Sharp bumps can upset the old-fashioned rear
axle, but the resulting hops and skips are well controlled
by the dampers. I’m grinning ear-to-ear by the time
we turn down Potash Lane and arrive at Lotus HQ.
The British sports car brand has recently been bought
6 0 Y EA RS O F T H E S EV E N

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6 0 Y EA R S O F T H E S EV E N
by Chinese giant Geely, and the collection of modern,
glass-and-silver-clad buildings is a far cry from the
ramshackle setup of ’66.
Chapman’s ambitions for Lotus were greater than
ever by that point, and with two F1 constructors’ titles
under its belt, the firm wasn’t necessarily that keen on
its association with the anachronistic Seven. Even so,
in 1968 Lotus pulled the covers off the Series 3. The
biggest change was the option of a larger, 1.6-litre
engine, which could be tweaked to deliver up to 120bhp.
As a result, disc brakes were now standard, while other
additions included a standard rev-counter, direction
indicators and, for the first time, a fuel gauge.
However, Chapman’s desire to modernise the Seven
resulted in the controversial Series 4, which debuted
in 1970. Essentially an all-new car, it featured angular
glassfibre bodywork, double-wishbone front suspension
from the mid-engined Europa and a choice of Ford 1.3-
and 1.6-litre engines, or Lotus’s own Twin Cam. Purists
weren’t impressed and Lotus, eager to promote itself
as a thoroughbred sports car manufacturer and not a
producer of cheap kit-cars, pulled the plug in 1972.
This was far from the end of the road for the Seven,
though. Since 1959, a Surrey-based workshop called
Caterham Cars had been a sales agent for the car and
over the years had become the centre of the Seven
universe. It was run by businessman Graham Nearn,
who’d spotted the little Lotus’s potential and made
numerous attempts to buy the manufacturing rights.
Finally, in 1973, Nearn’s hard work paid off and he
struck a deal for the rights to build the Seven.
Initially, around 60 S4s were made, but Nearn knew
the real interest was in the classic S3, which was both
more popular with punters and easier to produce from
his small premises in the town of Caterham, Surrey.
I strap myself into the 620R for the return trip down
the same back-roads. Our aim is to retrace our steps and
pop out somewhere along the M11, before rejoining the
M25 and heading to Caterham.
After the 160, the rabid 620 feels like the ‘Spinal
Tap’ Seven – everything’s been turned up to 11. The
supercharged motor is so strong that even if you use no
more than 4000rpm you’ll be just about the quickest
thing on the road. Suck up the courage to wring every
last rev out of the 2-litre and all hell breaks loose. Even
in bone-dry conditions and with heat in the tyres, the
rear wheels will start spinning as the engine screams
beyond 6000rpm in first and second gear. When rubber
does hook up with tarmac, though, the results are
devastating. The 620 effectively teleports you between
corners in what feels like a split second of angry noise
and blurred tugs on the sequential gearshifter.
The twisty bits are dealt with in a similar manner. The
nose dives toward the apex with barely any input from
the steering, the rubber clings on with body-crushing
tenacity and that motor fires you down the next straight,
which always seems half as long as you first thought.
Like in the 160, big bumps and sharp ridges can
catch the chassis out, but with so little mass at work,
the Seven checks itself before anything approaching
waywardness. And with so much power and such a
precise throttle, you can choose at will your angle of
074 www.evo.co.uk
attack as you exit slower corners. It’s intoxicating and
life-affirming, yet there’s also a moment of relief when
we join the relative calm of a trunk road.
Before long we cruise into Caterham, but there’s not
much to see. The site of the old factory, and latterly
showroom, disappeared a few years ago to be replaced
by a block of retirement flats – a sad sight considering
this is where the Seven’s development really took off.
The engine choice was originally dominated by
Ford units, with 1.3-, 1.6- and 1.7-litre versions of the
venerable Kent available. At the top of the tree was the
Big Valve Twin Cam from Lotus, which initially produced
126bhp, but when supplies of this dried up, the Cosworth
BDR was used. Other innovations included the adoption
of a longer chassis for a less cramped driving position
and a left-hand-drive model. But it was the fitment of
the more sophisticated De Dion rear axle in 1985 that
proved to be one of Caterham’s biggest achievements,
improving both the handling and ride.
The model’s increased popularity meant its itinerant
production history wasn’t over yet. With a capacity
for just 250 cars a year and a lengthy waiting list, the
Caterham factory had reached the end of its useful
life, so in 1987 Nearn secured a new production site in
Dartford, Kent, where the cars are still built to this day.
We jump back in our cars for the short sprint to
the factory and arrive outside a nondescript low-rise
building. Inside it’s a hive of vibrant activity, with
numerous Sevens in various states of build – from bare
chassis to cars ready for road tests. It’s a world away
from the clinical environments of most car plants, but
the organised chaos is part of the charm. And with a
production capacity more than double that of the old
site, it allowed further development of the Seven.
One of the big hits was the arrival in 1990 of the 2-litre
16-valve Vauxhall unit, which replaced the venerable
Cosworth BDR. This engine eventually formed the basis
of the 1992 Jonathan Palmer Evolution (JPE) edition,
which packed 247bhp, heavily reworked suspension and
a mandatory driving course. In the same year, the fuel-
injected Rover K-series models took their bow, opening
the Caterham up to more global markets. A few years
later the firm launched its own six-speed gearbox, while
in 2000 the wide-bodied Series 5 arrived.
In 2005 the CSR was revealed. It looked like a
standard car, but it packed a double-wishbone rear axle,
inboard front suspension and had a bigger cabin. It was
more sophisticated to drive, too, but lacked the original’s
ultimate charm and was quietly dropped last year.
In 2006, Ford’s Sigma and Duratec units came on
stream, boosting the Seven’s popularity even more and
pushing the factory to the limit. Today, the company has
a bulging order book for around 600 cars a year, with the
capacity to build 500 (although bosses reckon this can
be upped to around 575 in a year or so), and it turned
over £20million last year. And it’s all down to one car
that has defied time to become even more relevant today
than when it was launched 60 years ago.
As we clamber back into our Sevens at the end of an
exhausting and exhilarating quest, it doesn’t take a
massive leap of imagination to picture the Seven still
going strong in another six decades. Roll on 2077. L
 Caterham
Seven 160
Engine In-line 4-cyl, 660cc, turbo
Power 80bhp @ 7000rpm
Torque 79lb ft @ 3400rpm
Transmission Five-speed manual,
rear-wheel drive
Front suspension Double wishbones,
coil springs, dampers
Rear suspension Live axle, coil
springs, dampers
Wheels 14in front and rear
Tyres 155/65 R14 front and rear
Weight (dry) 490kg
Power-to-weight (dry) 166bhp/ton
0-60mph 6.9sec (claimed)
Top speed 100mph (claimed)
Basic price £19,495
On sale Now
evo rating:
Caterham
Seven 620R
Engine In-line 4-cyl, 1999cc, supercharger
Power 310bhp @ 7700rpm
Torque 219lb ft @ 7350rpm
Transmission Six-speed sequential,
rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential
Front suspension Double wishbones,
coil springs, dampers
Rear suspension De Dion axle, coil
springs, dampers
Wheels 13in front and rear
Tyres 185/55 R13 front, 215/55 R13 rear
Weight (dry) 572kg
Power-to-weight (dry) 551bhp/ton
0-60mph 2.8sec (claimed)
Top speed 155mph (claimed)
Basic price £50,490
On sale Now
evo rating:
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9 0 Y E A R S
O F H E L L

The Nürburgring is 90. To mark this milestone, we’re

taking a look at what makes this epic circuit in Germany’s
Eifel mountains so great and also so fearsome, starting
with a brief history of its first nine decades
by A DA M T OW L E R

F
OXHOLE, FLUGPLATZ,
Schwedenkreuz: once
names imprinted via
fear and adrenaline on
the consciousness of any
budding or professional
racing driver plying their
trade, these days they’re
just as likely to spring from
the mouths of teenagers,
shaving a tenth or two off
their lap time while duelling
other gamers in the ether.
Yes, it’s the Nürburgring, 90 years young
this year and as vibrant now as it’s ever
been; an object of over-hyped annoyance
for some, the holiest of petrolhead
destinations for others.
But this is surely the greatest racing
circuit on the planet, and any doubters are
usually those who’ve – to borrow a famously
bastardised phrase from a bumper sticker –
‘neverbeen’. It is a place that enchants, that
gets under the skin of people to the extent
that they devote all of their free time to
being there. Some even uproot their entire
lives to live locally amongst the green,
rolling farmland and dense, dark forests.
It’s a friendly but foreboding, intense sort
N Ü R B U RG R I N G AT 9 0
Far left: BMW 3.0 CSL
of Chris Amon and
Hans-Joachim Stuck at
the Nürburgring in 1973.
Left: Christian Werner
in his 2-litre Mercedes at
the inaugural race on 19
June 1927. Below left:
Hermann Lang leads
eventual winner Rudolf
Caracciola at the Grand
Prix of Germany, 25 July
1937. Below: circuit
construction created
thousands of jobs
of place, with an atmosphere that cloys to
the skin. Expansive blue skies; ludicrously
inclement scudding clouds; snow and ice
– sometimes all within the same 24 hours.
It is also a place of triumph, extraordinary
human performance and, inevitably,
tragedy, needless death and destruction,
and lives scarred forever. There really is
nowhere else quite like it.
It’s impossible to imagine something like
the Ring being built today. Mile after mile
of unspoilt forest flattened so that noisy,
smelly, internal combustion-powered cars
can go as fast as possible – it’s enough
to give a committed environmentalist a
nervous breakdown. But attitudes were
different in the mid-1920s, when local
councillor Dr Otto Creuz saw the potential
for Germany’s first purpose-built racing
circuit and found support from both the
ADAC (the German automobile club) and
the mayor of nearby Cologne, the latter
attracted by the prospect of employment in
an area of economic deprivation.
Construction work began in September
1925, and at times up to 3000 people
worked on this mammoth project.
Originally in two parts – the 14.2-mile
Nordschleife and 4.8-mile Sudschleife
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 Above: Clay Regazzoni
leaps his Ferrari during
the 1974 German GP.
Right: Stefan Bellof
driving a Porsche 956
set the fastest ever lap
of the Nordschleife –
6min 11.1sec. Top right:
Ferrari of José Froilán
González and Mike
Hawthorn chases the
Mercedes-Benz W196R
Monoposto of Juan
Manuel Fangio at the
1954 European GP
– the sheer scale of the circuit remains, to
this day, hard to comprehend. Having two
separate loops meant two races could be
held at the same time, or both loops could
be combined to create one 17.6-mile monster
of a track. In this form there were over 170
corners on one lap.
Look back at photographs or footage of the
Ring, even up to the late 1960s, and you’ll
see something akin to the most challenging
B-road imaginable. With a thin, bumpy,
winding ribbon of asphalt stretching for mile
after mile through the countryside, bordered
by hedges, lush grass and thousands of trees,
the Ring was a racetrack at one with nature.
So it’s completely mind-boggling that F1 and
WEC-equivalent cars of the period raced at
full pelt there, and often in the most miserable
of conditions. No wonder, then, it was a place
where heroes shone the brightest: names
such as Caracciola, Nuvolari, Ascari, Fangio,
Stewart, Ickx, and many more.
That classic Nürburgring ‘look’ changed as
the 1970s dawned, when the elder statesman
of Grand Prix racing circuits could no longer
afford to offer a small box privet as an
078 www.evo.co.uk
‘For the quick
stuff, a good
lap time has
become a badge
of honour’
alternative to Armco. At huge expense the
Ring was ‘modernised’, although all things
are relative. The Grand Prix returned for
1971, and stayed until that fateful race of
1976, when Niki Lauda so nearly perished in
the flaming remains of his Ferrari 312T2. Just
a year earlier, he’d gone under seven minutes
(on a longer lap than today’s circuit) to set the
fastest ever Formula 1 qualifying lap there.
In the early 1980s, with F1 now long
departed, a new, 2.8-mile Nürburgring GP
track was built, demolishing the ‘South Loop’
and the wonderfully atmospheric original
pit straight and buildings in the process. Just
one last top-level event would be held on the
Nordschleife, in 1983: the German round of
the World Sports Prototype Championship,
the WEC of its day. A young native, Stefan
Bellof, was rapidly gaining a reputation for
otherworldly speed in the factory Porsche
team, and it was at the Ring that his talent
was immortalised. His 6min 11.1sec lap in
qualifying will probably never be bettered.
While the modern GP track (today 3.2 miles
in length) has played its part in F1, sportscar
and touring car history over the subsequent
34 years, the North Loop’s relegation from
the front line of motorsport has not meant
its demise: far from it. It has thrived, holding
touring car races and its own championship,
the VLN, with the centrepiece the fabled
24-hour race – a massive party in the forest
for a quarter of a million people. It has also
become the ultimate test track, a key element
to any self-respecting car manufacturer’s
development programme, and not just for the
performance models. However, for the quick
stuff, a good lap time has become a badge of
honour, a powerful marketing tool and the
ultimate one-upmanship over the closest
rival. And just as it’s been for decades, Joe
Public can still turn up with their own car and
set out on those perilous but precious 12.9
miles – the ultimate adventure.
Anyone who has travelled to the Ring
in recent years will have seen the ill-fated
redevelopment, with its brash marketing
and empty buildings; the track filed for
bankruptcy off the back of it. Now under new
ownership, its future is secured by millions of
new fans who have experienced some of what
the track offers in ever-increasing reality via
a computer. But there’s nothing like actually
going there, drinking in the atmosphere,
LAT, GETTY IMAGES
hanging out with like-minded enthusiasts
and, most of all, venturing out onto that awe-
inspiring loop of tarmac. If you’ve ‘neverbeen’,
make sure you put that right soon.
 N Ü R B U RG R I N G AT 9 0

N O R D S C H L E I F E S TAT S

LENGTH: 12.94 m ile s (20.83k m) CORNERS: 7 3 (3 3 lef t, 40 rig ht) ALTITUDE DIFFERENCE: 297m MA XIMUM GR ADIENTS: 17 % u p h ill, 11% d ow n hill

L AP RECORDS RACE CAR: 6:11.13, Po rsc h e 956C , Stefa n B ellof, 198 3 PRODUC TION CAR: 6:52.01, L a m b org hi ni H u rac á n Per fo rma nte, Ma rco Ma p elli, 2016

Ex-Mühle
Bergwerk

Kallenhard
10 km Hohe Acht Hedwigshöhe
11 km Kesselchen
Klostertal
9 km 14 km
8 km 13 km
Wehrseifen 15 km
12 km Wippermann
Metzgesfeld
Caracciola- Eschbach
Karussell
Adenauer Forst 16 km
7 km Brünnchen

NORDSCHLEIFE 17 km
6 km
(N O R T H L O O P)
Fuchsröhre Pflanzgarten
18 km

Aremberg
Schwalbenschwanz

5 km Schwedenkreuz
19 km
Galgenkopf

20 km

Döttinger Höhe
Flugplatz

4 km 0 km/21 km
Quiddelbacher-Höhe
Antoniusbuche
3 km

S TA R T
2 km 1 km
Hocheichen
Tiergarten THE LONG
AND THE
Hatzenbach

SHORT OF IT
At nearly 13 miles for the Nordschleife, plus
GRAND PRIX TRACK
another 3.2 miles for the modern GP circuit,
the Nürburgring is the longest racetrack in
the world – a title it has held since it opened.
These are the sections you’ll need to know
off by heart to become a Ringmeister

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N Ü R B U RG R I N G AT 9 0

G R E E N
S P E L L
Beguiling, exhilarating, intimidating – the
Nordschleife provides a racing challenge without
parallel. But the huge highs of competing there
sometimes come with massive lows

by R IC H A R D M E A D E N
I
T’S THE SIREN THAT DOES
it for me. A harsh, piercing wail
that warns of a car entering the
pitlane, it still has a Pavlovian
response on my adrenal gland
several years after I decided to
stop racing at the Nordschleife.
Part pleasure, part trauma, the
tumult of emotions and mash-
up of memories remain deeply
imprinted on my psyche. It’s that
kind of place.
Many of you will have driven
the Nürburgring’s North Loop. But whether
you’ve lapped it virtually on a gaming
console, for real in tourist sessions or gone
one better and done a proper trackday, I
can guarantee nothing you’ve experienced
comes remotely close to racing at the Ring.
I first raced there in 2006 – sharing a
Maserati with F1 legend Jacques Laffite
and American journalist Patrick Hong in
the N24 – but the first time I visited the
place was in the late ’80s, on a touring
holiday with my best mate and a couple of
older friends. I can still recall the sense of
naive wonder as we arrived in Nürburg and
spotted the castle perched up on the hill. It
was as though I’d transported myself back
into the pages of motorsport history.
Back in those pre-internet, pre-YouTube,
pre-GoPro days you read books and maybe
watched scratchy VHS videos such as
The Speed Merchants or Lap of the Gods to
learn about the Ring. The Silver Arrows.
The Marathon de la Route. That shot of
Hans Stuck airborne in a BMW Batmobile.
Stefan Bellof. It had a mystery about it, not
to mention a malevolent, grisly reputation.
Don’t forget this was barely a decade after
Niki Lauda’s fiery crash in 1976, and just a
few years since Group C raced there for the
last time. It existed in my mind as a kind of
mythical beast. One I’d finally got to see.
What I saw from the back of our E34
5-series blew my mind. This was the place
where all those heroes I’d read about had
raced and triumphed, and where some had
died. Back then it wasn’t quite the hedge-
lined country road of yore, but it wasn’t
like any racetrack I’d ever seen. Narrow.
Bumpy. Tree-lined. Almost endless and
almost certainly unfathomable. At that
time I never for one minute dreamed I
would race there, but having experienced
it at least I could begin to imagine what it
must have been like to race there. And that
was good enough for me.
Once I began working as a motoring
journalist I went back to the Ring numerous
times and drove laps myself, but it’s one
thing to drive it in a road car, quite another
to strap yourself into a slick-shod race car
and push as hard as you dare along with
nearly 200 other cars.
That 2006 race was a perfect
introduction: ignorant of the scale of the
challenge I faced and bolstered by the
comfort of being part of a big factory team.
The weather was perfect, the car never
missed a beat and the only pressure was
that which I put on myself. Of course it was
still madness, but it was brilliant madness.
At first completely daunting, then quickly
all-consuming. I loved it.
Strapped into your racing car you’re very
aware of the party going on over the Armco
– the feral crowds, the crazy home-built
grandstands, the campfires and general
drunkenness: part Glastonbury, part Lord
of the Flies – but only in brief moments
of distraction. For the most part you’re
in a sweaty, solitary world of absolute
concentration and hyper-stimulation. Time
seems to shift. Each lap is an adventure
‘If confidence
deserts you it’s
the scariest
place in
the world’
that unfolds before you, often seemingly
in slow-motion, yet also passing in a flash.
You can be in the car for a two-hour stint,
but you’d swear is was twenty minutes.
When you lose yourself in that trance-
like rhythm, nowhere else comes close to
racing at the Nordschleife. It relies on total,
unflinching confidence like no other circuit
I’ve ever driven, but when you feel at one
with the car, the track and yourself, it’s
magical and energising. You simply don’t
want it to end.
The flipside is if that confidence deserts
you it’s the scariest place in the world. Risk
is present at any racetrack, but at the Ring
it’s palpable. I’ll admit that was always
part of the appeal, but when that danger
suddenly reaches out and grabs you or
someone you know, it is quick and brutal.
I’ve had the best of times at the Ring,
but I’ve also had the worst. The day fellow
Aston Martin driver Leo Löwenstein was
killed being the blackest of all. Seeing
the clothes he had left neatly folded on
his bag in our changing room, ready for
when he returned, haunts me to this day.
Still I raced on for another four years, but a
monster 120mph crash at Schwedenkreuz
during qualifying for a pre-N24 VLN race
in 2014 left me in no doubt what happens
when one of the hundreds of overtakes you
make during an N24 race goes sour.
I still did the N24 that year, which seems
ridiculous given the lead up to it, but that’s
an illustration of how strong the addiction
becomes. I still love racing, but I’m three
years clean from my Nordschleife habit and
have no regrets.
I’m proud to have raced at the
Nürburgring and to have enjoyed success
with a team as special as Aston Martin. I’ll
happily return there with some mates to do
a trackday, sink a few beers and devour a
steak at the Pistenklause, but once it has
you spooked it’s no place for half-measures.
Like I said, it’s that kind of place.
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N U R B U R G R I N G AT 9 0

W H AT ’ S T H E R I N G
Two evo writers offer opposing views as to whether the

‘It’s one of the few recognised performance benchmarks’

by JOHN BARKER

S
OME YEARS AGO, GM ORGANISED AN EVENT AT miles) a year on the Ring and about 1million kilometres (over 600,000
the Nürburgring Nordschleife with the intent of showing miles) in the area – the derestricted autobahns and local country roads
that its cars handled well. It did so because this fact was add to the usefulness of the Ring as a test centre.
not apparent from driving them on the road. Ring lap times? Horst von Saurma, the veteran journalist and Ring
This was back in the early ’90s, when French car makers specialist, offers another perspective: ‘It’s one of the few recognised
were much admired for the agility and comfort of their performance benchmarks, after 0-60mph and maximum speed.’
cars, which is how I found myself heading downhill in a Thierry Landreau, director of engineering at Renault Sport, agrees.
boggo Citroën ZX estate towards the wicked compression The company targeted the front-drive lap record and learned much
that is the Foxhole. We hit the bottom at about 90mph, the ZX, myself from the experience. ‘There are few reference tracks and the Ring
and four water mannequins, and when the suspension compressed to presents unique difficulties,’ he says. ‘It’s the best track for showing
the bump-stops, the car took attitude and we headed up the other side chassis performance – we managed lap times the equal of much
with a handful of opposite lock. Exciting stuff. The lap after, the Astra more powerful cars. But the Nürburgring was the final test, the final
took the compression at the same speed without drama. But around validation – we didn’t design the Mégane RS for the Ring.’
the rest of the 13-mile lap it was uninspiring and flat-footed. Some car makers do chase lap times for marketing reasons, but
Finding handling foibles in volume models is one of the reasons car for most the value of the Nordschleife is in proving the dynamic
makers use the Ring. ‘For us, it’s a very good test facility,’ says Jos van security, durability and robustness of everyday models. It’s partly why
As, BMW’s boss of road car dynamics. The company’s new models are we can have cars that in extremis are Astra-safe but are otherwise
developed and tuned all around the world and their final sign-off is at entertainingly agile like the ZX.
the Ring. ‘There’s nowhere else quite like it. It has extreme bumps and
dips, 300 metres of elevation change and a high average speed,’ says
Van As. ‘The combination of high cornering speed, body movement on
bumpy sections and 160mph-plus potential is very challenging.’
‘You can develop a car at the Nürburgring or for the Nürburgring,’
says Phil Talboys, who runs Jaguar Land Rover’s test facility at the
track. Most JLR cars being developed at the Ring are cooking models.
They’re there not for dynamic tuning but for durability (each mile of
the Ring is reckoned to be the equivalent of 12 road miles), stability-
control tuning, and thermal robustness and brake testing. What makes
it a tough test? ‘The duration and the speed – an eight-minute lap is
an average speed of 90mph. There are lots of bumps and crests, some
offset, and the elevation change tests the brakes on the way down and
the thermal robustness on the way back up.’
Talboys estimates that JLR products rack up 200,000km (124,000

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EVER DONE FOR US?
Nordschleife has been good or bad for road-car development
‘The lap record thing has always been nonsense’
by COLIN GOODWIN
D
ER NÜRBURGRING. WHAT MEMORIES I HAVE
of this famous place. WheelTorque (remember them?)
trackdays at which you circulated until your tyres, car or
luck ran out. The gentleman with the satchel at the old pits
who took your money for another lap. Losing an XK8 at
the Mini Karussell and missing the Armco by a millimetre.
Racing a Caterham in the 24-hour race.
Rose-tinted visor? Possibly, but the place isn’t what
it used to be. Public days are now expensive and, worse, are mainly
spent in the car park or cafe waiting for the cleaning crew to sweep
the remains of a superbike or car from the track; the delay can be
particularly long if more gruesome cleaning is required.
But what has really sullied the Nürburgring experience for me is the
car makers’ successful campaign to turn it from a racing circuit into
a marketing tool. It’s my personal rule to avoid mentioning that a car
has been ‘developed at the Nürburgring’ or set a new lap record there.
The lap record thing has always been nonsense. How on earth can we
know if a car is really sticking to the rules?
Ah, but it all helps to develop our cars, the marketeers counter.
Rubbish. To validate a hunch of mine, I called the legendary chassis
development engineer Matt Becker, son of even more legendary
engineer the late Roger Becker; both mainstays at Lotus and the former
now at Aston Martin. I can’t recall any Nürburgring name-dropping at
a Lotus launch or any banging on about the tremendous contribution
of the place.
The Esprit Sport 300, one of the best-handling cars I’ve ever driven,
never went near the Eifel mountains. ‘In more recent times we used
to take cars to the Ring,’ says Becker, ‘but usually for one specific task
such as brake testing or high-speed stability. It’s the same in my current
role. Trouble is, if you set a car up to be excellent around the Ring you
later find yourself adjusting all the changes out of the car to make it
work on public roads.’
I called Porsche to ask how much Ring-time was involved in the
development of its cars. ‘Not that much,’ was the reply. ‘We use the
roads around the factory, our Weissach facility and then a multitude
of locations around the world for hot- and cold-weather testing and
different road conditions.’
‘It’s 28 degrees here in Barcelona,’ says McLaren’s Chris Goodwin,
‘and I’ve just looked up the weather at the Ring and it’s raining. That’s
one of the reasons that we have a centre in Spain for testing. We’re a
relatively small team with short programme times so we can’t afford to
hang around waiting for good weather. Our best cars, the 675LT and
570S, didn’t turn a wheel at the Nürburgring. It’s great fun to go there
as a driver but has limited use as a test facility.’
Spot the common denominator? These companies have built
reputations via their products. They don’t need to name-drop the
Nürburgring in every other sentence of the promotional material.
Companies such as SEAT, Honda and, sadly, even Renault, are the
ones banging on most about their cars’ Nürburgring development.
Porsche has used the Ring in past marketing material, but it tended
to be produced by a promotional department led by men with names
such as Siffert, Redman, Attwood and Stommelen.
Marketing is insidiously taking over from engineering in the car
industry and I hate it. If the engineers at BMW’s M division were to say
they were going to give the next M5 just 325bhp and with it smaller
and lighter cooling systems, lighter brakes, etc, because it would make
it more fun to drive, the marketing department would have them fired
for not creating a car with more power than its main rival, the 603bhp
Mercedes-AMG E63 S.
The Nürburgring hyperbole is just another symptom of the
same disease. Funny that the place was built in the 1920s to relieve
unemployment in the region and to provide the German motor
industry with a test facility – rather similar to why Brooklands was
built 20 years earlier – and yet in the years when pounding around a
racing circuit really did aid road car development, the Nürburgring
was rarely mentioned.
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Planning a trip to the world’s most challenging racetrack? Here’s how to make the most of it
PETER DUMBRECK
Professional racing driver, EV lap
record holder (6:45.90, Nio EP9)
1 If you’re a novice, why destroy your
own car? Hire one instead. Get a
coach, too – you’ll progress quicker.
2 Set your own pace. Learn the
track a few corners or a section at
a time.
3 Simulators can shortcut the
process a lot, whether that’s at home
on the PlayStation or somewhere
professional like Base Performance.
4 Whether racing there or doing
an organised trackday, at first just
aim to survive. It’s so easy to push
too hard and make a mistake, and
the penalty for going off is big.
5 Traffic is the hardest thing at the
Ring. You’ll always have drivers of
different abilities. Try to stay cool.
‘It’s so easy to
push too hard
and make a
mistake, and
the penalty for
going off is big’
NÜRBURGRING
HINTS AND TIPS
RON SIMONS
RSRNurburg.com, Nürburgring
trackday and car hire specialist
1 Come with the right mindset and
leave your ego at home.
2 The third dimension [the
vertical element] is nothing like
what any picture or video will
show you and it is responsible for
many horrific accidents.
3 PlayStation and Xbox certainly help.
However, the real thing is not only
very different but it also doesn’t take
prisoners. There’s no restart button
in real life.
4 Remember: on any other track,
driving over the limit makes you
slower; driving over the limit at
the Nürburgring makes you crash!
5 The infamous tourist sessions
[Touristenfahrten] can be great value
for money. If you have the required
skill for the wet then come and drive
in the off-season period since there’s
almost no traffic, and no bikes.
DARREN LANGEVELD
destination-nurburgring.com,
Nürburgring trackday specialist
1 Know who’s running the event.
There are many websites passing off
trackdays as their own, and standards
across Europe vary, so always check
the date you’ve seen against the
official nuerburgring.de website to
see who the organiser really is.
2 Know the Nordschleife before
you go. To get good value from a
trackday you really need to have
some real-life knowledge. Having
some public Touristenfahrten
sessions under your belt will help.
3 Ring trackdays aren’t expensive
when you consider you can easily
achieve 30 laps on a well-run event.
4 Prepare your car before you
go. Sounds obvious, but you’d be
amazed how many folk don’t think
about the basics.
5 Know your own limits. The
Nordschleife is an amazing place to
spend time and we’re all enthusiasts.
Trackdays are fun, no doubt about it,
but try to keep a safety margin; drive
at nine-tenths.
ADAM TOWLER
Deputy editor, evo
1 Need fuel? Go to the ED-Tankstelle
on the B258 down from the main
entrance and not only get some
superunleaded, but also a model of
a Group C Porsche. Your wallet has
been officially warned.
2 Don’t go the boring autobahn
way, always cut across via Spa-
Francorchamps. The atmosphere
is incredible and there’ll often be
something going around at Spa.
3 Take some time out to spectate:
it’s easy to get to the large Brünnchen
viewing area, and there’s usually
plenty of action there.
4 Head to the Pistenklause
restaurant in the evening and
admire the awesome Ring
memorabilia while cooking your
own steak on a scalding hot
stone.
5 Stop at the Meuspath
industrial estate – it’s home
to some interesting race
outfits and car makers,
so there’s always lots to
see, including the odd
prototype.
 by S T E V E S U T C L I F F E

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

Windy
thrillers
Mercedes-AMG’s new GT Roadster hits
a sweet-spot on the spec sheet, but can it
see off the howling Audi R8 Spyder V10?

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M E R C E D ES -A M G GT ROA DST E R v AU D I R 8 S PY D E R V 1 0
M E RC E D ES -A M G GT R OA D S T E R v AU D I R 8 S PY D E R V 1 0
F OPPOSITES REALLY DO ATTRACT,
then seeing the AMG GT Roadster and Audi
R8 Spyder V10 go head to head along a great
piece of road is a bit like watching King Kong
and Alien get it on. And the results, as you can
imagine, are nothing if not spectacular.
The AMG is a traditional front-engined
bruiser with a never-ending bonnet that just
about manages to contain its twin-turbo V8
and quintessentially rear-drive chassis. The R8, on the
other hand, is far more delicate in its appearance, and
initially more exotic in its personality in that it is very
obviously mid- rather than rear-engined. And when
you fire up its naturally aspirated V10 engine for the
first time, the sound that bursts forth is altogether more
sophisticated in tenor beside the pavement-shuddering
rumble that erupts from the AMG V8.
And yet… these two open-top sports cars that could
even be described as supercars, and which look so very
different to one another, actually deliver quite similar
results on paper. The AMG costs £110,160, has 469bhp
and can hit 62mph from rest in four seconds flat before
maxing out at 188mph. The R8 costs a touch more, at
£132,020, but it also boasts a bit more poke – 533bhp
– and thanks in part to its four-wheel-drive system can
also hit 62mph almost half a second quicker, in 3.6sec,
on its way to a 197mph top speed.
So although there are small differences in their
outputs and in their resulting potential, the AMG GT and
R8 Spyder are surely aimed at much the same kind of
customer, even though they go about courting them in
intriguingly different ways.
Let’s focus on the Mercedes first, because being
the newer of the pair it’s the reason we’re here in the
first place. It may be the entry-level GT Roadster (we
sampled the 549bhp GT C in evo 235), but it’s still a bit
of a beast, and not merely because it features yet another
incarnation of AMG’s ubiquitous 4-litre twin-turbo V8
engine. In the flesh it looks like a properly thunderous
piece of machinery, a bit like a Mako Shark Corvette but
redesigned for the 21st century. As such, its proportions
would be comical were they not also so perfectly
balanced from front to rear, and from side to side, albeit
in an old-school, chest-thumping kind of way.
‘The R8 always
takes your breath
away when you
nail it all the way
to the 8500rpm
limiter’
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However, beneath its muscular-looking, mostly
aluminium skin, the GT is very much at the cutting
edge. Its chassis and suspension are digitally controlled,
carbon-ceramic brakes are available as an option, and
the steering, controversially perhaps, is hydraulically
assisted but also speed-dependent in its weighting.
As ever with contemporary AMGs, the Roadster also
features a multi-adjustable drive program that allows
you to play almost endlessly with the maps for the
throttle, gearbox, exhaust, dampers, steering and so
on. So even though it has just one electrically powered
canvas hood that lowers or raises gracefully into or out
of the rear bodywork in around 15 seconds, in reality the
Roadster can be many different cars, depending on the
road, the driver, their mood and the occasion.
For a strict two-seater convertible it’s a fairly practical
car, too. Its boot is pretty decent in size given that there’s
all the electric-roof gubbins to accommodate, the cabin
is well specified, and the whole shebang feels extremely
well built, with a genuine sense of quality to all its
buttons and controls. The range of adjustment on the
excellent (optional) sports seats means almost any shape
of driver can get comfortable behind the wheel too,
which, as we’ll discover, isn’t the case in the R8.
No matter how good the AMG is to sit in or just look
at, it is its engine and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox
that define it. So too, to a lesser extent, does its chassis.
In this respect it’s a refreshingly simple car to get your
head around; it has that long bonnet, that V8 engine in
its nose, a nicely sorted rear-wheel-drive chassis and lots
of torque to play with. So stick the key in the ignition
(well, press the starter button, if we’re being pedantic),
drop the roof and let’s go (Daddy-O…).
Except the AMG Roadster turns out to be a wee bit
more sophisticated than that on the move, even though
it does feel like a good old-fashioned hot-rod at heart
most of the time, especially beside the theoretically more
incisive mid-engined Audi.
Left: unlike the Audi,
the AMG GT nails its low
driving position; both
interiors are beautifully
screwed together,
though. Below: R8
palpably the faster
machine once its
V10 hits the high notes

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M E RC E D ES -A M G GT R OA D S T E R v AU D I R 8 S PY D E R V 1 0

‘The AMG
is a hugely
rapid car, with
massive torque
available at
astonishingly
low revs’
 We may already know most of what there is to know
about the undeniably fine R8 Spyder. Its chassis is a mix
of aluminium and carbon composite, and its engine is
the same 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 that has been
making us giggle for aeons now in the middle of R8s –
and Gallardos and Huracáns – albeit heavily revised in
this instance to produce 533bhp at 7800rpm and 398lb ft
at 6500rpm. (You can now also get a Plus version of the
Spyder V10, with the same 603bhp as the Plus coupe.)
But no matter how well you might think you know the
Audi R8, and no matter how familiar you may be with
its brilliant V10 engine and seven-speed dual-clutch
gearbox, it always takes your breath away the first time
you go back to it, and then nail it, all the way to the
8500rpm limiter. And when there’s no roof above your
head, and maybe some kind of a bridge or, better still, a
tunnel involved, the raw thrill it can deliver is that much
more palpable, that much more dramatic.
And even with ‘just’ 533bhp to play with and a touch
more weight to carry around than the coupe R8, the
Spyder never feels anything other than bloody quick,
especially over the last 3500rpm, where its energy levels
reach something of a frenzy. This alone separates, and
indeed elevates, the R8 above and beyond anything
the AMG can produce subjectively by way of a reply, no
matter how impressive the Roadster’s absence of lag or
pure straight-line thrust might seem in isolation.
The simple truth is that the AMG is a hugely rapid
car, with huge torque available at astonishingly low revs
– 465lb ft from 1700rpm – seemingly in any gear, and
seemingly from any speed. And in the mid-range it really
does fly, with monstrous throttle response and immense
traction – to a point where even if you turn everything off
Clockwise from and go without traction control, it still sinks its big (but
above left: 4-litre again optional) 295-section 20in rear Continentals deep
V8 sits way back in
into the road, squats a touch and then just goes, without
the AMG’s chassis;
Merc’s carbon- wheelspin (in the dry) from second gear onwards. At the
ceramic brakes a same time it also delivers a quite delicious V8 soundtrack
£5995 option; R8’s to accompany your every move, with crowd-pleasing
mid-engined layout crackles and bangs on the overrun during downshifts
apparent from
its cab-forward
and a deep-chested roar under load.
silhouette; R8’s solid But it isn’t as quick as the R8. Neither is it anything
interior undone by a like as spine-tingly wonderful to listen to at full chat. So
poor driving position; before you go anywhere near trying to work out which
cast-iron ‘wave’
one steers the sweetest, rides the best, turns in the
discs for the Audi
sharpest, handles the most crisply and so on, the R8’s
screaming V10 engine and its frankly incredible dual-
clutch gearbox – which is so quick and so smooth it feels
almost like a CVT – provide it with an edge the AMG is
always going to struggle to recover from.
But recover it does, occasionally in areas that you
absolutely would not expect. Like, for instance, its
driving position, which is just about perfect so long as
you like to sit nice and low and snug behind the wheel. In
the R8 there’s barely enough legroom even for a relative
short-arse such as me at five foot ten, so for anyone of
six foot or more the Spyder’s cabin will surely be a no-
go zone, which is highly unusual for a company that
otherwise gets its interiors pretty much perfect.
The R8’s fuel consumption is also horrendous relative
to the AMG’s. In 700 miles of testing on various types of
road, driven at various speeds, it averages just 17.9mpg
compared with 22.1mpg for the Mercedes. What’s more,
it’s a much noisier car to travel in on a motorway with
the roof up, with more tyre and wind noise and, for
some extraordinary reason, no cruise-control fitted as
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M E RC E D ES -A M G GT R OA D S T E R v AU D I R 8 S PY D E R

standard (unlike the AMG) despite costing £20k more. Above: two very Mercedes-AMG Audi
These are small things that add up to a surprisingly different approaches GT Roadster R8 Spyder V10
to the high-end drop-
significant total in terms of how useable these cars are,
top. Right: R8’s star Engine V8, 3982cc, twin-turbo Engine V10, 5204cc
day-in day-out. And they are, let’s be clear, both designed rating takes a hit due Power 469bhp @ 6000rpm Power 533bhp @ 7800rpm
to be used properly; these are not toys to be brought out to its driving position Torque 465lb ft @ 1700-5000rpm Torque 398lb ft @ 6500rpm
on sunny days only, so we’re talking here about things being restrictive for Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch, Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch,
that matter, albeit more to some than others. many drivers rear-wheel drive, limited-slip diff four-wheel drive, rear limited-slip diff
What matters most, though, is not the practical stuff, Wheels 19in front, 20in rear (option) Wheels 19in front and rear
Tyres 255/35 R19 front, 295/30 R20 rear Tyres 245/35 R19 front, 295/35 R19 rear
or the fact that the AMG would probably fit more easily Weight 1670kg Weight 1720kg
into most people’s lives than the R8. What matters is Power-to-weight 285bhp/ton Power-to-weight 315bhp/ton
that when you let rip in these cars, it’s the R8 that goes 0-62mph 4.0sec (claimed) 0-62mph 3.6sec (claimed)
deepest, hits hardest, and satisfies on a level that the Top speed 188mph (claimed) Top speed 197mph (claimed)
AMG can never quite match. Basic price £110,160 Basic price £132,020

The fact that the R8 also has the sweeter steering of
the two, a fair bit less shudder over less-than-perfect
surfaces and, amazingly, the better ride quality when
both cars are in their most comfort-orientated modes is
almost a bonus in the end. But it all means the R8 simply
goes down the road better than the AMG when you just
climb in and start driving. That said, neither has steering
that’s anything to write home about. The R8’s feels a
touch more natural than the AMG’s overall perhaps, but
both steering systems suffer from being too light, a bit
too nervous in their initial response, and delivering little
in the way of feel through the rim.
But it’s what happens when you dial their respective
drive programs to the max (otherwise known as Dynamic
in the R8 or Sport+ in the AMG) and start changing
gears manually via the paddles that you get the sharpest
contrast of all between these two. The AMG grows horns
aurally when you do so, true, but to be honest its ride and
handling – and to a lesser extent its steering – go ever so
slightly to pieces on UK roads.
Yes, you get more roll control and, yes, the gearchanges
get quicker and sharper, as does the throttle response
from the V8. But the ride becomes so harsh – without
a corresponding step up in either turn-in crispness
or overall handling agility – that it’s not long before
evo rating ;;;42 evo rating ;;;;2
you reach for the dial to tone it all back down again,
certainly as far as the chassis and steering responses
are concerned. And the most disappointing thing of all
is that at no point during the button-twiddling process
does the AMG ever really find a sweet spot.
The R8, by contrast, will make the hairs on the back
of your neck stand quite perfectly stiff to attention
in Dynamic mode. And it’ll do so on most decent UK
B-roads driven at speed, despite also suffering from a
touch of shake on the worst of them. Its steering is good
enough but its chassis responses, its extra agility, its body
control and, most of all, its engine and gearbox combine
to provide one of those rare driving experiences that can
leave you oscillating slightly through a combination of
excitement, mild fear and pure disbelief.
It is, in the end, easily the more exciting of the pair to
drive hard, to simply go for a blast in, just for the heck
of it. And the fact that it looks more exotic, sounds more
dramatic and is, ultimately, a fair bit quicker than the
AMG is cream on the top. That driving position, though;
they really need to sort that next time around… L

092 www.evo.co.uk
 by R IC H A R D M E A D E N

P H O T O G R A P H Y by D E A N S M I T H

SPIDER MAC
The latest Sports Series model to emerge
from Woking is the 562bhp 570S Spider, and
it could be all the McLaren you’ll ever need
 M c L A R E N 570 S S P I D E R

THE F1 TEAM MIGHT BE TOUGHING-OUT A TERRIBLE

season, but McLaren Automotive is enjoying a purple patch of
productivity and profitability. That looks set to continue with the
arrival of this, the eagerly awaited 570S Spider.
Sitting alongside the coupe 570S and the softer, more spacious
570GT, it completes a formidable trio of models that sit at the heart
of McLaren’s Sports Series range. Given the company’s folding-
hard-topped convertibles look so similar to their coupe siblings
with the roof up, it’s likely the Spider will be the biggest seller in
the 570 range.
The roof itself is a really neat installation and takes 15 seconds to
raise or lower. The rear window can also be lowered when the roof
is up to let in some extra engine noise in all weathers. Another nice
touch is that when the roof is raised you can use the space where it
otherwise stows as an additional luggage compartment.
There’s a small aero change from the coupe, too, in the shape of
a 12mm taller rear spoiler that generates increased downforce to
counteract the effects of the Spider’s rear deck, which differs from
the coupe’s and looks better, at least to our eyes.
Thanks to the strength and rigidity of the basic McLaren
MonoCell II carbon chassis, the 570S Spider requires no additional
bracing or reinforcement. This ensures it has no hint of the shakes
and wobbles that used to be a part of the open-top sports and
supercar driving experience. The Spider is also relatively light – the
combined weight saving of the carbon chassis and aluminium body
panels results in a kerb weight of 1498kg. That’s 58kg more than
the coupe, but the only weight gain is from the roof mechanism.
The guts of the Spider are identical to the regular 570S, with
the engine and seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox unchanged.
Consequently it’s no surprise to find the performance feels much
the same. That’s to say darned rapid: 0-62mph takes just 3.2sec and
the top speed with the roof up is 204mph. Both figures are identical
to the coupe’s. Roof down it’ll do a toupee-shredding 196mph.
The ubiquitous 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 is hugely potent, but it
isn’t the most charismatic engine. The optional sports exhaust
fitted to this Spider gives it a properly ballsy note when working
hard, and channels some of the sound towards the cockpit via the
area beneath the tonneau cover. It sounds a bit sweeter and multi-
layered as a result, but overall the engine note remains industrial
rather than musical.
We know the 570S is the most engaging and connected of
McLaren’s series-production models, so it’s impressive that the

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M c L A R E N 570 S S P I D E R
Spider both builds on that enjoyment and engagement with no
reduction in outright dynamic ability. It’s worth remembering that
the 570S does without the interlinked hydraulic Pro Active Chassis
Control system of the Super Series and Ultimate Series McLarens,
opting instead for more conventional anti-roll bars. You still get the
Active Dynamics panel, though, which enables you to ramp-up the
responsiveness of the powertrain and aggressiveness of the chassis
incrementally and – crucially – independently.
Our test route is in Spain, heading out from Barcelona towards
Andorra, taking in everything from clogged city streets to inspiring
mountain roads. The Spider takes them all in its stride, coping
effortlessly with stop-start traffic, cruising well on motorways and
eating up the twists and turns of the mountain roads with relish.
096 www.evo.co.uk
When running in its softest modes it rides calmly and makes
effortless progress, so you can relax into the drive. You can cruise roof-
down on motorways at realistic speeds without significant buffeting,
and when you run with the roof up you really wouldn’t know you’re in
the Spider, such is its integrity.
When the roads get more interesting the Spider readily raises its
game. A click to Sport on the Active Dynamics panel works like a shot
of adrenaline, waking up the powertrain and tensing the chassis just
enough for sharper reactions without making it too jumpy. Some of
the roads are smooth enough to go into Track mode, at which point it’s
super-sharp and very, very quick.
One of the stand-out aspects of the Spider (and 570S) is the way
you can find a flow. It cuts through corners with incredible precision
and tremendous grip, but also a satisfying sense of both ends of the
car working in unison. There’s also a perfectly judged uniformity of
feel and response between the steering, brakes and throttle, so you
can blend braking, turn-in and acceleration inputs seamlessly for
dazzlingly smooth and accurate progress.
Bugbears? The IRIS system is slick to look at but the satnav is slow-
witted and the verbal directions can be a bit ambiguous. The electric-
seat adjustment buttons are stupidly fiddly and you need the code-
breaking skills of Alan Turing to fully disable the ESC.
List price for the 570S Spider is £164,750, so it finds itself butting
heads with Porsche’s 911 Turbo S Cabriolet (£156,381) and Audi’s
recently announced R8 Spyder V10 Plus (£147,020). Both are
formidable rivals, but it says a lot for McLaren’s growing maturity and
confidence in its own identity that the 570S Spider will give them a
hard fight on its own terms. It’s a cracking car. L
From far left: thin-
spoked alloys a £2690
option; air scoops
incorporated into the
buttresses; optional
sports exhaust an
extra £3370
McLaren
570S Spider
Engine V8, 3799cc, twin-turbo
Power 562bhp @ 7500rpm
Torque 443lb ft @ 5000-6500rpm
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch,
rear-wheel drive, open differential with
Brake Steer
Front suspension Double wishbones,
adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar
Rear suspension Double wishbones,
adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar
Brakes Carbon-ceramic discs,
394mm front, 380mm rear
Wheels 8 x 19in front, 10 x 20in rear
Tyres 225/35 R19 front, 285/30 R20 rear
Weight 1498kg
Power-to-weight 381bhp/ton
0-62mph 3.2sec (claimed)
Top speed 204mph (claimed)
Basic price £164,750
On sale Now
evo rating: ;;;;;
 …or should you just buy a 911 Targa 4 GTS?
Traditional roadsters are improving all the time, but is Porsche’s Targa a better alternative?
by A DA M T OW L E R | P H O T O G R A P H Y by R IC H A R D PA R D O N
YES, YOU PROBABLY WOULD NEED THE 576BHP 911
Turbo S Cabriolet to go head-to-head with McLaren’s 562bhp 570S
Spider. That’s a decider we’ll come to when we get our hands on
the new drop-top McLaren back in the UK. So instead, to represent
Porsche in this month’s celebration of rapid roadsters, we’ve picked the
turbocharged – small ‘t’ – 911 Targa 4 GTS, which allows us to ponder
an alternative to the traditional convertible roof.
In any case, in this new GTS spec the Targa is far from outgunned
by its rivals in our earlier twin-test: its 444bhp puts it only 24bhp
behind the Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster, and with PDK it completes
the 0-62mph dash in a claimed 3.7sec – 0.3sec quicker than the AMG’s
figure and only a tenth behind the 89bhp-more-powerful Audi R8
Spyder’s. On paper, that makes the PDK GTS’s £112,552 price look
pretty good value next to the AMG’s £110,160 and R8’s £132,020.
You can’t help but love the sheer theatre of the Targa’s electrically
powered decapitation. Once the panel above your head has stowed,
the impression exceeds that of a large sunroof, but it just doesn’t feel
quite as liberating as the 270-degree expanse of fresh air behind your
ears offered by a full convertible.
It’s readily apparent that the Targa can be surprisingly demure.
Left with the steering-wheel-mounted mode switch in Comfort, the
dampers in their softest setting and the ’box in auto, it’s so quiet and
passive it’s as if the ‘911’ part of its personality is out to lunch. The PDK
Targa’s 1605kg kerb weight doesn’t help. While the steering has an
inherent ‘rightness’ about its response and linearity, and the engine is
quick to deliver a force-fed hammer blow, there’s still a sense of inertia,
an added fraction of delay over everything it does that blunts the car’s
edge. In Sport Plus mode this is largely masked, but I fail to fall for it as
a sports car, perceiving it more as a luxury sports GT.
However, the Targa on a charge is a force to be reckoned with.
Activate launch control and it squeezes the air from your lungs; set the
exhaust to open and the deep, flat-six note is surprisingly melodious,
recalling the larger air-cooled engines of later years. Even so, the
Targa’s (relative) lack of chassis rigidity compared with a coupe tells
in the end. Under full acceleration the forces generated induce a minor
wobble and subsequent slight vagueness in the steering as though it is
fractionally out of phase with the changes down at the road’s surface.
It’s a sensation that saps confidence, and while you can hustle the
Targa along at obscene speeds, perversely you’re almost compelled
to do so before it feels alive. There’s lots of wind noise with the roof
removed, too.
Overall, the Targa 4 GTS can’t match the synapse-invigorating
experience of listening to the Audi’s V10 in the open breeze. Given how
polished the current 911 Convertible is, if I really wanted an alfresco
911 I’d go for one of those; if I wanted a £110,000-plus open supercar
I’d opt for one of the trio previously tested. L
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VIVE LA
RÉVOLUTION?
Audi, BMW, Mercedes
and Porsche have recently
confirmed factory teams for
Formula E; DS, Jaguar and
Renault are already signed
up. evo visits the Paris ePrix
to see the attraction

by C O L I N G O O DW I N

P H O T O G R A P H Y by G U S G R E G O RY

Y F I R S T O B S E R VA T I O N
of Formula E is that the Abt team’s
mechanics are mainly hipsters.
Second is that it is surprisingly good
to watch and, bizarrely, you hardly
register the lack of engine noise. In
its place is a weird whirring noise
and tyre-squeal, particularly when
a driver has got it wrong and is
struggling to get his 800kg single-seater back into shape.
If I think back over 40 years of watching motorsport,
it is the snapshots of a machine on the limit through just
one corner that stay in the memory. The ultimate was
John McGuinness at the bottom of Bray Hill at the Isle of
Man TT; another was watching Martin Brundle through
the Porsche Curves at Le Mans in his Toyota GT-One;
then there was Jacques Villeneuve flat through Copse at
Silverstone. A Formula E car doesn’t make the top ten,
but it’s higher up the list than I expected. That it’s on the
list at all is a surprise to me.
What is also a surprise is how long it has taken some
manufacturers to join the FE party, especially those with
an EV or two in their production-car range. Renault,
DS and Jaguar are all currently represented. Within
the last few weeks Audi has confirmed it will take over
the Abt team and run it as a full factory entry for the
2017-18 season. Days later BMW announced it too was
upping its commitment by taking over the Andretti team
it is currently a partner of from season 5 (2018-19). For
season 6 (2019-20) Mercedes will also join the grid,
F O R M U L A E I N PA R I S
ditching its DTM commitments to do so. That’s quite a Above: one of the
roll call, one that will be even stronger when Porsche fans with four-time F1
leaves the World Endurance Championship at the end of champion Alain Prost,
now a team manager
this year to join Formula E in 2019, too.
at Renault e.dams.
I have come to the Paris round of the FE championship Above left: lots of
with an open mind. No point in doing otherwise, as I viewing areas are free
could have stayed at home and said this series is boring,
pointless and too quiet. But then I would have missed
out on a weekend in Paris in beautiful weather. And
this is FE’s greatest selling point: the races are staged
in city centres, which means they’re easy to get to. Not
only that, but it’s an easy sell to the family because there
are plenty of other things to do while not watching the
racing, such as sitting outside a cafe with a beer and
watching the world go by, or shopping for handbags that
cost as much as a Ducati Panigale.
The Paris circuit itself couldn’t be in a more stunning
setting. It runs around Les Invalides, the collection of
buildings that contains the army museum and the tomb
of Napoléon. As far as I know, there are no significant
tombs within the infield at Snetterton. The track in Paris
is very narrow and only 0.75 miles long, so you don’t
have to wait long for the cars to come by, even if their top
speed is no more than 130mph. Not surprisingly, there’s
a safety fence around the whole circuit to prevent an
errant racing car from flying through a cafe window and
landing in your steak tartare.
You need to be within sight of one of the TV screens to
know what’s going on during the race, but then that’s no
different to being at Silverstone. Few circuits give you a
www.evo.co.uk 099

Left: Jaguar is new to
Formula E this year, and
will be joined by fellow
heavyweights BMW, Audi
and Mercedes over the
next few years
‘There’salottolearn,especiallyifFEhasjustcomeontoyourradar’
Far left: with only around
270bhp and a fraction of
the downforce, the cars
are nowhere near as fast
as their counterparts in
F1, but they suit the street
circuits they race on well.
Bottom left: mechanics
have to take special
precautions against the
cars’ high voltages
complete overview and the only ones I can think of that
do are the Brands Hatch Indy layout and Lydden Hill.
Time for a wander. Third impression: Formula E
seems to be free of the bullshit that has infected F1. So
far, I have been unable to spot my favourite supermodel
in the pits or any member of a boy-band. The dirty,
unwashed public is much more welcome and there are
regular autograph sessions with the drivers. There are a
lot of free viewing areas and there are ten grandstands
with tickets way below traditional Bernie prices.
The first time we see the cars in action is in the first
practice session (there are two, followed by qualifying
and then a ‘Super Pole’, then later the race itself, all on
the Saturday; some other cities repeat it all again on the
Sunday, too). Apart from the safety paraphernalia, the
pit garages look similar to those in any high-level series,
with the usual bank of computers with boffins sitting at
them. We’re with DS Virgin Racing. The team’s drivers
are Sam Bird and José Maria López, who each have
two cars for the race – the cars’ batteries don’t currently
have the capacity to last the full 45-lap race distance, so
drivers change cars part way through.
There’s a lot to learn about FE, especially if it’s just
come onto your radar. The cars use a Dallara designed
and built chassis (although a company called Spark
attaches its name to it) and the battery and electric motor
come from Williams and McLaren Applied Technology
respectively. From the 2018-19 season onwards, Spark
will supply a new chassis that’s 40kg lighter and more
aerodynamically efficient, the battery contract will
switch to McLaren and the teams will be free to use
an electric motor of their choice. And the same will
happen with the batteries from 2020-21. It’s these rule
changes that explain the sudden interest from the big
manufacturers.
Currently the batteries can store up to 28kWh of
energy. The new ones will hold 54kWh, which will not
only speed things up on track but will also put an end to
the silly mid-race change of cars that drivers currently
have to do.
When the drivers change cars during the race, they
have to be in the pits for a minimum of 60 seconds to
ensure there’s no excuse for them not being properly
belted up. There’s a lot of equipment in the pits that
I’ve not seen before, such as a long pole with a hook on
the end. This, as you may have read in Richard Porter’s
column a couple of issues ago, is used to remove a
mechanic from the car if he’s being zubbed by hundreds
of volts. Presumably it’s not possible to get your positives
and negatives muddled up, but the mechanic plugging
the car in wears a sort of welding mask in case of sparks,
and industrial rubber gloves.
Experience has told me that if you want to get the
story, you’re much better off talking to the mechanics
than team principles or PR people. Most of the DS Virgin
spannermen are ex-Virgin F1 team. So what’s it like
spannering these electric racing cars?
F O R M U L A E I N PA R I S
‘Not a lot different to working on F1 cars,’ is the
reply from one young oily rag we speak to. ‘We never
touched the engines on F1 cars anyway, so the lack of a
conventional engine makes no difference to us. There’s
no clutch to work on, which is great. We don’t get paid
quite as much as we used to in F1 but the quality of life
is way better because there are fewer races. I know quite
a few F1 mechanics are keen to get into Formula E for
exactly this reason.’
While the cars are out in qualifying, we take a walk
around the last few corners that lead to the pit entry.
Turn 8 is a right-hander at the end of a long straight. It’s
quite something. Plastic rumble-strip has been laid down
on the inside of the turn and nearly all the cars take a bite
at it and get air under their tyres. The driver then has to
bring the car under control for a sharp left-hander.
A tight track and the constant worry of using up too
much juice make precise driving essential. ‘It’s extremely
challenging,’ says Bird. ‘About a hundred times more
difficult than karting. You’re constantly fiddling
with brake bias, for example, because when you’re in
regeneration mode you have to wind the braking bias
to the front or you’ll lock the rears up as they’re already
braking themselves.’
The noise thing is obviously a key talking point, too. ‘If
you want a bit of noise you can always go to Santa Pod,’
says my mechanic friend. It’s a good point. Three-time
Le Mans-winner Allan McNish is wandering around the
pits and also makes a good point: ‘You just couldn’t run a
V8 race car in this environment; it wouldn’t be allowed.
We’re having enough trouble with noise at circuits like
Croft, let alone running open exhausts on a street circuit.’
There are other interesting people knocking around
the place. Damon Hill, for one. ‘I don’t know much about
this,’ says Hill, ‘but it’s certainly very interesting. Nice to
be in Paris in lovely weather.’ Quite. We also bump into a
man called Rick Bates, who is the FIA’s man in charge of
safety. Bates is a mad-keen rally man and has motorsport
in his veins. He’s also a logistics master who in a previous
career was involved in organising the London Marathon.
I ask him about FE’s possible return to the UK.
‘I recently had a meeting in London with some key
players,’ he says. ‘Half were for it and half weren’t. It’s
difficult. Manchester and Liverpool are desperately keen
but the Formula E organisation is London-obsessed and
doesn’t understand the depth of culture and history of
innovation and invention in the north.’ Certainly we
need a better venue than London’s Battersea Park.
McNish makes another fundamental point: FE hasn’t
replaced any other sport. ‘If you want to listen to loud
engines then you can go to a historic race meeting like
Goodwood.’ It’s true: the best day’s spectating I’ve had in
years involved flying out to the Le Mans Classic to watch
evo’s own Dickie Meaden driving a Lola T70 in anger. I
wouldn’t travel specifically to watch a Formula E race,
but if there was one in an interesting city and I fancied a
weekend break, then I might combine the two. L
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LITTLE
by S T E V E S U T C L I F F E

T OY
P H O T O G R A P H Y by S T E V E H A L L

BLUE

With governments around the world looking

to ban petrol cars, could Renault’s 454bhp
electric Zoe be a sign of hot hatches to come?
R E N AU LT ZO E E -S P O RT CO N C E PT

www.evo.co.uk 103

Below: roll-cage, Recaro
bucket seats and lashings
of Alcantara hint at this
Zoe’s rabid performance.
Below right: 20in wheels
use a central-locking nut;
race-style digital screen
displays all the vital info
104 www.evo.co.uk
N T H E ON E H A N D, YOU
can’t help but gravitate towards
even just the idea of a 454bhp hot
hatch. Especially one that rides on
20in wheels and tyres that do their
utmost to burst out from under
a quartet of quite magnificently
blistered wheelarches.
But on the other hand, when you
realise that said hot hatch is actually
just a concept car that will never,
claim its creators, see the light of day
in terms of production, you can’t help
wondering why on earth they went to so much bother.
Why put so much effort and skill and design savvy into a
project that will never turn a wheel on the public road?
Why, damn it, don’t they just make the Zoe e-Sport then
bask in the glory that it would unquestionably attract?
Answer: because Renault has a rich history of giving
us mad but deeply sexy concept cars – Espace F1, Twizy
F1, Trezor, etc – most of which never stand a chance of
making production. The deliciously pumped-up e-Sport
is merely the most recent of these, but it does still serve
a purpose beyond making petrolheads go weak at the
knees just because of the way it looks (and the way it
goes, more on which in a bit).
Technically, if not visually, the e-Sport provides a
glimpse into the future regarding what might be possible
in a hot hatch in, say, six years. Its twin electric motors
– one for each axle – and 450kg lithium-ion battery are
technologies developed directly from Renault’s highly
successful Formula E campaign. So it’s not as if Renault
had to start from scratch with the car’s underpinnings,
even if they did have to be packaged in a very different
way compared with a single-seater Formula E car.
The way the batteries and motors are cooled is almost
identical to the racing car, for instance, and the battery
pack itself is located in the floor at the back, again in
much the same way as it is in the FE car. Even the chassis
is a bespoke aluminium frame that’s pure racing car
and bears zero similarity to what you’d find in a regular,
front-wheel-drive Zoe, including, of course, a driven rear
axle, plus a limited-slip differential front and rear.
All up, the e-Sport weighs a chunky-sounding 1460kg,
but that does include the driver, says Renault, so call it
a little less than 1400kg sans occupants but otherwise
ready to roll. Given that the combined output from the
twin electric motors is a claimed 454bhp, with 472lb ft
of torque available pretty much from the moment you so
much as sneeze on the accelerator, the e-Sport’s claimed
performance figures are predictably comical. As in
0-62mph in 3.2sec and 0-130mph (the car’s top speed) in
ten seconds flat. A Focus RS, even one that’s been tickled
by Mountune, wouldn’t see which way the e-Sport had
gone until the EV ran out of puff at 130mph.
And as for the chassis, again it’s pure competition car
in both design and setup. It was developed for Renault by
Tork Engineering, which has adapted what is essentially
an ice-racing chassis to make it suitable to drive, er, not
just on ice. The dampers are four-way adjustable Öhlins
units at each corner, and the Michelin tyres on those
massive wheels have a super-soft compound but still
some evidence of tread to their design (so not a full-
blown slick, in other words).
The brakes, says Renault, are ‘suitably large’ ventilated
cast-iron discs, although for some reason it won’t say
precisely how large. In much the same way it also doesn’t
want us to take pictures of the car without its carbonfibre
rear bodywork in place, which means we can’t show you
what it looks like underneath at the back. Then again,
a touch of Gallic mystique seems almost appropriate in
this instance, and if anything it just adds to the sense of
occasion when, finally, there’s enough juice in the Zoe for
me to climb aboard and go for a quick blast.
And when I say quick, I mean it in both senses, because
not only is the e-Sport’s straight-line go hilarious, but the
juice doesn’t last long if you gun it either. Give this car the
beans for much more than about 20 minutes and there
will be zero charge left in the batteries, which then take
eight hours to charge again. Hence the reason I am asked
to trundle along as slowly as possible behind the camera
car to begin with, just to try and keep as much charge left
for some fruitier laps a bit later on.
Clambering into the e-Sport is something of an art.
The high-sided race seat is not the easiest to squeeze
into, but once you’re ensconced the whole thing fits
 R E N AU LT ZO E E -S P O RT CO N C E PT

‘A Focus RS,
even one tickled
by Mountune,
wouldn’t see
which way the
e-Sport had gone’

www.evo.co.uk 105
R E N AU LT ZO E E -S P O RT CO N C E PT
‘A 450kg battery pack mounted
at the rear equals monster
lift‑off oversteer everywhere’
just so. There are three big blue buttons on the console
that look highly intimidating, plus a dashboard that’s
festooned with yet more buttons and lights. However,
the only ones that really matter, say the engineers, are
those that indicate how much charge there is left for each
motor, and whether you’ve selected forwards, reverse or
neutral. Oh yes, and the big blue button in the middle of
the dash that shows whether you’ve selected the high-
voltage mode or not; you can tell if you have because
there’s an almighty series of whooshes and whirrs when
the higher voltage is deployed, at which point the e-Sport
properly comes to life.
The steering is electric power assisted but still
surprisingly heavy as I move away, out onto the test track
that Renault has invited us to for the day. The ride is
instantly racing car in that it is very, very stiff; too stiff, I’d
say, even for circuit use. But it’s the noise that emanates
not just from the electric motors and their cooling fans
but also from the rear diff and the tyres that dominates
to begin with. For a pure EV, the e-Sport makes a right
old racket on the move, even at 30mph, and when the
camera car peels away after a couple of slow laps and I
put my foot down properly for the first time, the noise
levels go utterly berserk inside.
Berserk to a point where not only does the e-Sport feel
quite a lot like a jumbo jet just before it takes off – it also
sounds like one inside as well. The combined effects are
weirdly, compulsively dramatic, and very quickly I start
to get unusually carried away in the car and have a huge
106 www.evo.co.uk
Renault Zoe e-Sport
Engine Twin electric motors with
40kWh lithium-ion battery pack
Power 454bhp
Torque 472lb ft
Transmission Single-speed, four-
wheel drive, limited-slip differential
front and rear
Suspension, front and rear Double
wishbones, adjustable dampers, coil
springs
Wheels 20in front and rear
Tyres 245/30 R20 front and rear
Weight c1400kg
Power-to-weight c329bhp/ton
0-62mph 3.2sec (claimed)
Top speed 130mph (claimed)
On sale Never
oversteer slide across a kerb on only my first lap.
You soon learn, however, that a 450kg battery pack
mounted at the rear equals monster lift-off oversteer,
pretty much everywhere seemingly, and of the kind that
isn’t especially easy to catch in a car with such a short
wheelbase, even if there is four-wheel drive. But what
I also discover about the e-Sport after I calm down a
bit is that there is traction – and absolutely massive
acceleration – the like of which no hot hatch has ever had
before. The hit of torque that arrives when you press the
Above: bodywork is throttle is enormous and instant.
all carbonfibre; rear There is simply no delay whatsoever between pressing
diffuser is inspired by the throttle and the car lunging forwards, yet at the
that of the Renault
e.dams Formula E
same time the traction is total, which makes for some
car, as is the colour combination, even if the front end does want to push out
scheme of Satin Blue wide if you give it too much throttle, too soon on the way
with yellow highlights out of a corner. I had hoped that the e-Sport might power-
oversteer, what with its mechanical rear diff and 50 per
cent of its energy being deployed via the back axle. But in
reality it feels resolutely like a front-wheel-drive car that
happens to have bags of traction.
In truth, the e-Sport’s chassis setup could do with some
fine tuning, not just to make it a bit softer but also to dial
out the power-on understeer that makes it so difficult to
put the nose where you want it. But hey, this is a mere
concept car, remember; one whose primary role is to
wow the punters on motor show stands. So the fact that
its handling is a bit spikey and its ride is pretty much non-
existent means not a great deal in the overall scheme.
Because, ultimately, the Zoe e-Sport is all about
demonstrating what’s possible from an electric hot
hatch, and it does so in some style. Quite apart from its
rabid performance and what lies beneath its carbonfibre
bodywork, the Zoe e-Sport just looks so completely right
in the flesh. As a styling exercise alone it’s worth its
weight in lithium ions, and the fact that it drives as well
as it does shows that an EV hot hatch can’t be all that far
away. Renault should make a car like this, and make it
fast, before someone else gets there first. L
For three days only, the gardens at Hampton Court Palace will be home to over 300
of the finest and rarest motor cars ever to be seen in this land. The crown jewels of the
automotive world — 1896 pioneers to present day supercars. Come to the Concours of
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T H E M O S T E X C L U S I V E C A R PA R K I N T H E W O R L D .
 Market
DEEP DIVE
LOTUS ELISE S1
Value s of the original Elise are on
the move, so if you’re af ter one don’t
hang about. Let evo’s Deep Dive help you
identif y your per fec t Lotus light weight
by Bob Harper

IT SEEMS SCARCELY CREDIBLE may have sounded somewhat paltry,

that the Elise has been with us for
over 20 years, but it’s as excellent a
demonstration today as it ever was
that good things come in small,
lightweight packages.
The Series 1 Elise arrived in mid-
1996 and at its heart was the Lotus-
designed extruded aluminium
chassis that was glued, rather than
welded, together. The car was
powered by a transversely mid-
mounted 1796cc Rover K-series
engine with a 16-valve DOHC
aluminium head. Its 118bhp output
but with just 731kg to shift, the Elise
was quick (0-60mph in 6.1sec) and
beautifully balanced.
Power was transmitted through a
five-speed manual ’box, suspension
was via double wishbones all-round,
and the lightweight theme was even
carried over to the brakes, which
utilised Metal Matrix Composite
aluminium discs.
Bar a couple of minor updates
– such as introducing a removable
hard-top – the Elise remained more
or less unchanged for its first couple

www.evo.co.uk 109
 Market
of years. However, there was a
track-only Elise Sport 190 in 1997,
which featured a VHPD (Very High
Performance Derivative) version
of the 1.8-litre K-series, good for
187bhp. An even lower weight (just
670kg) ensured it was blisteringly
quick (0-100mph took just 10.7sec),
but the Sport 190 was never officially
homologated for road use.
The following year saw more
minor spec changes – a modified
soft-top, the adoption of traditional
cast-iron discs, improved luggage
provision – and late in 1998 the
LOTUS ELISE S1 TIMELINE
June1996 October1997
Elise Sport 190
110 www.evo.co.uk
first new road-going Elise derivative
made its debut: the Sport 135, which
thanks to a reworked cylinder head
offered 135bhp. It was initially
launched as a limited run of 50
cars, all painted Quicksilver, with
headlight covers, driving lights and
‘135’ graphics, red sports seats and a
red steering wheel, plus drilled brake
discs, a close-ratio gearbox and a
sports exhaust without a catalytic
converter. A further 35 examples
were produced in 1999 and were
virtually identical bar having later
111S wheels (more shortly), a black
November1998 January1999
Sport 135 50th Anniversary
filler cap and ‘135 99’ decals. Above left and right: an
Manufacturers love to celebrate early S1 in original spec,
right down to the lesser-
their birthdays and the 50th
spotted MMC discs (above),
Anniversary Elise came to market which reduced unsprung
early in 1999 to commemorate Lotus and rotational mass.
Cars Limited’s half century. Apart Previous page: Sport 135
from its exclusivity – just 50 were of 1998 was the first road-
going evolution of the S1
built – it was a cosmetic exercise,
with all examples finished in metallic
green with gold wheels and a grey/
brown leather interior.
The next significant upgrade
also arrived in January 1999, with
the debut of the 111S. It gained
variable valve control (VVC) and
January1999 July1999 October1999 October1999
111S Type 79 (‘JPS’) Type 49 Millennium Edition
 DEEP DIVE

‘Its 118bhp output 143bhp, endowing it with improved

performance (0-62mph in 5.4sec).
Millennium could also be ordered
with the standard or 111S engine. FIRST AND LAST
may have sounded It also had Lotus-designed six-spoke
wheels (up half an inch in width at
The most extreme of road-going
Elises, the 340R, made its debut
paltry, but with just the rear to 7.5 inches), a new front
grille, headlamp covers, a composite
early in 2000. Minimal bodywork,
a 190bhp VHPD version of the
ELISE

731kg to shift, the engine cover and an optional rear

spoiler extension.
K-series, a close-ratio ’box and sub-
660kg weight in road trim ensured
Engine
Max power
In-line 4-cyl, 1796cc
118bhp @ 5500rpm

Elise was quick and That year also spawned several devastating performance, including Max torque
Weight
122lb ft @ 3000rpm
731kg

beautifully balanced’
Elise special editions. The first was a 0-60mph time of 4.5sec.
Power-to- 164bhp/ton
officially known as the Heritage The last of the S1 Elises, the Sport weight
for the Italian market (where 100 160, arrived in February 2000. The 0-60mph 6.1sec (tested)
were sold) or the Type 79 in the UK, first 50 were produced with Single Top speed 126mph (claimed)
although it’s often called the ‘JPS’ Vehicle Approval and featured a
On sale 1996
thanks to its black and gold colour 160bhp engine; later cars passed
Price new £18,950 (1996)
scheme. Buyers could base it either Whole Vehicle Type Approval
on the standard or 111S model. and had to make do with 150bhp,
At the London motor show, the although many of these cars were ELISE SPORT 160
Type 49 was revealed, painted in upgraded after purchase. The 160
the iconic red, white and gold colour was loosely based on the 111S but Engine In-line 4-cyl, 1796cc

scheme of the late-’60s Lotus F1 had a new ECU, revised suspension, Max power 160bhp @ 7000rpm

car. Again, it could be based on the different wheels and a plinth- Max torque 128lb ft @ 5200rpm
standard car or the VVC model. mounted rear spoiler. Weight 770kg

January2000 February2000 The last of the 1999 specials was The more hardcore, hard-topped Power-to- 211bhp/ton
weight
the Millennium Edition, painted Exige made its debut in mid-2000
0-60mph 5.1sec (claimed)
in Atlantis Blue with seats in black and in November that year so did the
Top speed 135mph (claimed)
leather and blue Alcantara – colours Series 2 Elise, with updated styling
On sale 2000
that also adorned the steering- to continue the Elise dynasty for the
Price new £28,995 (2000)
340R Sport 160 wheel centre and the sill trims. The next generation of buyers.

www.evo.co.uk 111

ALL YOU NEED
TO KNOW
ABOUT…
CAR SHAMPOO
Shampoo specifically for
y o u r c a r? I t m i g h t s o u n d l i ke
o v e r k i l l , b u t t h e r e’s a g o o d
reason why professional
detailers swear by it
by Bob Harper
WHAT IS IT?
A carefully crafted mixture of chemicals, dyes,
fragrances and preservatives in an aqueous
solution specifically designed to clean your car
effectively without damaging the paintwork.
DO I REALLY NEED TO USE IT?
If you want your car to retain that showroom
shine, then yes. Dirt, traffic film, bird lime – all
these can damage your paintwork and need to be
gently removed.
CAN’T I JUST USE WASHING-UP LIQUID?
No. It’s good for plates, less so for paintwork. It has
a high salt content and will strip away the layers of
wax and polish that are protecting your car.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
While the main ingredient in car shampoo is
water, the important active ingredients are known
as ‘surfactants’. These are molecules with one end
that attaches to water and another attracted to
dirt, and they lower the surface tension between
the two. The dirt can then be rinsed away with the
assistance of a wash mitt.
WHY USE A WASH MITT?
Most of the sponges we typically use have a flat
surface that cannot absorb the dirt particles. This
means the dirt is dragged across the paint, which
can cause micro-scratches – the dreaded ‘swirl
marks’. A lambswool or sheepskin wash mitt,
meanwhile, will absorb the dirt in its pile, keeping
it away from the car’s bodywork.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO USE CAR
SHAMPOO?
Try not to wash your car in direct sunlight, and
rinse it first. Wash from the top down, too, rinsing
as you go if the shampoo seems to be drying. It’s
‘A pH-neutral shampoo
won’t attack protective
polishes or waxes that
are already on the surface
of the car’s paint’
also important to use the two-bucket method –
one bucket for the clean shampoo, one with plain
water to rinse the wash mitt. Ideally both buckets
should have grit guards to prevent dirt going back
onto the car.
I’VE READ ABOUT PH-NEUTRAL SHAMPOOS;
WHAT’S THAT ABOUT?
A pH-neutral shampoo won’t attack protective
polishes or waxes that are already on the surface
of the car’s paint. The vast majority of shampoos
on the market are pH neutral.
WHY ARE SOME SHAMPOOS VERY FOAMY,
OTHERS LESS SO?
It all depends on the formulation of the shampoo.
Those that generate greater amounts of foam tend
to contain more surfactants. Those with less foam,
meanwhile, generally leave a better ‘sheeting’
effect, which allows water to satisfyingly run off
the paintwork.
Market
WHAT ABOUT WATERLESS-WASH
SHAMPOOS? ARE THEY OK TO USE?
As a way of quickly cleaning a car when you have
no access to water, they can be effective, but
you do risk damaging the paintwork if the car is
very dirty.
DOES A SHAMPOO ALSO NEED TO HAVE A
WAX IN IT?
Shampoo doesn’t have to have a wax element, but
if you’re only an occasional washer and aren’t keen
on polishing then a shampoo that adds a layer of
wax to the paint would be a good choice. If an
afternoon of polishing is your idea of nirvana,
then it’s not necessary.
HOW MUCH SHOULD CAR SHAMPOO COST?
Different shampoos need diluting in different
measures, so a small, expensive bottle could offer
better value than a larger, cheaper one. As for cost
per wash, decent shampoos start at around 15p.
USEFUL CONTACTS
autoglym.com
bilthamber.com
meguiars.co.uk
gtechniq.com
farecla.com
armorall.com
valetpro.eu
www.evo.co.uk 113
 Buying guide

FERRARI ‘W A N T ON E ’. T H AT WA S T H E SI M PL E
but irresistible coverline when evo’s

F355
forerunner, Performance Car magazine,
tested the then-new F355 in the summer of 1994.
It was a sensational return to form for Ferrari. The

(1994-1999)
I t i n t r o d u c e d m o d e r n - d ay F e r r a r i a n d
i t ’s s t i l l a g r e a t d r i v e to d ay. P r i c e s s t a r t
b e l o w £6 0 k – b u t y o u ’d b e t te r b e q u i c k
by Peter Tomalin
previous 348’s slatted sides and tail had divided opinion,
its on-limit handling was a handful, and technologically
it was barely treading water. Worse, its shortcomings had
been shown up by – horrors – a Honda. The NSX, released
a year after the 348 in 1990, was proof that a mid-engined
junior supercar could be sophisticated and useable as
well as exotic and desirable. Stung, Ferrari accelerated
development of a replacement. And it worked. With the
355, Ferrari rediscovered its mojo and reignited the desire.

www.evo.co.uk 115
 Market BUYING GUIDE
CHECKPOINTS
ENGINE
Tony Glynn at Ferrari specialist
Foskers says the flat-plane-crank
V8 gives very few issues provided
it’s serviced on schedule – which
means an oil change every year and
belts every three. It is possible to
change the belts without taking the
engine out, but Foskers recommends
removal because it allows you to spot
any developing issues – oil or water
leaks, for example – and also check
the condition of the steel subframe.
‘The one weakness they have is the
exhaust manifolds cracking, which
makes the car run hot and can result
in burnt-out valves,’ says Tony. ‘It
gets noisier and becomes very fluffy
on idle. When we look at a car, we
always do a compression check and
116 www.evo.co.uk
leakdown test. Replacements are
about £1000 a side, plus fitting, so
around three grand to replace both.’
Early cars suffered premature
valve-guide wear. In most cases they
were replaced with a later type, but
some very low-mileage cars may
still have the originals. Again, a
compression test will show up issues.
Note that the ECU was updated
in 1996. The earlier ‘M2.7’ cars have
sharper throttle response; the later
‘M5.2’ cars are smoother but, some
say, underperform on power.
TRANSMISSION
Manual or F1, it’s the same six-speed
’box; the difference is that in the F1
the single dry clutch has electro-
hydraulic activation. The actuators
sometimes need replacing on higher-
mileage cars, so shift manually up
and down the ’box to check for any
hesitancy. The hardware itself is
generally robust. ‘Clutches typically
last about 20,000 miles on a manual
and 15,000 on an F1, but if you’re
doing a lot of motorway miles you
could get up to 30,000,’ says Tony.
With the F1, a dealer or specialist
with diagnostic gear can tell you how
much clutch life is left. A replacement
costs around £1300.
SUSPENSION, STEERING,
BRAKES
Check the dampers switch between
Comfort and Sport modes. Ball joints
inevitably wear, so listen and check
for play. The wheels are magnesium
alloy, which means a refurb costs
more, so examine them closely.
BODY, INTERIOR, ELECTRICS
The biggest worry is the steel
subframe that carries the engine.
‘You can see quite a bit by shining a
torch around the engine bay,’ says
Tony. There’s also a weak-spot where
the steel buttress running down from
the roof meets the aluminium rear
wing. ‘You probably need to repair
and repaint that every five years to
keep it tip-top, and it’s around two
grand to do a good job.’
‘A common problem is with the
rubber coating on the switchgear,
door handles and air vents, which
goes sticky if cleaning fluids are
used,’ says Tony.
 The V8 engine was expanded from 3.4 to 3.5
litres and re-engineered with five valves per
INFORMATION
cylinder, which gave 374bhp at a yowling 8250rpm
(49bhp up on the 348, around 100bhp more than SPECIFICATION
the NSX, and at the time the highest bhp per litre F355 BERLINETTA
ever achieved in a naturally aspirated road car,
Engine V8, 3496cc
McLaren F1 included). Combined with a 40kg
Max power 374bhp @ 8250rpm
weight reduction, improved aerodynamics – the
Max torque 268lb ft @ 6000rpm
355 was one of the first road cars to feature under-
Transmission Six-speed manual, rear-
floor aero – and a new six-speed manual gearbox, it wheel drive, LSD
was enough to slash the 0-62mph time from 5.6 to Weight (dry) 1350kg
4.7sec and raise the top speed from 171 to 183mph. Power-to- 281bhp/ton
There were new levels of sophistication, weight (dry)
too, with power steering as standard (the 348’s 0-62mph 4.7sec (claimed)
unassisted rack being one of the things that made Top speed 183mph (claimed)
it so tricky to catch when it snapped sideways) and Price new £84,000 (1994)
electronically controlled damping with a Comfort
setting for around town or cruising the motorway.
The tech quota was ramped up even further
in 1997 when Ferrari introduced its first ‘F1’ PARTS PRICES
paddleshift gearbox as a £6000 option, signalling Prices from foskers.com. All genuine
the start of a new era of increasing synergy with Ferrari parts. Prices include VAT but
exclude fitting charges.
its racing cars. But what really fanned the flames
was the aesthetic transformation; curves were Tyres (each) £182.40 front, £290 rear
back, sculpted vents replaced slats, and there were Front pads £210
four classic round tail lights beneath the subtly (set)
kicked-up tail. It was – and still is – one of the most Front discs £357.60
(pair)
beautiful of all Ferraris.
Damper £1074
The 355 is perhaps at its purest in Berlinetta (single)
coupe form, but the GTS, with its lift-out ‘targa’ Clutch kit £898.80
roof, and the fully convertible Spider that arrived in Spark plugs £144
summer 1995 are also gorgeous and have an appeal (set)
of their own. Despite being far from rare (more
than 11,000 examples were produced), the values
of all have risen in recent times and will doubtless
climb again. Just as in 1994, few Ferraris fire such SERVICING
desire as an F355. Prices from foskers.com, including VAT

Minor service £780

Top right: manual gearbox Major service £1740 (due every three
is most desirable; clutches years)
last around 20,000 miles.
Above right and bottom
right: check condition
of interior trim carefully.
Above left: those USEFUL CONTACTS
beautiful buttresses bring
a recurring rust problem FORUMS , ADVICE , EVENTS
ferrarichat.com
clubscuderia.co.uk

WHAT TO PAY ferrariownersclub.co.uk

INDEPENDENT SPECIALIS TS

While you occasionally see 355s for £50k-60k, most foskers.com

are left-hand drive or in less desirable colours. Right- verdi-ferrari.com
hand-drive cars start at around £80,000. A really simonfurlonger.co.uk
nice manual Berlinetta in red with cream leather and
theferraricentre.com
impeccable history is currently around £110k from a
aeperformance.co.uk
specialist, while the same car with an F1 ’box would
be just under £100k. Manuals generally attract a
CARS FOR SALE
10 per cent premium, despite being more common;
Spiders tend to be a little cheaper. pistonheads.com
The car pictured here is a 1996 manual Berlinetta classicandperformancecar.com
with 30,000 miles on the clock. It’s currently for
sale at Slade’s Garage in Buckinghamshire, priced at
£112,450. Call 01494 812115.

www.evo.co.uk 117
 Market BUYING GUIDE
‘I BOUGHT ONE’
MAT T FAIZEY
‘I had wanted to buy a yellow,
manual Berlinetta, but I finished
up with a red, F1 GTS! It was
bought as a private sale – people
in Ferrari circles thought I was
crazy – and I didn’t bother with
an inspection, which confirmed I
was insane. I just applied normal
logic to buying a car.
‘I’d been to see a number but
couldn’t find a really good one.
I’d been browsing the classifieds
for a long time and noticed this
car had remained for sale, so I
took a chance, went to view it,
and met a lovely guy who kept
the car in a carpeted garage. I
had a feeling it would be a good
one – and it was. It drove well,
it was absolutely straight, the
history checked out, and I did
the deal.
IN THE CLASSIFIEDS
1994 F355 BERLINETTA
£54,995
37,403 miles, Berlinetta body, Rosso
Corsa/Nero, left-hand drive, supplied new
in Italy, one owner, large history file
kahnautomobiles.com
118 www.evo.co.uk
‘That was February 2011,
and I’ve never had a moment’s
regret. The mileage was 26,000
when I bought it and it’s now
36,000, and absolutely nothing
has gone wrong.
‘I think a lot of reported
problems are down to owners
being idiots – they don’t wait for
the F1 gearbox pump to prime
and they don’t wait for the
engine oil to fully prime before
they start the car. Or they sit
at traffic lights with the car in
gear or rev the engine before
the clutch has fully engaged.
I’ve used only 15 per cent of the
clutch in 10,000 miles. You’ve
got to understand these cars
and drive sympathetically.
‘For servicing, I stayed with
the independent that had been
1998 F355 F1 GTS
£92,995
23,000, UK right-hand drive, three owners
(the last for 12 years), colour-coded roof-
panel, carbon racing seats, full history
forza288.com
looking after it – Adam Eyre at
AE Performance, who I can’t
recommend too highly. The car
has been serviced every year,
which I’m certain has helped
with its reliability.
‘I’ve loved owning the 355, but
after six years I’ve decided to
sell it, and it’s with the Ferrari
Centre in Kent. But I know
I’ll miss it. It was created for
petrolheads and you can feel
everything. It is also physically
impossible to climb out, walk
d l kb k
1996 F355 SPIDER
£119,995
25,000 miles, Rosso/Nero, Bordeaux
carpets, comprehensive history,
refurbished interior, new cambelt
nickcartwright.com
WHAT WE SAID
FIRST DRIVE, FIORANO
‘I push the polished aluminium ball
forward, the gearlever snicks home with
its customary clack!, the clutch takes
up smoothly and we’re ambling onto
the track. The gearshift feels typically
Ferrari – slightly gritty, unerringly
precise – but it’s shorter and lighter,
while the clutch is so weighty yet
beautifully damped I imagine its master
cylinder is a tin of Lyle’s Golden Syrup.
It’s almost too good to be true.
‘Why doesn’t the 355 spit me off, as
most mid-engined cars would, when I
turn in on the brakes, back off rather
abruptly or power out too early? It must
be the electronic damping, which uses
Bilstein hardware, with software co-
developed by Ferrari.
‘At one of the second-gear hairpins, I
boot it early, just to see what happens.
That illustrates how confidence-inspiring
the 355 is. The power edges the tail out
in a natural, flowing action, a handful of
opposite lock catches and balances it.
No snap, no slap in the face. Can I have
mine in yellow, please?’
– Performance Car, August 1994
RIVALS
PORSCHE 911 (993)
The final incarnation of the air-cooled
911. Prices vary widely, from £40k for
a Tiptronic Carrera to £150k for a low-
mileage Turbo. A really nice Carrera S is
£60k-70k.
LOTUS ESPRIT SPORT 300 &
SPORT 350
The ultimate Esprits: early-’90s Sport
300 used a 300bhp version of the turbo
four and just 64 were built. The late-
’90s Sport 350 was based on the V8
Esprit and was even rarer, with just 48
made; they’re £50,000-plus today.
HONDA NSX (NA1 & NA2)
The car that no doubt hastened the
development of the Ferrari F355. Prices
start at £40k today, with the very best
fetching up to £70k.
Market
BUYING
JOURNEY
evo reader Jeremy
P a r ke r ’s ‘ p u r i s t ’
b u y i n g h i s to r y
THE CARS
Mini 850
MG Midget
Ford Escort 1.6L
Ford Fiesta XR2
Renault 5 GT Turbo
Porsche 944 Turbo
Morris Minor
Westfield Seven 1.7 X-Flow
Lotus Elise (S1)
Honda S2000
Porsche 911 GT3 (996.1)
Mini Seven
McLaren 12C Spider
Porsche 911 GT3 (996.1)
‘I had always wanted to own a 911,
especially a GT3. Then, when I read
an article in evo on how it was
the time to buy your dream car, I
decided to go for it. After looking
at a few, I found an excellent
low-mileage, silver, Comfort model
that also happened to have a ca
and six-point harnesses. It’s such
a fantastic car to drive, with gre
feedback through the steering a d
the seat of your pants. And wha
engine noise – amazing!’
120 www.evo.co.uk
T
HE START OF JEREMY PARKER’S
car history shows a progression from
affordable old-style open-top sports cars
to effervescent – and still affordable – hot hatches.
After getting rid of his MG Midget, which needed
so much work (including a reconditioned engine)
that it forced him to learn how to maintain a car
himself, he eventually got into a Fiesta XR2. That
was then swapped for a Renault 5 GT Turbo, which
was eventually treated to a 155bhp conversion
from turbo specialists BBR.
Westfield Seven 1.7 X-Flow
‘I wanted something that would
be enjoyable on track as well as
being competitive in occasional
sprints and hill climbs in the road-
car classes. I rebuilt the engine to
fast-road spec and added a close-
ratio ’box. However, the car becam
financial black hole. To stay comp
most components needed to be u d d
and I was still left behind by Rove d
Caterhams with 200bhp. Both th b
and Westfield were replaced by a l
but when the Lotus was excluded f h
standard road-car class in sprints d
with the Caterhams, it was time t h ’
Jeremy then used a Morris Minor for daily driver
duties before he got a company car, and it gave him
the opportunity to indulge in some less practical
machinery. He bought and used his Porsche 944
and Westfield Seven, then later a Lotus Elise, in
sprints and hill climbs, but when he bought a brand-
new Honda S2000 he kept it just for the road.
His garage now consists of an enviable selection
of cars: one of our favourite drivers’ cars in a
Porsche 911 GT3, plus a classic Mini and a modern
supercar in the form of a McLaren 12C Spider.
Renault 5 GT Turbo
‘The XR2 got me into hot hatches.
It was a great, fun car – practical
for weekends away and taking
my mates down the pub. When I
decided to replace it, it was either
a 5 GT Turbo or a Peugeot 205 1.6
GTI, but the Renault was cheaper
and better value. After a couple
of years I got the BBR 155bhp
conversion done for even more
speed. It was such good fun and
would corner on three wheels if
you really pushed it!’
WHAT NEXT?
‘The GT3 and Mini are here to stay,
but I’d consider replacing or part-
exchanging the 12C for a McLaren
720S Spider. I’ll probably wait until
around 2019 – a year or so after it
has come out.’
Email your buying journey
with a selection of images to
eds@evo.co.uk
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 Market

I WANT TO BUY A…
£15,000 JAPANESE RALLY SPECIAL
by Bob Harper

F
ANCY UNLEASHING YOUR INNER McRAE
or Mäkinen in a Japanese rally special?
Of course you do. But with £15k to spend,
what should you buy? evo’s Stuart Gallagher, Will
Beaumont, Antony Ingram and John Barker offer
some suggestions.

SG: I know the brief says ‘rally special’, and to the

best of my knowledge a Mitsubishi Evo IX MR GT
Wagon (below) never took to the special stages. But
beneath its Ikea-wardrobe exterior it’s pure Evo IX.
Actually, it’s not quite pure Evo IX – it had the same
276bhp 2-litre MIVEC four-cylinder, delightful six-
speed manual gearbox and active centre differential
but missed out on the Super-Active Yaw Control.
Despite weighing 70kg more than the saloon, it was
still good for a 4.8sec 0-62mph time and 150mph.
WB: The Subaru Impreza P1 and 22B might grab the
headlines and demand bigger prices, but the Type
RA Spec C (top) is just as intriguing. With titanium
strut braces, a stiffened bodyshell and lightweight
glass, it weighs around 120kg less than an STI.
It may not have the traditional boxer warble of
older Imprezas because of an equal-length exhaust
manifold, but its roller-bearing twin-scroll turbo
helps the engine produce 276bhp. Not only is the
Spec C lighter and more powerful than a regular
performance Impreza, it also manages to be fast,
friendly and involving. Tommi Mäkinen assisted in
its development too, making the Spec C a cut-price
Mitsubishi Evo VI Tommi Mäkinen Edition.
AI: £15k is too little for the Impreza 22B I’d want
but three times the £5k I’d need for the tidy ST205
‘The Impreza RB5 was
supple enough to take on
any road yet with a handling
balance that exploited its
four‑wheel drive’
Celica GT-Four I’d probably buy. So one must look
further afield; Dakar, perhaps, with a Mitsubishi
Pajero Evolution (above left). One of the most
unlikely homologation specials, it was developed to
compete in Dakar’s T3 class, and today one can be
had for £12k-13k. For that you get ludicrously wide
arches, a raised ride height (with multi-link rear
suspension, one of the many modifications made
for homologation) and a 276bhp 3.5-litre V6. It’s
probably awful to drive, but it’s very cool.
JB: The P1 was the daddy, but the Impreza RB5
(above) came close. No Sonic Blue paint or gold
alloys, but in ride, handling, noise and performance
it delivered huge amounts of the character. Supple
enough to take on any road yet with a handling
balance that exploited its permanent 4WD, the
RB5 was an intoxicating, absorbing and thrilling
drive. And while the arch-enemy Evo was arguably
dynamically sharper and more exploitable, its in-
line four was dull compared with the Impreza’s
warbling, crooning flat-four. Overall, a fitting
tribute to Burnsie, one of our greatest rally heroes.

www.evo.co.uk 123
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THE RS6 HAS ONE MAJOR PROBLEM. FINDING SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS IT.

The Audi RS6 is probably one of the world’s finest automotive engineering achievements on the road
today. The V8 is sophisticated, not harsh. Complex, not complicated. And intoxicatingly outrageous.
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your RS6 like we do. Because at Unit 20, we’ve been taking them apart and putting them back together
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1997 Honda NSX Manual

JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT SALE

1989 Peugeot 205 Rallye 1978 Porsche 928 4.5 Single Mirror

CCA September 2017 Classic Car Sale

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The Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Leamington Spa CV31 1XN
Interested in consigning your car or attending our next auction? Visit
www.classiccarauctions.co.uk or call 01926 801084 to find out more.

www.classiccarauctions.co.uk
 PASSIONATE ABOUT PERFORMANCE

currently for sale

2007 BUGATTI VEYRON 16.4 2017/17 LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR S 2004/54 FERRARI ENZO
823 Miles Single Tone Black Metallic Delivery Miles Nero Pegaso with 5,620 Miles Rosso Corsa with
with Cream Leather £POA Nero Ade & Rosso Alala Leather £POA Nero Leather £POA

2004/53 PORSCHE CARRERA GT 2016/66 ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE GT8 2015/65 PORSCHE 911 (991) GT3 RS
2,358 Miles GT Silver with 480 Miles AM Racing Green with 300 Miles GT Silver with
Ascot Brown Leather £650,000 Pure Black Alcantara £244,950 Black Leather & Alcantara £227,950

2016/16 LAMBORGHINI HURACAN SPYDER 2017/17 PORSCHE 911 (991) TURBO S 2016/66 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI CLUBSPORT S
3,260 Miles Grigio Lynx with Nero Ade 1,595 Miles Jet Black with 670 Miles Deep Black with Titan Black &
Leather & Verde Fauns Alcantara £217,950 Bordeaux Red & Black Leather £164,950 Flash Red Leather/Cloth £38,950
over 40 cars in stock

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 ESSENTIA L S
THE ROUND-UP
New motoring produc ts that have
caught our eye this month

TUNING ART SUNGLASSES

Tu n i t P o w e r P e d a l Aston Martin DBR9 Ray- B a n RB 4195M S cu d eria Ferra ri
From £238.80 €12,000 £197
tunit.co.uk aftertherace.be ray-ban.com/uk

A lighter touch to tuning, Power Pedal does nothing at
all to the engine itself but alters the signal to it from the
accelerator pedal. You can switch between its 15 settings,
from Eco to Performance, via a small dash-mounted pad.
Suitable for petrol, diesel or even hybrid cars.
Getting hold of a genuine bonnet from a car that
competed at Le Mans might prove difficult, but Jean-
Denis Claessens’ incredible replicas are the next best
thing. Claessens starts with a real DB9 bonnet and then
recreates the air ducts, livery and patina of the real car.
Not the catchiest of names, but if you’d like to look like Seb
or Kimi then these are a good start. Based on Ray-Ban’s
Wayfarer Liteforce design, the polarised lenses feature
a small Ferrari shield – a detail that’s replicated at the
hinges. Three mirrored lens options are also available.

WORKSHOP SHOES BOOK

S e a l e y H i -V i s W o r k s h o p Tr o l l e y s
From £83.94
sealey.co.uk
A bit of a break from the classic red, these eye-catching
trolleys are still made to the same standards as Sealey’s
other offerings, meaning you get features such as heavy-
duty locking castors and a minimum weight capacity of
150kg. You certainly won’t lose them, either.
Piloti Le Mans
From £158
piloti.uk.com
Piloti’s latest footwear takes its inspiration from the
world’s greatest motor race. The ‘Circuit’ casual shoe
(pictured) and the limited-edition ‘Ligne’ luxury boot
(£385) both feature ACO-sanctioned Le Mans branding
and use a leather upper.
Berlinetta ’50s:
Rare Italian Coupes of the Fifties
£65.86
daltonwatson.com
You might find yourself totally ignoring the text and
treating this like a picture book, packed full as it is with
great images of some truly gorgeous cars. Venture into the
text, though, for an impressively detailed read.

www.evo.co.uk 135
 THIS A L F A R O M E O G I U L I A Q U A D R I F O G L I O // S E A T L E O N S T C U P R A 3 0 0 4 D R I V E //
F O R D F O C U S S T E S T A T E // A U D I R S 5 // P O R S C H E 9 1 1 C A R R E R A ( 9 9 3 ) //
MONTH M A Z D A M X - 5 R F // S K O D A O C T A V I A E S T A T E v R S 2 3 0 // D S 3 P E R F O R M A N C E

NEW ARRIVAL

Alfa Romeo
Giulia Quadrifoglio
An M3-eating Alfa? Well of course we had
to have one of those on the evo fleet
 MY LAST LONG-TERM
M exposure to an Alfa
Romeo was 25 years
ago. My passing of the driving test
happily coincided with the old man
ordering a 164 Twin Spark company
car. It was finished in British Racing
Green and I managed to spend
the remainder of his company
car budget on a set of optional
five-spoke alloys and a four-spoke
leather Momo steering wheel.
It was ace. Company car taxes
at the time may have prevented a
full-blooded 3-litre V6, but the TS
motor was no hardship. It loved
to rev, bristled with character and
made rivals on the user-chooser
car list look flat, underwhelming
and as inspiring as a party political
broadcast. Granada 2.0i Ghia,
anyone? Quite.
But since those three years
and 120,000 miles in the early
’90s (the starter motor was the
only failure), any time with Alfas
has been scarce. There were the
early 155s run by small-in-stature
but big-in-character former evo
publisher Alan Pattison, who would
very occasionally allow the keys to
be relinquished from his grasp. And
the odd GTV coupe on a group test.
But that was about it. Yes, more
Right: red paint on the
calipers is a £150 option,
and the carbon-ceramic
discs were a further £5500;
cabin is functional and
ergonomically spot-on;
optional Sparco seats
are exceptional
138 www.evo.co.uk
recently there have been 4C drives,
but frankly the less said about them
the better.
This has now been rectified
with the arrival of evo’s Giulia
Quadrifoglio long-termer. Or rather
‘my’ Giulia Quadrifoglio long-termer.
The eagle-eyed will have spotted
KZB isn’t new to these pages, having
made its debut in evo 237 when
contributing editor John Barker gave
it the mother of all introductions
by throwing it into a twin-test with
BMW’s M3 Competition Package.
That was in its first week on the
fleet, and once JB had held on to
it for a week or two for ‘further
evaluation’, I finally got to take my
Alfa home for the first time.
It’s easy to become blasé
about long-term test cars. We’re
in a fortunate position having the
access that we do, and you could be
forgiven for thinking that because of
this the excitement and anticipation
normally felt when waiting for a new
car is all but eroded. In my case,
you’d be wrong. Waiting for the
Giulia was agonising, and not just
because it was a rather longer wait
than I had expected. (Its original
November delivery date slipped to
May…) After driving an example on
last’s year eCoty – albeit a manual,
which we don’t get in the UK – I was
smitten with everything about Alfa’s
new hot saloon.
I was given the choice of black or
silver 19-inch Quadrifoglio wheels to
accompany the Competizione Red
paint (a tri-coat metallic that costs
£1750). I opted for silver because
black wheels, to me at least, are a bit
of a cliché. Alfa had already specced
the rest of the car, which included
£5500 of carbon-ceramic brakes
and another £2950 on the rather
wonderful carbon-shell Sparco
seats. The interior is trimmed in
black leather and Alcantara with
green and silver stitching, and
there’s a £225 leather, Alcantara and
carbonfibre steering wheel.
Those coming from an Audi RS
or BMW M product might find the
interior a little featureless and
lacking in gimmicks, but I’m a fan
of its functionality. That said, I
appreciate some may expect a few
more details on a car that lists at
£61,000, or one that comes in at
£73,305 like ours (thanks to £275
for dark rear windows; £150 for red
calipers; a £425 Convenience Pack
that includes exterior door-handle
lights, keyless entry and additional
interior storage; £950’s worth of
Harman Kardon ‘sound theatre’; and
being Italian, an £80 smoking pack).
That’s a huge outlay for a brand
that’s been in the wilderness for
so long and has a few reputational
issues to get over.
So far, however, KZB has been
brilliant. I’m no aesthetic genius, but
the Giulia looks spot-on from nearly
every angle to me. Its proportions
are well judged, with muscle over
the haunches and tight surfacing
across the carbon bonnet and down
the flanks. The pair of air intakes in
the bonnet lend aggression to the
front end along with the oh-so-
discreet splitter that forms part of
the active aero. And then there’s
the back end, all quad pipes, deep
diffuser and carbon-finished lip
spoiler. This car’s looks attract a lot
of positive comments.
Once JB had given the key back,
and a new set of Pirelli’s P Zero
Corsas had been sourced after evo’s
photographer Aston Parrott had
asked for one more cornering shot,
the Giulia and I started to bond. And
it only took a couple of weeks before
the wind noise around the driver’s
door became too much and we had
to ask for a new set of door seals.
The new ones are no better than
the originals, but the Giulia does
so much so well that I don’t really
care. Its 503bhp turbocharged V6
is wonderful, the throttle response
putting many sports cars to shame
when the DNA configurator – Alfa’s
answer to Audi’s Drive Select
system and BMW’s M Drive – is set
to Dynamic or Race, and superior
to an M or AMG model when left
in Normal. The Alfa’s beautifully
crafted, column-mounted
aluminium shift paddles are the
size of carving knives and should be
standard on every car with an auto
’box, not only for their positioning
but for their crisp action, too.
Early thoughts of the carbon
‘It wraps around brakes aren’t so positive because
they need some serious heat in them
you and delivers before they’re intuitive to modulate.
When cold you can find yourself
an intoxicating creeping in traffic when you’d sworn
you’d pushed the pedal enough. And
and absorbing they grumble when cold, too.
Not that it matters much.
experience like When you settle into the Giulia
it wraps around you and delivers
few others’ an intoxicating and absorbing
experience like few others. It takes
only a couple of corners before it has
you under its spell, thanks to its quick
steering, the grip from its specially
formulated tyres and a chassis that’s
so wonderfully well hooked up.
Over the coming months I’m
hopeful my first impressions will
barely change, that these early days
aren’t overly influenced by nostalgia,
Date acquired May 2017
Total mileage 9402 and that Alfa really does have a
Mileage this month 3767 winner on its hands. L
Costs this month £1021.46 tyres Stuart Gallagher
mpg this month 23.2 (@stuartg917)
www.evo.co.uk 139

SEAT Leon ST Cupra 300 4Drive
Contributing editor John Barker gets on top of the Cupra’s minor irritations during a mammoth trip
FLATTERY IS A GOOD
F thing in a car. Handling that
is intuitive and rewarding
can be appreciated by drivers of all
skill levels. On the other hand, cars
that make drivers feel clumsy and
lacking in finesse are not going to lift
the spirits as you approach, key in
hand, anticipating the journey.
It’s not just the dynamics, though.
Other aspects can put a stone in
your shoe. In my first few weeks
with the Cupra I hadn’t got to the
bottom of certain parts of the
human-machine interface (HMI) or,
as it transpires, the fine tuning of
the car’s character with the various
settings available for steering,
chassis, engine and gearbox.
Happily, I have now, having
completed a massive journey
from Peterborough to Glasgow,
via Cleethorpes to pick up my big
140 www.evo.co.uk
brother, for the TRNSMT festival
(Radiohead, London Grammar –
both awesome). That was 400 miles
each way, so we had time to work
through all of the little foibles. There
was even an occasional delve into
the handbook…
The HMI homescreen is
impressive or intimidating,
dependent on your disposition. It’s
iPhone-ish, with ten ‘apps’ you can
select via the touchscreen display. I
tend to cycle through Radio (to see
what’s being played), Car Info (to
see range, mpg, etc) and Navigation,
though there is one for Photos, too.
Nope, no idea why. Using Nav, you
can pinch your fingers to zoom out,
spread ’em to zoom in, but it never
seems to work right away – until you
realise you have to tap the screen
once to prime it, that is. We also
found out how to carry on tracking
Date acquired May 2017
Total mileage 5528
Mileage this month 2242
Costs this month £0
mpg this month 33.2
‘Select Sport or
the car’s position once you’ve set
the scale (tap the small car symbol)
Cupra mode and you
and found the menu to turn off voice
directions. Small things, but life is
get a gearbox that
much sweeter now.
Better than that, I discovered
thinks you’re on a
that it is possible to have the most
alert engine response – the one
qualifying lap’
that makes the car feel and sound
like the 296bhp hot hatch estate it
is – without the most alert gearbox
setting. Select Sport or Cupra mode Before heading south we made
and you get a gearbox that thinks a worthwhile excursion to the
you’re on a qualifying lap, dropping transport-themed Riverside
a couple of gears and holding the Museum in Glasgow – highly
engine at high revs. The trick is to recommended – and then on the
use the DSG gearlever to switch from M74 south I made my first spot of
S for Sport to D for Drive. Then you another Cupra 300 estate. It looked
have all six gears in play but snappy good in metallic blue but, I have to
throttle response and upshifts say, ours in white with black wheels
punctuated by an audible ‘pop’! is really growing on me. Quick, cool
So we had a very comfortable, and understated. L
enjoyable and productive trip. John Barker (@evoJB)
Ford Focus ST Estate
Ford’s quickest estate has its moments, but could you
really plump for one in the face of slicker opposition?

LONG-TERM TEST CARS gearshift is gristly if you’re less

L often create something
of a moral dilemma.
Do you try and swing yourself
into something fun, fancy and
impractical on the basis that you
can borrow something sensible
when the need arises? Or do you
keep it real (well, as much as you
can in a free test car) and choose
something that will serve as a
great all-rounder?
Clearly the Ford falls into the
all-rounder category. I’ll confess
there are times when it’s a bit too
real for my spoilt tastes (I blame
10,000 miles with a Bentley), but
its practicality is proving most
welcome. Whether loading the
boot with my race kit and driving
to the middle of France or, most
recently, serving as support vehicle
for Mrs M’s ill-advised but ultimately
successful triathlon debut in the
Outlaw Half iron-man at Holkham.
The ST and I have done a good
few thousand miles in just a few
months, but I still find it a slightly
odd and frustrating car. Dynamically
it all comes together when you
really give it some stick, but the
than positive with your inputs and
the ride lumpen when you’re just
driving normally. Given it’s not an
RS, I think it would be easier to like
if it was sweeter to drive at 50 to 70
per cent. As it stands, the emphasis
feels wrong.
There’s also something a bit
van-like about it. More road noise
is an acceptable compromise if
you need the extra load space,
but the tailgate is prone to rattling
over rough surfaces, which is
disappointing.
The ST Estate is quicker, but I
can’t help thinking that something
like Skoda’s Octavia vRS Estate
is a better (and slightly cheaper)
all-rounder, while a Golf R Estate
is streets ahead for all-out ability
and desirability. L
Richard Meaden
(@DickieMeaden)
Date acquired October 2016
Total mileage 21,392
Mileage this month 1228
Costs this month £0
mpg this month 31.2

‘I think it would
be easier to
like if it was
sweeter to
drive at 50 to
70 per cent’

www.evo.co.uk 141
Audi RS5
NEW ARRIVAL
It looks like it’s spoiling
for a fight, but Audi
says the new RS5 is a
more tranquil beast
than its appearance
suggests. Could it be
the perfect daily, then?
Time to find out
142 www.evo.co.uk
THEY SAY YOU SHOULDN’T
T judge a book by its cover,
and the first reviews of
the new RS5 suggest that it is a
perfect case in point. The bulging
wheelarches, the big wheels and
the attention-grabbing signature
paint colour all look like a gauntlet
being thrown down in the direction
of the BMW M4 and Mercedes-AMG
C63 Coupe, but it seems the RS5 is
different to those cars, leaning more
towards being a grand tourer than a
harder-edged sports coupe.
Game over, then? A pointless
addition to our long-term fleet?
Well, not so fast… This is still an RS
model, after all, so it’s not exactly got
a retired bank manager’s S500 in its
sights. Rather it’s an RS model that,
as you may have read in last month’s
evo, is pitched as being better suited
to everyday use than its rivals. And
regular, everyday use is what we’ll
be subjecting our long-termer to:
all those journeys you have to make
as well as the ones you want to.
Could the RS5, in the real world – not
that fantasyland where all tarmac
is perfectly smooth, it never rains,
there are no other road users and Above: any puppy
you have the skills to take every fat on the old RS5 has
corner at 130 on the lock-stops – be been trimmed away
to leave a design that
a better car to live with than its reflects the new car’s
rivals? That’s what we’ll be aiming to lighter build. Right:
find out. cabin is a quality affair
 So first, a quick recap on the new
RS5. The previous car’s naturally
aspirated 4.2-litre V8 has gone
(boo, hiss, etc), replaced by a twin-
turbocharged 2.9-litre V6. The new
engine has exactly the same peak
power figure of 444bhp, but it’s now
achieved from 5700 to 6700rpm
rather than at a near-stratospheric
8250rpm. Those turbos mean
torque is up, of course, from 317lb ft
at 4000rpm to 442lb ft between
1900rpm and 5000rpm. Accordingly,
the 0-62mph time has been slashed
– by 0.6sec to just 3.9sec.
The old car’s seven-speed
dual-clutch gearbox has also
gone, swapped for a fast-shifting
eight-speed torque-converter auto.
This sends drive to a quattro four-
wheel-drive system with a default
torque split of 40:60 front-to-rear
but the ability to adjust that ratio
fore or aft as required to maximise
traction. Audi’s Sport Differential is
also standard on UK RS5s, and the
car’s kerb weight is 60kg lighter than
before (now 1655kg), much of the
mass removed from the car’s nose
thanks to that lighter engine.
In basic form, the new RS5 starts
at £62,900, though the car you see
here has, well, one or two options on
it. They include, but are by no means
limited to, Sonoma Green metallic
paint (£645), 20-inch diamond-cut
alloys (£2000), a Black Styling Pack
(£550), dynamic LED headlights
(£850), RS Sport Suspension Plus
with Dynamic Ride Control (£2000),
an RS Sport exhaust (£1200), ‘The first thing corners at a decent lick rather than
understeering into them. (That’ll be
a speed limiter hike to 174mph
(£1450 and money for old rope), a that strikes you is that lighter nose, then.)
As I write, I’ve covered less than
Driver Assistance Pack (including
adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign that it feels like an 500 miles in the RS5, so I’ll admit I’m
still very much in the honeymoon
recognition and collision-avoidance
systems; £1250), a head-up display expensive car. It period. Perhaps the impact of
that tremendous pace will fade
(£900) and a Comfort and Sound
pack (including a 19-speaker oozes that oh-so- with extended exposure, leaving
whatever is left with a tougher job
Bang & Olufsen audio system, a
rear-view camera and hands-free appealing high-end of holding my interest. But right
now, my gut feeling is that the RS5
boot opening; £1250). The grand
total? £80,740. Audi quality’ makes a hell of a lot of sense as a
car in which to tackle day-to-day
Handy, then, that the first thing performance driving. Here’s hoping
that strikes you about the RS5 is that feeling continues. L
that it feels like an expensive car. It Ian Eveleigh
oozes that oh-so-appealing high-
end Audi quality. Presumably it looks
like an expensive car, too, or at least
a particularly special one, given the
amount of attention it has garnered
in its first few days with us.
Get on the move and what grabs
your attention next is just how quick
a car this is. With the extra 125lb ft of
torque spread over a 3100rpm band,
it probably goes without saying
that you don’t need to work hard to
extract serious performance from it.
Simply put, this thing is fast. Properly
fast. Will-I-still-have-a-licence-in-
six-months fast. On the mixed roads
of my regular commute, it’s the kind
of pace that gives you plenty to
think about. It certainly more than
holds your attention, especially
when combined with a newfound
enthusiasm for going around
Date acquired June 2017
Total mileage 2171
Mileage this month 466
Cost this month £0
mpg this month 24.8
www.evo.co.uk 143
Porsche
911 Carrera
A 12-hour detailing session uncovers
the true colour of our classic 911
OLDER CARS SUCH AS
O my 993 always feel like an
occasion. Sliding yourself
down into the leather bucket seat,
turning the key and hearing that flat-
six come alive. Finding first gear and
pulling away with every mechanical
movement feeling precise – it just
gives you something to smile about.
If you haven’t been in an older 911
before, one of the things you notice
initially is just how much visibility you
get thanks to the ultra-thin A-pillars.
Another is how small the car feels on
the road compared with a modern
911, meaning you can have fun
placing it between the white lines
even on smaller B-roads.
I try to use the 993 as much
as possible and in doing so have
uncovered a couple of problems. The
air con is one. It works – just – but in
the recent 30deg C heat it was more
like one of those electric hand fans
you see old ladies using. Another
is that, because the brake pedal
144 www.evo.co.uk
doesn’t need much force for the
calipers to bite extremely hard, and
because the accelerator pedal is set
just a little too far back, it’s not the
easiest car in which to heel-and-toe
shift. Otherwise, though, it has been
the perfect weekend weapon.
This month has been particularly
exciting as the car was treated to a
full detail by Richard Tipper – a long-
time friend of this magazine and the
man behind Perfection Detailing. First
Richard cleaned the body, wheels,
arches and engine with Kenotek
products, then stubborn debris (road
tar, metal particles, etc) that had
bonded to the paint was removed
with 3M clay. This left a smooth
surface for machine polishing.
The 993 went through a two-
stage machine polish, first with
an Autoglym cutting paste, then a
3M finishing paste. The whole car
was then wiped down to remove
any grease or oils left behind by the
machine-polishing processes.
Once all this ‘preparatory’ work had
been completed and the paint was in
perfect shape, the 993 went through
its final stage of detailing, with a
carnauba-based hard wax applied to
help protect all of Tipper’s hard work
– 12 hours of hard graft, to be precise.
In all honesty, I never imaged the
993 would look this good – I assumed
it would look the same as before
(albeit cleaner!) minus the swirls.
‘The funny thing is How wrong could I have been?
The biggest surprise was the
that even I had never character brought out in the
paintwork. Porsche’s Midnight Blue
seen the car’s true is an interesting shade because
most people assume it’s black from
colour until now’ a passing glance, but it’s actually a
very deep blue. The funny thing is that
even I had never seen its true colour
until now. The misting from the swirls
Date acquired April 2016 accumulated over the years had
Total mileage 79,347 dulled the paint to the extent that its
Mileage this month 101 depth was hidden. Now it’s visible for
Costs this month £650 detailing all to see. Bravo, Richard. L
mpg this month 29.8 Aston Parrott (@AstonParrott)
Mazda MX-5 RF
evo’s new road test editor steps into our targa MX-5 for the first time
I
I AM NOT REALLY THE
lucky type. If I call heads
on a coin flip then you can
guarantee it’ll be tails, and when
my toast hits the deck it’s always
butter-side down. So it was a bit of
a surprise when my week or so in
our Mazda MX-5 coincided with a
heatwave, because usually my time
in a convertible corresponds with
less clement conditions.
As you’d expect, the roadster
spent most of its time in alfresco
mode, which really allowed it to play
to its strengths. For starters, the
2-litre engine’s raspy exhaust note
came to the fore and helped drown
out some of this unit’s harshness
at the top end (the smaller 1.5-litre
spins far more sweetly), while the
RF’s targa style allows you to enjoy
the sun’s rays in relative calm, with
little of the buffeting that can affect
the fabric-roofed version.
Yet, as always with the Mazda,
it was the chassis that sparkled
brightest in the sunshine. Yes,
there’s more body movement than
we’d like, but this only encourages ‘If you’re heavy-
you to improve your driving. Be
heavy-handed with the MX-5 and it’ll handed, the MX-5
lurch around and exaggerate your
ham-fisted approach. Be smoother will exaggerate
with the steering, throttle and brakes
and it flows down the road, scything your ham-fisted
from apex to apex with the smallest
of inputs. Better still, it’s always approach’
relaying what’s going on beneath
you – through the seat of your pants
and, to a lesser extent, through the
thin-rimmed steering wheel. to a John Humphrys grilling.
The Mazda is equally amenable There are bigger niggles, though.
when you’re not in the mood for fun. The main one for me is the lack of
There’s plenty of motorway on my headroom with the roof up. At 5ft
100-mile round-trip to the office and 10in I’m not particularly tall, but even
back, but the MX-5 copes well. Of so, the top of my head is constantly
course, there’s plenty of road noise in contact with headlining, which is
and a fair amount of wind roar with something that doesn’t happen in
the roof stowed, but the powerful the fabric-topped Mk4 MX-5. The fix
Bose stereo is easily a match for the Date acquired February 2017 is simple, however: just lower the roof
elements – although you have to Total mileage 7843 for acres of space. I’m just keeping
remember to turn it down at traffic Mileage this month 1064 my fingers crossed that my luck with
lights, unless you want everyone Costs this month £0 the weather continues. L
within a mile radius to be treated mpg this month 42.0 James Disdale
Skoda Octavia Estate vRS 230
END OF TERM
Simply giving an estate
more power does not a
performance car make,
but Skoda has proved it
knows the right recipe
Top: bolstered seats were
excellent for the most
part. Above: vRS was also
highly configurable for
such a practical-minded
car. Below: keeping
esteemed company
during an evo twin-test
146 www.evo.co.uk
DURING ITS SIX MONTHS
D on evo’s Fast Fleet, our
hot Skoda estate played
a pivotal role in the making of more
than 20 features, including our first
drive of the new Porsche 911 GT3 and
our recent McLaren 650S and 12C
twin-test. It also went on an epic
road trip, visiting some of Germany’s
leading tuning companies, including
Ruf, and ultimately racked up more
than 18,500 miles.
It earned its keep, then. And
as staff photographer, I’ve got a
different set of criteria for what
makes a great car than others on
the evo team – a more realistic one,
perhaps. So, now that it’s gone, how
good do I think the Octavia was?
Simple answer: good enough for me
to consider buying one. But before
I explain why, let’s recap on what
exactly our car was.
At £27,800 basic, the Octavia
Estate vRS 230 commands a £1690
premium over the standard Estate
vRS. For this you get an extra 10bhp
from its turbocharged in-line four-
cylinder, lifting the total to 227bhp,
plus a limited-slip differential and a
sports exhaust. Options we added
included a panoramic sunroof
(£1150), Canton sound system
(£500), rear-view parking camera
(£300), a special paintjob (£360) and
Dynamic Chassis Control (£850).
All-in, our car came to £32,120.
That’s rather a lot for a Skoda,
but this was the perfect machine
for a car photographer. The boot
was big enough to shift tons of
equipment and it’s still the only
estate I’ve driven that can swallow
a medium-sized stepladder without
fuss. The back seats also folded
flat, which allowed me to lie on the
floor to shoot car-to-car tracking
shots with the tailgate up. While
hanging out of the boot – harnessed
securely in place, I might add! – I also
discovered that the exhaust sound is
impressively tasty, producing a mid-
to low-range grumble that builds to
a more rasping note as you approach
the 6500rpm red line.
The interior, meanwhile, always
felt more functional than exciting
in its design (what else would you
expect?), but the full-leather front
seats really stood out. They could
have done with a little more shoulder
support and at times I found myself
sliding around in sharper corners
(225-section front rubber and
that diff yielded plenty of grip and
traction), but they generally did a
superb job of holding me in place
and were adjustable to almost any
driving position.
The DCC option, meanwhile, was
money well spent, as its Comfort
mode successfully mitigated the
crashy effects of the 19-inch wheels.
Indeed, the vRS’s suspension
setup was impressive in general,
smoothing out all but the most
potted roads and keeping the front
wheels on my chosen line. This was
handy, as the turbo engine pulled
enthusiastically through all six ratios
of the manual gearbox. Even fully
loaded, the car cruised up to 120mph ‘In the past I might
with ease on the autobahns.
In the past I might have dismissed have dismissed the
the Skoda as a bland car. I now feel
that would be wholly unfair. Yes, my Skoda as a bland car.
I now feel that would
perfect thrill-of-driving car would
be a hardcore machine with the
back seats replaced by a cage, and
obviously the Skoda is somewhat be wholly unfair’
 And it was cheap to run. A first
service, which would cost around
£150-170, was required just after our
our car went back to Skoda, so the
only money we actually spent on it
was for superunleaded.
When it comes to blending
performance with a huge dose of
practicality, it seems that Skoda
really knows its stuff. And it’s for
this very reason that this vRS will be
different to this. But what it offered truly missed. L
was excellent road manners and the Aston Parrott (@AstonParrott)
ability to tackle any situation with
confidence. In miserable weather Date acquired November 2016
the chassis didn’t feel overpowered Duration of test 6 months
by the engine (unlike, say, our Focus Total test mileage 18,528
ST Estate); what’s more, the minute Overall mpg 31.8
the road opened up, the vRS allowed Costs £0
you to find a rhythm and provided Purchase price £32,120
decent steering feedback. Value today £23,000–24,500

www.evo.co.uk 147
DS 3
Performance
It’s all well and good having the
hardware, but this capable car
is missing something key to all
great hot hatches
A
AS IS THE CASE WITH
many a fast car, it took
a focused, hard drive
to reveal the bigger picture – and
the limitations – with our DS 3
Performance hot hatch.
Let me preface this Fast Fleet
update by stating that this car is
easy and difficult to like in almost
equal measure. I’ve mentioned the
Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres
in my last two reports because
they are something of a marvel
when worked in tandem with the
limited-slip diff. Warm days and the
twisty B-roads surrounding evo’s
Bedfordshire office have provided
the perfect opportunity to explore
the benefits of such hardware.
The articulate manner in which
this car turns into corners then
hammers out as the diff locks, and
the blown 1.6-litre engine delivers
a progressively larger portion of its
205bhp peak power output to the
front axle, is massively addictive.
The grip and balance it can exhibit
regularly exceed expectations.
148 www.evo.co.uk
‘The DS 3 has very
little in the way of
steering feel, and
the relationship of
the wheel to the
seat and pedals all
feels rather odd’
Trouble is, these moments are
tarnished by a lack of confidence
imparted by the driving environment.
The DS 3 has very little in the way
of steering feel, and an awkward
seating position. Although there is a
range of adjustment, the angle of the
wheel, and its relationship to the seat
and pedals, all feels rather odd. As a
result, you never really gel with the
car because you’re constantly trying
to cope with poor ergonomics.
A chat with Matthew Hayward,
editor of classicandperformancecar.
com and a French car fanatic,
yielded an interesting theory for why
the car feels a bit confused. It all
comes back to the intention of the
manufacturer. In most cases, a car
company develops a new product
with the intention of introducing a
sporty derivative later in its lifecycle.
Unfortunately, something about the
DS 3 evokes a sense of last-minute
madness rather than a considered
evolution of a base model, and this
doesn’t bode well for a car going
up against the Fiesta ST or even
the DS’s PSA sibling, the superb
Peugeot 208 GTi.
Is this the worst thing in the
world? Have there not been brilliant
hot hatches born of humble
origin? Of course there have, but
in this case the quality of the
individual components is let down Date acquired May 2017
by a package that imparts no real Total mileage 3356
confidence on the driver. Perhaps Mileage this month 832
familiarity will improve matters. L Costs this month £0
Louis Shaw (@L_Shaw_) mpg this month 37.4
 NEXT
MONTH
O N S A L E W E D N E S D AY 6 S E P T E M B E R

JUDGEMENT
DAY New RS5 and BMW’s updated M4 take on
AMG’s C63 S in evo’s tough new Supertest

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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

TheKnowledge
RATINGS
= new entry this month. Cars in italics are no longer on sale. Issue no. is for our most recent major test
3 = Thrill-free zone of the car (D = Driven, F = feature). Call 0330 333 9491 for back issues. Engine is the car’s combustion
engine only – electric motors aren’t shown. Weight is as quoted by the manufacturer for the car in basic
33 = Tepid spec, e.g. with a manual gearbox. In most cases this is to DIN standards (i.e. with fluids but without a
333 = Interesting driver), but where the manufacturer only quotes a ‘dry’ weight (i.e. without fluids) this is indicated by *.
Note that a dry weight will make the car’s power-to-weight ratio (bhp/ton) appear more favourable.
3333 = Seriously good 0-62mph (claimed) is the manufacturer’s 0-62 figure, with a manual gearbox where offered. Our
33333 = A truly great car 0-60mph and 0-100mph (tested) figures could be with either a manual or automatic/DCT gearbox.

SUPERMINIS / HOT HATCHES

OUR CHOICE BEST OF THE REST
Volkswagen Golf R. The Mk7.5 Golf R continues the Mk7’s trick of being the answer to just If the Golf R is too mature to appeal, try the Ford Focus RS, or if front-drive is your thing,
about every automotive question, combining four-wheel-drive security with impressive pace consider a SEAT Leon Cupra 300. The VW Golf GTI, with 227bhp in basic form or 242bhp in
and a truly engaging driving experience. It’s both classy and classless, and there’s even a handy ‘Performance’ spec, punches above its weight, too. Amongst the smaller hatches, the Ford
Fiesta ST Mountune (pictured) just edges the Peugeot 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport.
estate version.
LB FT/ RPM
ISSUE NO.

0-100MPH
BHP/ RPM

MAX MPH
0-60MPH
0-62MPH
BHP/ TON
CYL /CC

WEIGHT
ENGINE

(CLAIMED)
PRICE

(TESTED)

(TESTED)

MAKE & MODEL RATING

Abarth 595 Competizione 196 D £19,890 4/1368 178/5500 184/3000 1035kg 175 6.8 - - 140 + Spirited engine, still looks great - Favours fun over finesse 33322
Abarth 695 Biposto 205 F £33,055 4/1369 187/5500 184/3000 997kg 191 5.9 - - 143 + Engineered like a true Abarth product - Desirable extras make this a £50k city car 33332
Alfa Romeo Mito Cloverleaf 149 F ’09-’16 4/1368 168/5500 184/2500 1145kg 149 7.5 - - 136 + Great MultiAir engine, impressive ride - Not as feisty as we hoped 33342
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce/QV 199 D £29,635 4/1742 237/5750 251/2000 1320kg 182 6.0 - - 152 + Still looks good, and now it’s got the 4C’s engine - Pricey, and it has more rewarding rivals 33322
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Cloverleaf 144 D ’10-’14 4/1742 232/5500 251/1900 1320kg 179 6.8 - - 150 + Shows signs of deep talent… - …but should be more exciting 33322
Alfa Romeo 147 GTA 187 F ’03-’06 6/3179 247/6200 221/4800 1360kg 185 6.3 6.0 15.5 153 + Mk1 Focus RS pace without the histrionics - Slightly nose-heavy 33332
Audi S1 211 F £25,940 4/1984 228/6000 273/1600 1315kg 176 5.8 - - 155 + Compliant and engaging chassis; quick, too - Looks dull without options 33334
Audi A1 quattro 181 F ’13 4/1984 253/6000 258/2500 1420kg 181 5.7 - - 152 + Polished 253bhp all-wheel-drive A1 - Just 19 for UK, Porsche Cayman price 33334
Audi S3 188 F ’13-’16 4/1984 296/5500 280/1800 1395kg 216 5.2 5.4 12.5 155 + Lots of grip and one of the best-sounding four-pot turbos - Still a little too clinical 33332
Audi RS3 Sportback 221 F ’15-’16 5/2480 362/5500 343/1625 1520kg 242 4.3 3.6 - 155 + Addictive five-cylinder noise; monster pace - Chassis not exactly playful 33332
Audi S3 106 F ’06-’12 4/1984 261/6000 258/2500 1455kg 183 5.7 5.6 13.6 155 + Very fast, very effective, very… er, quality - A little too clinical 33332
Audi RS3 Sportback 156 F ’10-’12 5/2480 335/5400 332/1600 1575kg 216 4.6 - - 155 + Very fast, very, effective, very… er, quality, with added five-pot character - A little too clinical 33332
BMW 125i M Sport 176 D £28,940 4/1997 221/5200 229/1400 1400kg 160 6.1 - - 155 + Performance, price, running costs - Dull four-pot soundtrack 33332
BMW M140i - £32,205 6/2979 335/5500 369/1520 1445kg 236 4.8 - - 155 + Pace; compact size suits UK roads well - Lacks the precision of the best performance cars 33334
BMW M135i 212 F ’12-’15 6/2979 321/5800 332/1300 1430kg 228 5.1 5.2 - 155 + Powertrain, noise, chassis - M235i looks nicer, and has an LSD option 33334
BMW 130i M Sport 106 F ’05-’10 6/2996 261/6650 232/2750 1450kg 183 6.0 6.1 15.3 155 + Fantastic engine - Suspension can still get a little boingy 33332
Citroën DS3 1.6 THP 142 F ’10-’15 4/1598 154/6000 177/1400 1240kg 126 7.3 - - 133 + A proper French hot hatch - Petrolheads might find it too ‘designed’ 33342
Citroën DS3 Racing 153 D ’11-’12 4/1598 204/6000 203/2000 1240kg 167 6.5 - - 146 + A faster, feistier DS3 - Not as hardcore as its ‘Racing’ tag suggests 33342
Citroën Saxo VTS 020 F ’97-’03 4/1587 120/6600 107/5200 935kg 130 8.7 7.6 22.6 127 + Chunky, chuckable charger - Can catch out the unwary 33334
Citroën AX GT 195 F ’87-’92 4/1360 85/6400 86/4000 722kg 120 9.2 - - 110 + Makes terrific use of 85bhp - Feels like it’s made from paper 33334
DS 3 Performance 222 D £21,415 4/1598 205/6000 221/3000 1175kg 177 6.5 - - 143 + All the right ingredients - Undercooked 33342
Fiat Panda 100HP 132 F ’06-’11 4/1368 99/6000 97/4250 975kg 103 9.5 - - 115 + About as fun as small cars get - Optional ESP can’t be turned off 33334
Ford Fiesta ST 207 F £18,145 4/1596 197/5700 214/2500 1088kg 184 6.9 7.4 18.4 137 + Chassis, price, punchy performance - Have you heard of Mountune? 33334
Ford Fiesta ST Mountune 213 F £18,944 4/1596 212/6000 236/2750 1088kg 198 6.4 - - 140 + One of the best mid-sized hatches made even better - Badge snobbery 33333
Ford Fiesta ST200 225 F ’16 4/1596 212/6000 236/2500 1088kg 198 6.7 - - 143 + Massive fun - They only made 400 33333
Ford Fiesta Zetec S 123 D ’08-’13 4/1596 118/6000 112/4050 1045kg 115 9.9 - - 120 + Genuinely entertaining supermini - Renault Sport Twingo and Suzuki Swift are even more fun 33332
Ford Fiesta Zetec S Mountune 132 F ’08-’13 4/1596 138/6750 125/4250 1080kg 130 7.9 - - 120 + A touch more go, and a fantastically loud exhaust… - …if you’re 12 years old 33332
Ford Fiesta ST 075 D ’05-’08 4/1999 148/6000 140/4500 1137kg 132 7.9 - - 129 + Great looks, decent brakes - Disappointing chassis, gutless engine 33322
Ford Fiesta ST185 Mountune 115 F ’08 4/1999 185/6700 147/3500 1137kg 165 6.9 - - 129 + Fiesta ST gets the power it always needed - OTT exhaust note 33332
Ford Focus ST TDCi Estate (Mk3) 219 D £26,195 4/1997 182/3500 295/2000 1488kg 124 8.3 - - 135 + Performance not sacrificed at the alter of economy - Gets ragged when really pushed 33332
Ford Focus ST (Mk3) 207 F £25,095 4/1999 247/5500 265/2000 1362kg 184 6.5 - - 154 + Excellent engine - Scrappy when pushed 33332
Ford Focus ST Mountune (Mk3) 187 D £25,595 4/1999 271/5500 295/2750 1362kg 202 5.7 - - 154+ + Great value upgrade - Steering still not as feelsome as that of some rivals 33334
Ford Focus ST (Mk2) 119 F ’05-’10 5/2522 222/6000 236/1600 1392kg 162 6.8 6.7 16.8 150 + Value, performance, integrity - Big engine compromises handling 33332
Ford Focus RS (Mk3) 229 F £31,765 4/2261 345/6000 347/2000 1524kg 230 4.7 4.7 12.4 165 + Torque-vectoring 4WD brings new sensations to hot hatch sector - Needs to be driven hard 33333
Ford Focus RS (Mk2) 195 F ’09-’11 5/2522 300/6500 324/2300 1467kg 208 5.9 5.9 14.2 163 + Huge performance, highly capable FWD chassis - Body control is occasionally clumsy 33333
Ford Focus RS500 (Mk2) 181 F ’10-’11 5/2522 345/6000 339/2500 1467kg 239 5.6 5.6 12.7 165 + More power and presence than regular Mk2 RS - Pricey 33333
Ford Focus RS (Mk1) 207 F ’02-’03 4/1998 212/5500 229/3500 1278kg 169 6.7 5.9 14.9 143 + Some are great - Some are awful (so make sure you drive plenty) 33332
Ford Escort RS Cosworth 157 F ’92-’96 4/1993 224/6250 224/3500 1275kg 179 6.2 - - 137 + The ultimate Essex hot hatch - Unmodified ones are rare , and pricey 33332
Ford Racing Puma 128 F ’00-’01 4/1679 153/7000 119/4500 1174kg 132 7.9 7.8 23.2 137 + Exclusivity - The standard Puma does it so well 33332
Honda Civic Type R (FK8) 238 F £30,995 4/1996 316/6500 295/2500 1380kg 233 5.7 - - 169 + Wildly exciting, with improved refinement - Looks still challenging for some 33334
Honda Civic Type R (FK2) 227 F ’15-’17 4/1996 306/6500 295/2500 1378kg 226 5.7 5.4 12.4 167 + Great on smooth roads - Turbo engine not as special as old nat-asp units; styling a bit ‘busy’ 33334
Honda Civic Type R (FN2) 102 F ’07-’11 4/1998 198/7800 142/5600 1267kg 158 6.6 6.8 17.5 146 + Looks great, VTEC more accessible - Steering lacks feel, inert balance 33342
Honda Civic Type R Championship White 126 D ’09-’10 4/1998 198/7800 142/5600 1267kg 158 6.6 - - 146 + Limited-slip diff a welcome addition to the FN2 Type R - It should’ve been on the standard car 33332
Honda Civic Type R Mugen (FN2) 195 F ’09-’11 4/1998 237/8300 157/6250 1233kg 195 5.9 - - 155 + Fantastic on road and track - Only 20 were made, and they’re a tad pricey… 33333
Honda Civic Type R (EP3) 075 F ’01-’05 4/1998 197/7400 145/5900 1204kg 166 6.8 6.8 16.9 146 + Potent and great value - ‘Breadvan’ looks divide opinion; duff steering 33332
Honda Civic Type R (EK9) 210 F ’97-’00 4/1595 182/8200 118/7500 1040kg 178 6.8 - - 135 + Sublime early incarnation of the Type R recipe - Good ones are thin on the ground 33333
Kia Proceed GT 217 D £23,310 4/1591 201/6000 195/1500 1359kg 143 7.3 - - 150 + Fun and appealing package - Soft-edged compared to rivals 33332
Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione 194 F ’91-’92 4/1995 207/5750 220/3500 1300kg 162 6.0 - - 134 + One of the finest cars ever built - Demands love, LHD only 33333
Mazda 3 MPS 137 F ’06-’13 4/2261 256/5500 280/3000 1385kg 188 6.1 6.3 14.5 155 + Quick, eager and very good value - The steering’s iffy 33342
Mercedes-AMG A45 221 F £40,695 4/1991 376/6000 350/2250 1480kg 258 4.2 3.9 - 155 + Tremendously fast - But not a true great 33332
Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG 194 F ’12-’15 4/1991 355/6000 332/2250 1480kg 244 4.6 4.3 10.6 155 + Blisteringly quick everywhere - Not as rewarding as some slower rivals 33332
MG Metro 6R4 Clubman 181 F ’84-’87 6/2991 250/7000 225/6500 1000kg 254 4.5 - - 140 + The most extreme hot hatch ever - Engine noise, heat soak, five mpg 33333
Mini Cooper (F56) 194 D £15,775 3/1499 134/4500 162/1250 1085kg 125 7.9 - - 130 + Punchy three-cylinder engine, good chassis - Tubby styling 33332

152 www.evo.co.uk
 TheKnowledge

LB FT/ RPM
ISSUE NO.

0-100MPH
BHP/ RPM

MAX MPH
0-60MPH
0-62MPH
BHP/ TON
CYL /CC

WEIGHT
ENGINE

(CLAIMED)
PRICE

(TESTED)

(TESTED)
MAKE & MODEL RATING
Mini Cooper S (F56) 196 D £19,130 4/1998 189/4700 206/1250 1160kg 166 6.8 - - 146 + Still has that Mini DNA - Expensive with options 33332
Mini John Cooper Works (F56) 211 F £23,305 4/1998 228/5200 236/1250 1200kg 193 6.3 - - 153 + Fast, agile, nimble - Chassis lacks sparkle found in previous JCWs 33332
Mini John Cooper Works Challenge (F56) 237 F £32,000 4/1998 228/5200 236/1250 1215kg 191 6.3 - - 152 + A more hardcore JCW, honed with help from evo! - Just 100 being built 33333
Mini Cooper (R56) 185 F ’09-’14 4/1598 120/6000 118/4250 1075kg 113 9.1 - - 126 + Brilliant ride and composure; could be all the Mini you need - You’ll still buy the ‘S’ 33334
Mini Cooper S (R56) 149 F ’06-’14 4/1598 181/5500 177/1600 1140kg 161 7.0 7.0 - 142 + Like the Cooper, but with added shove - Google ‘Mini death rattle’ 33334
Mini John Cooper Works (R56) 184 F ’08-’14 4/1598 208/6000 206/2000 1160kg 182 6.9 7.2 16.7 148 + A seriously rapid Mini - Occasionally just a little unruly 33334
Mini John Cooper Works GP (R56) 231 F ’13-’14 4/1598 215/6000 206/2000 1160kg 188 6.3 - - 150 + Brazenly hyperactive - Too much for some roads and some tastes 33333
Mini John Cooper Works Coupe (R58) 164 F ’11-’15 4/1598 208/6000 206/2000 1175kg 180 6.3 - - 149 + The usual raucous Mini JCW experience - But wearing a backwards baseball cap 33332
Mini Cooper S (R53) 077 F ’02-’06 4/1598 168/6000 155/4000 1140kg 143 7.2 7.8 19.9 135 + Strong performance, quality feel - Over-long gearing 33334
Mini Cooper S Works GP (R53) 144 F ’06 4/1598 215/7100 184/4600 1090kg 200 6.5 - - 149 + Storming engine, agility - Tacky styling ‘enhancements’ 33333
Nissan Juke Nismo RS 208 D £22,905 4/1618 215/6000 206/3600 1315kg 166 7.0 - - 137 + Quirky character and bold styling - Still not a match for a pukka hot hatch 33342
Nissan Juke Nismo 184 F £20,495 4/1618 197/6000 184/2400 1306kg 153 7.7 - - 134 + More than the sum of its parts - Not enough to add up to a pukka hot hatch 33342
Peugeot 106 Rallye (Series 2) - ’97-’98 4/1587 103/6200 97/3500 865kg 121 8.8 - - 121 + Bargain no-frills thrills - Not as much fizz as original 1.3 33332
Peugeot 106 Rallye (Series 1) 095 F ’94-’96 4/1294 100/7200 80/5400 826kg 123 10.6 - - 118 + Frantic, thrashy fun - Needs caning to extract full potential 33333
Peugeot 106 GTI 16v 034 F ’97-’04 4/1587 120/6600 107/5200 950kg 128 7.4 - - 127 + Fine handling supermini - Looks its age 33334
Peugeot 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport 225 F £22,900 4/1598 205/5800 221/1750 1185kg 176 6.5 - - 143 + The most focused small hatch on sale - Fiesta ST Mountune is thousands cheaper 33333
Peugeot 208 GTi 184 F ’12-’16 4/1598 197/5800 203/1700 1160kg 173 6.8 6.8 17.9 143 + Agile chassis works well on tough roads - Could be more involving 33332
Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9 195 F ’88-’91 4/1905 130/6000 119/4750 910kg 145 7.6 - - 124 + Still scintillating after all these years - Brittle build quality 33333
Peugeot 308 GTi (270) by Peugeot Sport 238 D £28,950 4/1598 266/6000 243/1900 1205kg 224 6.0 - - 155 + Strong performance, agile handling, everyday refinement - Tiny steering wheel won’t be to all tastes 33334
Peugeot 308 GTi 250 by Peugeot Sport 223 F ’15-’16 4/1598 246/6000 243/1900 1205kg 207 6.2 - - 155 + A very capable hot hatch… - …that lacks the sheer excitement of the best in class 33332
Peugeot 306 GTI 6 020 F ’93-’01 4/1998 167/6500 142/5500 1215kg 139 7.9 7.2 20.1 140 + One of the great GTIs - They don’t make them like this any more 33333
Peugeot 306 Rallye 095 F ’98-’99 4/1998 167/6500 142/5500 1199kg 142 7.8 6.9 19.2 137 + Essentially a GTI 6 for less dosh - Limited choice of colours 33333
Renault Twingo GT 231 D £13,755 3/898 109/5750 125/2000 1001kg 111 9.6 - - 113 + Nippy performance - Less fun than a rear-engined Renault Sport-fettled car should be 33322
Renault Sport Twingo 133 175 F ’08-’13 4/1598 131/6750 118/4400 1050kg 127 8.7 - - 125 + Renault Sport experience for pocket money - Optional Cup chassis gives bouncy ride 33334
Renault Sport Clio 200 Auto 184 F £19,725 4/1618 197/6000 177/1750 1204kg 166 6.7 6.9 17.9 143 + Faster, more refined, easier to drive - We miss the revvy naturally aspirated engine and manual ’box 33342
Renault Sport Clio 220 Trophy 229 D £22,425 4/1618 217/6050 206/2000 1204kg 183 6.6 - - 146 + Willing chassis - Awful paddleshift gearbox 33342
Renault Sport Clio 200 Cup 195 F ’09-’13 4/1998 197/7100 159/5400 1204kg 166 6.9 6.6 16.7 141 + The hot Clio at its best - They don’t make it anymore 33333
Renault Sport Clio 197 Cup 115 F ’07-’09 4/1998 194/7250 158/5550 1240kg 161 6.9 - - 134 + Quick, polished and capable - Not as much sheer fun as 182 Cup 33332
Renault Sport Clio 182 066 F ’04-’05 4/1998 180/6500 148/5250 1110kg 165 7.1 6.6 17.5 139 + Took hot hatches to a new level - Flawed driving position 33333
Renault Sport Clio 182 Cup 187 F ’04-’05 4/1998 180/6500 148/5250 1090kg 168 6.9 - - 139 + Full of beans, fantastic value - Sunday-market upholstery 33333
Renault Sport Clio Trophy 231 F ’05-’06 4/1998 180/6500 148/5250 1090kg 168 6.9 6.6 17.3 140 + The most fun you can have on three (sometimes two) wheels - Just 500 were built 33333
Renault Sport Clio 172 (Phase 2) 034 F ’01-’03 4/1998 170/6250 147/5400 1110kg 156 7.2 7.1 20.0 138 + Poised, predictable, fast - Lacks aggressive edge 33334
Renault Sport Clio 172 Cup 048 F ’02-’03 4/1998 170/6250 147/5400 1011kg 171 6.9 6.5 17.7 138 + Bargain old-school hot hatch - Nervous in the wet, no ABS 33332
Renault Sport Clio 172 (Phase 1) 146 F ’00-’01 4/1998 170/6250 147/5400 1035kg 167 7.2 6.6 18.2 138 + Brilliantly accomplished - Imperfect driving position 33334
Renault Clio Williams 233 F ’93-’96 4/1988 148/6100 126/4500 981kg 153 7.8 7.6 20.8 134 + One of the best hot hatches ever - Can be fragile 33333
Renault 5 GT Turbo 195 F ’87-’91 4/1397 118/5750 122/3000 855kg 140 7.3 - - 120 + Clio Williams’ grand-daddy - Few unmodified ones left 33333
Renault Sport Clio V6 255 231 F ’03-’05 6/2946 251/7150 221/4650 1400kg 182 6.0 - - 144 + Supercar drama without the original’s edgy handling - Uninspired interior 33333
Renault Sport Clio V6 029 F ’99-’02 6/2946 227/6000 221/3750 1410kg 164 6.6 5.8 17.0 145 + Pocket supercar - Mid-engined handling can be tricky 33332
Renault Sport Mégane 275 Cup-S 223 D ’16 4/1998 271/5500 265/3000 1394kg 198 5.8 - - 158 + Cup chassis, LSD, the same engine as the Trophy-R - Could be too hardcore for some 33333
Renault Sport Mégane Nav 275 - ’16 4/1998 271/5500 265/3000 1394kg 198 5.8 - - 158 + A more luxurious 275 - Cup chassis is an option 33334
Renault Sport Mégane 265 Cup 195 F ’12-’15 4/1998 261/5500 265/3000 1387kg 191 6.0 6.4 14.8 158 + A hot hatch benchmark - Cupholder could be better positioned 33333
Renault Sport Mégane 275 Trophy 212 F ’14-’15 4/1998 271/5500 265/3000 1376kg 200 5.8 - - 159 + Another cracking Trophy model - Stripped-out Trophy-R is even more thrilling 33333
Renault Sport Mégane 275 Trophy-R 231 F ’14-’15 4/1998 271/5500 265/3000 1297kg 212 5.8 - - 158 + As absorbing as a 911 GT3 RS on the right road - Too uncompromising for some; pricey 33333
Renault Sport Mégane 250 Cup 139 F ’09-’12 4/1998 247/5500 251/3000 1387kg 181 6.1 6.1 14.6 156 + Fantastic chassis… - …partially obscured by new-found maturity 33334
Renault Sport Mégane dCi 175 Cup 119 F ’07-’09 4/1995 173/3750 265/2000 1470kg 119 8.3 8.3 23.5 137 + A diesel with a genuinely sporty chassis - Could take more power 33332
Renault Sport Mégane 230 F1 Team R26 195 F ’07-’09 4/1998 227/5500 229/3000 1345kg 171 6.5 6.2 16.0 147 + The car the R26.R is based on - F1 Team stickers in dubious taste 33333
Renault Sport Mégane R26.R 231 F ’08-’09 4/1998 227/5500 229/3000 1220kg 189 6.0 5.8 15.1 147 + One of the true hot hatch heroes - Two seats, plastic rear windows 33333
SEAT Mii - £9655 3/999 59/5000 70/3000 854kg 70 14.4 - - 99 + Like VW’s Up but more expensive -Still predictably slow 33322
SEAT Ibiza Cupra 225 F £18,465 4/1798 189/4300 236/1450 1185kg 162 6.7 - - 146 + Quick, competent, refined, and manual only - Not exciting enough 33342
SEAT Ibiza Cupra 183 D ’10-’15 4/1390 178/6200 184/2000 1259kg 144 6.9 - - 142 + Punchy engine, unflappable DSG - Lacks engagement, DSG only 33322
SEAT Leon Cupra 300 234 D £30,140 4/1984 296/5500 280/1800 1320kg 228 - - - 155 + Already potent Cupra gets yet another 10bhp - The Mk7.5 Golf R 33334
SEAT Leon Cupra 290 227 F ’16-’17 4/1984 286/5900 258/1700 1300kg 224 5.9 6.4 13.4 155 + Serious pace and agility for Golf GTI money, now with an extra 10bhp - The Mk7 Golf R 33334
SEAT Leon Cupra 280 220 F ’14-’15 4/1984 276/5600 258/1750 1300kg 216 5.8 - - 155 + Serious pace and agility for Golf GTI money - The Mk7 Golf R 33334
SEAT Leon Cupra 105 F ’07-’11 4/1984 237/5700 221/2200 1375kg 175 6.4 - - 153 + Great engine, composure - Doesn’t have the adjustability of the old Cupra R 33332
SEAT Leon Cupra R 139 F ’10-’12 4/1984 261/6000 258/2500 1375kg 193 6.2 6.1 14.0 155 + Bold car, blinding engine - Lacks the character of its rival megahatches 33342
SEAT Leon Cupra R 225 067 F ’03-’06 4/1781 222/5900 206/2200 1376kg 164 6.9 - - 150 + Cross-country pace, practicality, value - Not as thrilling as some 33332
Skoda Citigo - £8275 3/999 59/5000 70/3000 854kg 70 14.4 - - 101 + Like VW’s Up, but 2mph faster flat out - 101mph isn’t something to boast about 33322
Skoda Fabia vRS (Mk2) 146 D ’10-’14 4/1390 178/6200 184/2000 1218kg 148 7.3 - - 139 + Clever twincharged engine and DSG ’box - Do you homework on the reliability of the engine 33342
Skoda Fabia vRS (Mk1) 077 F ’03-’07 4/1896 130/4000 229/1900 1315kg 100 9.6 - - 127 + Fun and frugal hot hatch - A little short on steering feel 33342
Skoda Octavia vRS (Mk3) 187 D £24,885 4/1984 217/4500 258/1500 1345kg 164 6.8 - - 154 + Quick, agile, roomier than a Golf - Ride is harsh for what could be a family car 33332
Skoda Octavia vRS 230 (Mk3) 215 D £25,130 4/1984 227/4700 258/1500 1345kg 171 6.7 - - 155 + Limited-slip diff makes for a sharper steer - It could handle more than the extra 10bhp 33332
Skoda Octavia vRS TDI 4x4 (Mk3) 223 D £28,050 4/1968 181/3500 206/1750 1475kg 125 7.6 - - 142 + Four-wheel drive tightens the vRS chassis - Diesel and DSG only 33332
Skoda Octavia vRS (Mk2) 163 F ’05-’13 4/1998 197/5100 206/1700 1395kg 143 7.3 - - 149 + Drives like a GTI but costs much less - Green brake calipers? 33332
Subaru Impreza WRXS 125 D ’08-’10 4/2457 251/5400 288/3000 1395kg 180 5.5 - - 130 + An improvement over the basic WRX - Still not the WRX we wanted 33342
Subaru Impreza STI 330S 124 F ’08-’10 4/2457 325/5400 347/3400 1505kg 219 4.4 - - 155 + A bit quicker than the regular STI… - …but not better 33332
Suzuki Swift Sport (Mk2) 175 F £13,999 4/1586 134/6900 118/4400 1045kg 130 8.7 - - 121 + Still a great pocket rocket - Not quite as adjustabie as the original 33334
Suzuki Swift Sport (Mk1) 132 F ’05-’11 4/1586 123/6800 109/4800 1030kg 121 8.9 - - 124 + Entertaining handling, well built - Lacking in steering feedback 33334
Vauxhall Corsa VXR 211 F £19,245 4/1598 202/5800 206/1900 1278kg 161 6.8 - - 143 + Begs to be wrung out - You’ll need the £2400 Performance Pack 33332
Vauxhall Corsa VXR 154 F ’07-’14 4/1598 189/5850 192/1980 1166kg 165 7.2 - - 140 + Looks snazzy, punchy engine - Lacks feel, uncouth compared with rivals 33342
Vauxhall Corsa VXR Nürburgring/Clubsport 164 F ’11-’13/’14 4/1598 202/5750 206/2250 1166kg 176 6.8 - - 143 + VXR gets more power and a limited-slip diff - But they come at a price 33332
Vauxhall Astra/GTC VXR (Mk2) 207 F £29,665 4/1998 276/5500 295/2500 1475kg 190 6.0 - - 155 + Better than the Mk1 Astra VXR; loony turbo pace - Lacks the Renault Sport Mégane’s precision 33332
Vauxhall Astra VXR (Mk1) 102 F ’05-’11 4/1998 237/5600 236/2400 1393kg 173 6.4 6.7 16.7 152 + Fast and furious - Lacks a little composure and precision 33332
VW Up 171 F £8995 3/999 59/5000 70/3000 854kg 70 14.4 - - 99 + Accomplished city car is dynamically sound… - …but predictably slow 33322
VW Lupo GTI 034 F ’01-’04 4/1598 123/6500 112/3000 975kg 128 8.2 8.9 30.1 127 + Looks, performance, chassis - Lacks the fizz of the 106 GTI 33332
VW Polo GTI 211 F £19,430 4/1798 189/4200 236/1450 1197kg 160 6.7 - - 146 + Smooth and brawny - Fiesta ST is more engaging 33342
VW Polo GTI 154 F ’10-’14 4/1390 178/6200 184/2000 1184kg 153 7.4 - - 142 + Modern-day Mk1 Golf GTI gets twin-clutch DSG - It’s a little bit bland 33342
VW Golf GTI (Mk7.5) 233 D £27,865 4/1984 227/4700 258/1500 1289kg 179 6.4 - - 155 + Still the most capable all-round hot hatch - Should be more thrilling 33334
VW Golf GTI Performance (Mk7.5) 236 F £29,280 4/1984 242/5000 273/1600 1312kg 187 6.2 - - 155 + A GTI with an extra 15bhp and an LSD - Could still be more thrilling 33334
VW Golf R (Mk7.5) 235 D £32,310 4/1984 306/5500 280/2000 1408kg 221 5.1 - - 155 + Outrageous yet accessible performance - Manual gearshift isn’t the best 33333
VW Golf GTD (Mk7) 200 D ’13-’17 4/1968 181/3500 280/1750 1302kg 141 7.5 - - 143 + Pace, fuel economy, sounds good for a diesel - Lacks the extra edge of the GTI 33332
VW Golf GTI (Mk7) 229 F ’13-’17 4/1984 217/4500 258/1500 1276kg 173 6.5 - - 153 + Brilliantly resolved - Lacks the punch of newer rivals 33334
VW Golf GTE (Mk7) 202 D ’15-’17 4/1395 201 258 1524kg 134 7.6 - - 138 + The most enjoyable plug-in hybrid in its price range - Golf GTI still quicker and more fun 33342
VW Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40 (Mk7) 230 D ’16-’17 4/1984 286/5350 280/1700 1300kg 224 6.3 - - 155 + A faster, sharper, more entertaning GTI - Some rivals are more exciting on track 33334
VW Golf GTI Clubsport S (Mk7) 229 F ’16 4/1984 306/5800 280/1850 1285kg 242 5.8 5.8 12.8 165 + Runner-up at evo Car of the Year 2016 - Only 400 were built 33333
VW Golf R (Mk7) 220 F £31,865 4/1984 296/5500 280/1800 1401kg 215 5.1 5.2 12.4 155 + A VW ‘R’ model you can take seriously - Mégane 275 just edges it as a pure drivers’ car 33333
VW Golf GTI (Mk6) 172 F ’09-’13 4/1984 207/5300 207/1700 1318kg 160 6.9 6.4 16.5 148 + Still a very accomplished hot hatch - 207bhp isn’t a lot any more 33332
VW Golf R (Mk6) 140 D ’10-’13 4/1984 266/6000 258/2500 1446kg 187 5.7 - - 155 + Great engine, tremendous pace and poise - High price, adaptive dampers optional 33334
VW Golf GTI (Mk5) 195 F ’04-’09 4/1984 197/5100 207/1800 1336kg 150 7.3 6.7 17.9 145 + Character and ability; the GTI’s return to form - Lacking firepower? 33333
VW Golf R32 (Mk5) 087 F ’06-’09 6/3189 246/6300 236/2500 1466kg 170 6.5 5.8 15.2 155 + The traction’s great and you’ll love the soundtrack - We’d still have a GTI 33332
VW Golf R32 (Mk4) 053 F ’02-’04 6/3189 237/6250 236/2800 1477kg 163 6.6 6.4 16.3 154 + Charismatic - Boomy engine can be tiresome 33332
VW Golf GTI 16v (Mk2) 195 F ’88-’92 4/1781 139/6100 123/4600 960kg 147 7.9 - - 129 + Still feels everyday useable - Too many have been modified 33333
VW Golf GTI (Mk1 , 1.8) 224 F ’82-’84 4/1781 112/5800 109/3500 860kg 132 8.2 - - 114 + The car that started it all - Tricky to find an unmolested one 33332
Volvo C30 T5 R-Design 122 F ’08-’12 5/2521 227/5000 236/1500 1347kg 165 6.7 6.6 16.9 149 + Good-looking, desirable Volvo - Lacks edge of best hatches; avoid the auto version 33342

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SALOONS / ESTATES / SUVs

OUR CHOICE BEST OF THE REST
Mercedes-AMG E63 S 4Matic+. With 603bhp and 627lb ft of torque, of course it’s The Porsche Panamera Turbo runs the E63 close and feels good for its 7min 38sec Ring
relentlessly rampant. But it’s not all about straight-line speed – there’s finesse here, too, with time. Moving down a size, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (pictured) is, at last, an
pin-sharp steering and a four-wheel drive chassis set up to provide an entertaining degree of Alfa we can love simply because it’s a great car. The Mercedes-AMG C63 S is also highly
desirable, although some may prefer the more focused feel of a BMW M3.
rear-end mobility. The king of supersaloons.

LB FT/ RPM
ISSUE NO.

0-100MPH
BHP/ RPM

MAX MPH
0-60MPH
0-62MPH
BHP/ TON
CYL /CC

WEIGHT
ENGINE

(CLAIMED)
PRICE

(TESTED)

(TESTED)
MAKE & MODEL RATING

Alfa Romeo Giulia 2.0 Turbo Super 234 D £31,180 4/1995 197/5000 243/1750 1429kg 140 6.6 - - 146 + Keen engine, enjoyable handling - Firm low-speed ride 33334
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio 237 F £61,300 6/2891 503/6500 443/2500 1620kg 315 3.9 - - 191 + If Ferrari built a saloon (really) - Lacks the final polish of German rivals 33334
Alfa Romeo Stelvio 234 D c£35,000 4/1995 276/5250 295/1750 1660kg 169 5.7 - - 143 + Agile feel, quick steering, attractive cabin - Engine not truly inspiring 33332
Alpina D3 Biturbo (F30) 192 D £47,950 6/2993 345/4000 516/1500 1585kg 221 4.6 - - 173 + 173mph from a 3-litre diesel! Brilliant chassis, too - Auto only 33334
Alpina B3 Biturbo (F30) 188 D ’13-’16 6/2979 404/5500 442/3000 1630kg 252 4.3 - 190 + Understated appearance, monster performance - E90 M3 is better on the limit 33334
Aston Martin Rapide S 201 D £147,950 12/5935 552/6650 465/5500 1990kg 282 4.4 - - 203 + Oozes star quality; gearbox on 2015MY cars a big improvement - It’s cosy in the back 33332
Aston Martin Rapide 141 F ’10-’13 12/5935 470/6000 443/5000 1990kg 240 5.3 - - 188 + Better than its DB9 sibling - More of a 2+2 than a proper four-seater 33332
Audi S3 Saloon 192 D £35,405 4/1984 306/5500 280/1800 1430kg 210 5.3 - - 155 + On paper a match for the original S4 - In reality much less interesting 33342
Audi RS3 Saloon 235 F £45,250 5/2480 394/5850 354/1700 1515kg 264 4.1 - - 155 + Finally, an RS3 for enthusiasts; saloon has mini RS4 looks, too - Can be unyielding on rough roads 33334
Audi S4 (B9) 225 D £44,600 6/2995 349/5400 369/1370 1630kg 218 4.7 - - 155 + Strong response and delivery from turbo engine - Chassis feels softer than before 33332
Audi S4 (B8) 166 D ’08-’16 6/2995 328/5500 324/2900 1650kg 202 5.0 - - 155 + Great supercharged powertrain, secure chassis - The RS4 33332
Audi RS4 Avant (B8) 216 F ’12-’15 8/4163 444/8250 317/4000 1795kg 251 4.7 4.5 10.5 174 + Looks and sounds the part, thunderously fast - Unnatural steering, dull dynamics 33342
Audi RS4 (B7) 231 D ’05-’08 8/4163 414/7800 317/5500 1650kg 255 4.7 4.5 10.5 155 + 414bhp at 7800rpm! And there’s an estate version too - Busy under braking 33333
Audi RS4 (B5) 192 F ’00-’02 6/2671 375/6100 325/2500 1620kg 236 4.9 4.8 12.1 170 + Effortless pace - Not the last word in agility; bends wheel rims 33332
Audi RS2 214 F ’94-’95 5/2226 315/6500 302/3000 1595kg 201 4.8 4.8 13.1 162 + Storming performance (thanks to Porsche) - Try finding one 33332
Audi S5 Sportback 233 D £44,000 6/2995 349/5400 369/1370 1660kg 214 4.7 - - 155 + More capable than you think; strong V6 engine - Gearbox frustrating in auto mode 33342
Audi S6 091 D ’06-’11 10/5204 429/6800 398/3000 1910kg 228 5.5 - - 155 + Fast, and discreet with it - Very muted V10 33342
Audi RS6 Avant (C7) 203 F £81,355 8/3993 552/5700 516/1750 1935kg 290 3.9 3.6 8.2 155 + Performance, foolproof powertrain, beefy looks - Feels a bit one-dimensional 33332
Audi RS6 Avant Performance (C7) 224 D £88,270 8/3993 597/6100 553/2500 1950kg 311 3.7 - - 155 + The extra power is no hassle for the chassis - But it is a stern test of your self-control 33332
Audi RS6 Avant (C6) 116 F ’08-’10 10/4991 572/6250 479/1500 1985kg 293 4.5 4.3 9.7 155 + Was the world’s most powerful estate - Power isn’t everything 33332
Audi RS6 Avant (C5) 052 F ’02-’04 8/4172 444/5700 413/1950 1865kg 242 4.6 4.8 11.6 155 + The ultimate estate car? - Numb steering 33332
Audi S7 Sportback 171 D £65,950 8/3993 414/5000 406/1400 1945kg 216 4.6 - - 155 + Looks and drives better than the S6 it’s based on - Costs several thousands more 33342
Audi RS7 Sportback 208 F £86,985 8/3993 552/5700 516/1750 1930kg 291 3.9 - - 155 + Stonking performance, great looks - Numb driving experience 33322
Audi S8 Plus 217 D £100,510 8/3993 597/6100 553/2500 1990kg 305 3.8 - - 155 + Fantastic drivetrain, quality and refinement - Dynamic Steering feels artificial 33332
Audi RS Q3 206 D ’13-’16 5/2480 335/5300 332/1600 1655kg 206 4.8 - - 155 + Surprisingly characterful; better than many RSs - High centre of gravity 33334
Audi SQ5 237 D £51,200 6/2995 349/5400 369/1370 1870kg 190 5.4 - - 155 + Fine chassis; deceptive pace - Lacks excitement 33322
Bentley Flying Spur V8 200 D £132,800 8/3993 500/6000 487/1700 2342kg 217 5.2 - - 183 + Effortless performance with real top-end kick - Determinedly unsporting 33342
Bentley Flying Spur V8 S 230 D £142,800 8/3993 521/6000 502/1700 2342kg 226 4.9 - 190 + Old-school approach to comfort and luxury - Old-school tech 33342
Bentley Flying Spur 185 D £154,900 12/5998 616/6000 590/1600 2400kg 261 4.6 - - 199 + For those who still want their Flying Spur with a W12 - Car feels its weight; engine sounds dull 33342
Bentley Bentayga 217 D £162,700 12/5950 600/5000 664/1350 2365kg 258 4.1 - - 187 + Sublime quality, ridiculous pace - Inert driving experience, SUV stigma 33342
Bentley Mulsanne 178 F £229,360 8/6752 505/4200 752/1750 2610kg 197 5.3 - - 184 + Drives like a modern Bentley should - Shame it doesn’t look like one too 33342
Bentley Mulsanne Speed 235 D £252,000 8/6752 530/4000 811/1750 2610kg 206 4.9 - - 190 + Extravagent; effortless performance - Passengers have more fun than you do 33342
BMW 330d M Sport (F30) 180 D £38,590 6/2993 254/4000 413/2000 1540kg 168 5.6 - - 155 + Great engine, fine handling, good value - Steering confuses weight with feel 33334
BMW 340i M Sport Touring (F31) 228 D £42,055 6/2998 321/5500 332/1380 1615kg 202 5.5 - - 155 + Feelsome rear-drive chassis - Easy to drive it beyond its comfort zone 33332
BMW 328i (F30) 165 D ’11-’15 4/1997 242/5000 258/1250 1430kg 172 6.1 - - 155 + New-age four-pot 328i is great all-rounder - We miss the six-cylinder soundtrack 33334
BMW 435i Gran Coupe 203 D ’14-’16 6/2979 302/5800 295/1200 1585kg 194 5.5 - - 155 + Superb straight-six, fine ride/handling balance - 335i saloon weighs and costs less 33334
BMW M3 (F80) 211 F £57,355 6/2979 425/5500 406/1850 1535kg 281 4.3 4.1 8.6 155 + Looks, performance, practicality - Body control on rough roads; engine lacks character 33334
BMW M3 Competition Package (F80) 237 F £59,595 6/2979 444/7000 406/1850 1535kg 299 4.2 - - 155 + The car the F80 M3 should have been from the start - Less refined than standard car at low speeds 33334
BMW M3 (E90) 123 F ’08-’11 8/3999 414/8300 295/3900 1605kg 262 4.9 4.9 10.7 165 + Every bit as good as the E92 M3 coupe - No carbon roof 33333
BMW M3 CRT (E90) 179 F ’11-’12 8/4361 444/8300 324/3750 1580kg 285 4.4 - - 180 + Saloon chassis + weight savings + GTS engine = best E90 M3 - Just 67 were made 33333
BMW M5 (F10M) 208 F ’11-’16 8/4395 552/6000 501/1500 1870kg 300 4.4 - - 155 + Twin-turbocharging suits M5 well - Can feel heavy at times 33333
BMW M5 (E60) 129 F ’04-’10 10/4999 500/7750 384/6100 1755kg 289 4.7 - - 155 + Close to being the ultimate supersaloon - SMG gearbox feels old-tech 33334
BMW M5 (E39) 110 F ’99-’03 8/4941 394/6600 369/3800 1795kg 223 5.3 4.9 11.5 155 + Magnificent V8-engined supersaloon - We’d be nitpicking 33333
BMW M5 (E34) 110 F ’92-’96 6/3795 335/6900 295/4750 1725kg 197 5.8 4.9 13.6 155 + The Godfather of supersaloons - The family can come too 33333
BMW M5 (E28) 182 F ’86-’88 6/3453 282/6500 251/4500 1431kg 200 6.1 - - 156 + The original storming saloon - Understated looks 33333
BMW M6 Gran Coupe 190 D £95,665 8/4395 552/6000 501/1500 1875kg 299 4.2 - - 155 + Enormous performance, stylish looks - Price looks silly next to rivals, M5 included 33332
BMW M760Li xDrive 233 D £132,310 12/6592 602/5500 590/1550 2180kg 281 3.7 - - 155 + More capable than you’d think; strong engine - Too much of a limo to be genuinely exciting 33322
BMW X5 M50d 191 D £67,220 6/2993 376/4000 546/2000 2190kg 174 5.3 - - 155 + Straight-line pace - Driving experience identical to standard X5, despite the M badge 33422
BMW X6 M 212 D £95,430 8/4395 567/6000 553/2200 2265kg 254 4.2 - - 155 + Big improvement on its predecessor - Coupe roofline still of questionable taste 33332
BMW X6 M 134 D ’09-’15 8/4395 547/6000 502/1500 2305kg 241 4.7 - - 171 + Fast, refined and comfortable - But it definitely lacks the M factor 33422
Cadillac CTS-V 148 F ’08-’15 8/6162 556/6100 551/3800 1928kg 293 3.9 - - 191 + Stands out among M-cars and AMGs - The novelty might wear off 33332
Cadillac CT6 226 D £69,990 6/2997 411/5700 409/2500 1950kg 214 5.7 - - 149 + Caddy’s S-class rival scores on comfort - But not on driver involvement 33322
Honda Accord Type R 012 F ’98-’03 4/2157 209/7200 158/6700 1306kg 163 7.2 6.1 17.4 142 + One of the finest front-drivers of all time - Convincing your friends of that 33334
Infiniti Q50S Hybrid 195 D £41,450 6/3498 359/6800 402/5000 1762kg 207 5.4 - - 155 + Good powertrain, promising chassis - Lacklustre steering, strong rivals 33422
Jaguar XE 2.0d AWD 227 D £35,335 4/1999 178/4000 317/1750 1615kg 112 7.9 - - 140 + Great chassis gets more traction - Shame the engine isn’t as polished 33332
Jaguar XE S 237 D £48,045 6/2995 375/6500 332/3500 1655kg 230 5.0 - - 155 + AMG-beating power; engaging handling - Expensive; cabin quality and space lags behind rivals’ 33332
Jaguar XE S 213 D ’15-’17 6/2995 335/6500 332/4500 1635kg 208 5.1 - - 155 + Neat handling, neat design - V6 loses appeal in the real world 33334
Jaguar XF S 214 D £51,100 6/2995 375/6500 332/4500 1710kg 223 5.3 - - 155 + Outstanding ride and handling balance - Engine lacks appeal 33332
Jaguar XF S Diesel 219 D £50,100 6/2993 296/4000 516/2000 1750kg 172 6.2 - - 155 + Great chassis, good looks, better engine than V6 petrol - It’s still a diesel 33332
Jaguar XFR 181 D ’09-’15 8/5000 503/6000 461/2500 1800kg 284 4.7 4.8 10.2 155 + Brilliant blend of pace and refinement - Doesn’t sound as special as it is 33332
Jaguar XFR-S 208 F ’13-’15 8/5000 542/6500 501/2500 1800kg 306 4.6 - - 186 + XF turned up to 12 - Tyres aren’t cheap 33332
Jaguar XJR 191 D £91,755 8/5000 542/6500 502/2500 1875kg 294 4.6 - - 174 + Hot-rod vibe, fine cabin - Opinion-dividing looks 33332
Jaguar XJ 3.0 V6 Diesel 148 D ’10-’16 6/2993 271/4000 442/2000 1835kg 150 6.6 - - 155 + A great Jaguar - But not as great as the XJR… 33332
Jaguar F-Pace S 222 D £53,365 6/2995 375/6500 332/4500 1884kg 202 5.5 - - 155 + A match for Porsche’s SUVs - Supercharged V6 needs to be worked hard 33332
Lexus GS F 221 D £72,495 8/4969 470/7100 391/4800 1790kg 267 4.6 - - 168 + Superb engine, exploitable chassis - Gearbox is off the pace 33332
Lexus IS F 151 F '07-'12 8/4969 417/6600 372/5200 1714kg 247 5.2 4.7 10.9 173 + Shockingly good Lexus - The M3’s available as a four-door too 33334
Lotus Carlton 170 F ’91-’93 6/3615 377/5200 419/4200 1658kg 231 5.4 4.8 10.6 176 + The Millennium Falcon of saloon cars - Every drive a work-out 33333
Maserati Ghibli 186 D £53,590 6/2979 325/5000 406/1750 1810kg 182 5.6 - - 163 + Bursting with character; good value compared to Quattroporte - It’s still a big car 33332
Maserati Ghibli S 198 D £64,510 6/2979 404/5500 406/4500 1810kg 227 5.0 - - 177 + Stands out from the crowd; sounds good too - Chassis lacks finesse, engine lacks reach 33342
Maserati Quattroporte S 184 D £82,750 6/2979 404/5500 406/1750 1860kg 221 5.1 - - 177 + Tempting alternative to V8 - Feel-free steering, ride lacks decorum 33332
Maserati Quattroporte GTS 226 D £115,980 8/3798 523/6800 479/2250 1900kg 280 4.7 - - 193 + Still pretty - Off the pace dynamically 33342
Maserati Quattroporte 085 F ’04-’08 8/4244 394/7000 333/4500 1930kg 207 5.6 - - 171 + Redefined big-car dynamics - Don’t use auto mode 33334
Maserati Quattroporte S 137 F ’08-’12 8/4691 425/7000 361/4750 1990kg 216 5.4 5.1 12.1 174 + A QP with the bhp it deserves - Grille is a bit Hannibal Lecter 33334
Maserati Quattroporte Sport GTS 141 F ’08-’12 8/4691 433/7000 361/4750 1990kg 221 5.1 - - 177 + The most stylish of supersaloons - Slightly wooden brakes, unforgiving ride 33332
Maserati Levante Diesel 221 D £54,335 6/2897 271/4000 442/2000 2205kg 125 6.9 - - 143 + Impressive blend of ride and handling - Performance is mild for a Maserati 33332
Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG 186 D £43,245 4/1991 355/6000 332/2250 1510kg 239 4.6 - - 155 + Strong performance, classy cabin - Pricey compared with A45 AMG hatchback 33322
Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG 205 F £46,875 4/1991 355/6000 332/2250 1510kg 239 4.8 - - 155 + An aggressive and focused sports crossover - Low on driver interaction 33332
Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic Estate 228 D £46,985 8/2996 362/5500 383/2000 1660kg 222 4.7 - - 155 + Incredibly fast and composed - Difficult to engage with 33332
Mercedes-AMG C63 (W205) 209 D £62,180 8/3982 469/5500 479/1750 1640kg 291 4.1 - - 155 + Fast and feelsome - Lacks the ultimate finesse and response of the C63 S 33334

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LB FT/ RPM
ISSUE NO.

0-100MPH
BHP/ RPM

MAX MPH
0-60MPH
0-62MPH
BHP/ TON
CYL /CC

WEIGHT
ENGINE

(CLAIMED)
PRICE

(TESTED)

(TESTED)
MAKE & MODEL RATING
Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate (W205) 216 F £63,380 8/3982 469/5500 479/1750 1710kg 279 4.2 - - 155 + Much more fun than it looks - Gearbox dim-witted at low speeds
Mercedes-AMG C63 S (W205) 211 F £68,930 8/3982 503/5500 516/1750 1655kg 309 4.0 - - 155 + Tremendous twin-turbo V8 power - Not quite as focused as an M division car
Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG (W204) 151 F ’08-’14 8/6208 451/6800 442/5000 1655kg 277 4.5 4.4 9.7 155 + Monstrous pace and extremely engaging - Same-era M3 is just a little better…
Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG (W203) 088 F ’04-’08 8/5439 367/5250 376/4000 1635kg 228 5.2 - - 155 + Furiously fast, commendably discreet - Overshadowed by M3 and RS4
Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 185 F ’89-’92 4/2498 204/6750 177/5500 1300kg 159 7.5 - - 146 + M-B’s M3 alternative - Not as nimble as the Beemer
Mercedes-AMG E43 4Matic (W213) 236 D £57,275 6/2996 395/6100 383/2500 1765kg 227 4.6 - - 155 + Some of the E63’s looks and performance - Not enough of its performance
Mercedes-AMG E63 S 4Matic+ (W213) 237 F £88,295 8/3982 603/5750 627/2500 1880kg 326 3.4 3.4 7.4 155 + Fast, refined, effective and fun - At nearly two tons, it’s not 911 nimble
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG (W212) 187 D ’13-’16 8/5461 549/5500 531/1750 1770kg 315 4.2 - - 155 + Power, response and accuracy in spades - A little lacking in originality
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S (W212) 208 F ’13-’16 8/5461 577/5500 590/1750 1795kg 327 4.1 - - 155 + Effortless power; intuitive and approachable - Sluggish auto ’box
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG (W212) 165 F ’11-’13 8/5461 518/5250 516/1750 1765kg 298 4.4 - - 155 + Turbo engine didn’t dilute the E63 experience - Sometimes struggles for traction…
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG (W212) 134 D ’09-’11 8/6208 518/6800 465/5200 1765kg 298 4.5 - - 155 + Indulgent chassis, brilliant engine - Steering still vague
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG (W211) 096 D ’06-’09 8/6208 507/6800 465/5200 1765kg 292 4.5 - - 155 + Brilliant engine, indulgent chassis - Vague steering, speed limits
Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG 052 F ’03-’06 8/5439 469/6100 516/2650 1760kg 271 4.7 4.8 10.2 155 + M5-humbling grunt, cosseting ride - Speed limits
Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG L 191 D £124,910 8/5461 577/5500 664/2250 1995kg 294 4.4 - - 155 + Monster pace - Average steering feel
Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG S 199 D £89,130 8/5461 577/5500 590/1750 1795kg 327 4.1 - - 155 + Quick and characterful - Dated gearbox, no four-wheel-drive option in the UK
Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG 178 F ’11-’14 8/5461 518/5250 516/1700 1795kg 293 4.4 - - 155 + Monster performance, 549bhp an option - Not as desirable as a Bentley or Aston
Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG 099 F ’06-’11 8/6208 507/6100 464/2650 1830kg 281 4.5 - - 155 + Beauty, comfort, awesome performance - M5 has the edge on B-roads
Mercedes-Benz GLE63 AMG S 218 D £96,950 8/5461 577/5500 560/1750 2270kg 258 4.2 - - 155 + Stonking pace, extreme refinement - Feels remote
Mercedes-Benz GLE63 AMG S Coupe 213 D £96,575 8/5461 577/5500 560/1750 2275kg 258 4.2 - - 155 + Subtler than an X6 M - More force than finesse
Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG 176 F ’12-’15 8/5461 518/5250 516/1750 2270kg 232 4.7 - - 155 + Great engine, surprisingly good dynamics - Same money buys a Boxster and an ML350…
Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 172 D £135,025 8/5461 537/5500 560/2000 2475kg 220 5.4 - - 130 + It exists; epic soundtrack - Ancient chassis, silly price
Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-300 SST 118 F '08-'14 4/1998 290/6500 300/3500 1590kg 185 4.5 5.2 13.9 155 + First Evo with a twin-clutch transmission - Not as exciting as its predecessors
Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-330 SST 134 F ’08-’14 4/1998 324/6500 322/3500 1590kg 207 4.4 - - 155 + Great engine and gearbox combo - It still lives in the shadow of the Evo IX
Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-360 122 D '08-'14 4/1998 354/6500 363/3500 1560kg 231 4.0 - - 155 + Ridiculously rapid Evo - A five-speed gearbox?!
Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-400 181 F ’09-’10 4/1998 403/6500 387/3500 1560kg 262 3.8 - - 155 + Most powerful factory Evo ever… - …about X grand too much when new
Mitsubishi Evo IX FQ-340 088 F ’05-’08 4/1997 345/6800 321/4600 1400kg 250 4.2 4.3 10.9 157 + Gives Porsche drivers nightmares - Points. Lots of
Mitsubishi Evo IX MR FQ-360 181 F ’05-’08 4/1997 366/6887 363/3200 1400kg 266 4.0 - - 157 + Well-executed engine upgrades - Prison food
Mitsubishi Evo VIII 055 F ’03-’05 4/1997 276/6500 289/3500 1410kg 199 5.1 - - 157 + The Evo grows up - Brakes need beefing up
Mitsubishi Evo VIII MR FQ-300 057 F ’03-’05 4/1997 305/6800 289/3500 1400kg 221 4.9 - - 157 + Extra pace, extra attitude - Extra money
Mitsubishi Evo VII 031 F ’02-’03 4/1997 276/6500 282/3500 1360kg 206 5.1 5.0 13.0 140 + Terrific all-rounder - You tell us
Mitsubishi Evo VI Tommi Mäkinen Edition 231 F ’00-’01 4/1997 276/6500 275/2750 1365kg 205 4.6 - - 150 + Our favourite Evo - Subtle it is not
Porsche Panamera 4S Diesel 232 D £91,788 8/3956 416/3500 627/1000 2050kg 206 4.3 - - 177 + Sharp chassis, impressive tech - Performance doesn’t meet expectations
Porsche Panamera Turbo 237 F £115,100 8/3996 542/5750 568/1960 1995kg 276 3.6 3.4 8.3 190 + Searing pace with body control that’s a real step up; superb rear wing, too - Still very heavy
Porsche Panamera GTS 208 F ’11-’16 8/4806 434/6700 383/3500 1925kg 229 4.4 - - 178 + Vivacious V8, entertaining balance - Can feel light on performance next to turbocharged rivals
Porsche Panamera Turbo 137 F ’10-’16 8/4806 493/6000 516/2250 1970kg 254 4.2 3.6 8.9 188 + Fast, refined and dynamically sound - It still leaves us cold
Porsche Panamera Turbo S 159 D ’11-’13 8/4806 542/6000 590/2250 1995kg 276 3.8 - - 190 + Pace, excellent ergonomics - Steering feel, ride
Porsche Macan S 205 F £48,287 6/2997 335/5500 339/1450 1865kg 183 5.4 - - 157 + No less compelling than the Macan Turbo - Although lacks its ultimate speed and agility
Porsche Macan GTS 217 D £55,158 6/2997 355/6000 369/1650 1895kg 190 5.2 - - 159 + Handles like an SUV shouldn’t - Still looks like an SUV
Porsche Macan Turbo 207 D £63,981 6/3604 394/6000 406/1350 1925kg 208 4.8 4.5 11.1 165 + Doesn’t feel like an SUV - Not a match for a proper sports saloon
Porsche Macan Turbo Performance Package 236 D £69,505 6/3604 434/6000 442/1500 1925kg 229 4.4 - - - + Staggeringly quick and hugely capable - Do you really need this much power?
Porsche Cayenne GTS (Mk2, V6) 211 D £76,430 6/3604 434/6000 442/1600 2110kg 209 5.2 - - 163 + The driver’s Cayenne… - …but why would a driver want an SUV?
Porsche Cayenne GTS (Mk2, V8) 173 D ’12-’15 8/4806 414/6500 380/3500 2085kg 202 5.7 - - 162 + Dynamically the best SUV of its era - At two tons, it’s still no sports car
Porsche Cayenne Turbo (Mk2) 212 D £96,193 8/4806 513/6000 533/2250 2185kg 239 4.5 - - 173 + Remarkable performance, handling, completeness - Vague steering, dated engine
Porsche Cayenne Turbo S (Mk2) 184 D £121,550 8/4806 562/6000 590/2500 2235kg 255 4.1 - - 176 + More power and torque than a Zonda S 7.3 - In an SUV
Range Rover Evoque Coupe Si4 160 D £44,545 4/1999 237/6000 251/1900 1670kg 144 7.0 - - 135 + Striking looks, sporting dynamics - Hefty price, and petrol version is auto-only
Range Rover Sport SDV8 - £87,350 8/4367 334/3500 546/1750 2359kg 144 6.5 - - 140 + A brilliant long-distance machine - Doesn’t live up to the ‘Sport’ branding
Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged 186 D £87,680 8/5000 503/6000 460/2500 2335kg 219 5.0 - - 155 + Deceptively quick and capable sports SUV - It’s still got a weight problem
Range Rover Sport SVR 212 D £97,780 8/5000 542/6000 501/3500 2335kg 236 4.5 - - 162 + Characterful drivetrain; genuine off-road ability - Not a match for its rivals on the road
Range Rover SDV8 180 D £83,900 8/4367 334/3500 516/1750 2360kg 144 6.5 - - 140 + Lighter and more capable than before, even more luxurious - Diesel V6 model feels more alert
Rolls-Royce Ghost 186 D £223,368 12/6592 563/5250 575/1500 2360kg 242 4.7 - - 155 + It’s quicker than you think - It’s more enjoyable driven slowly
Rolls-Royce Phantom 054 F £318,120 12/6749 453/5350 531/3500 2560kg 180 5.7 - - 149 + Rolls reinvented for the 21st century - The roads are barely big enough
Subaru WRX STI 201 F £31,995 4/2457 296/6000 300/4000 1534kg 196 5.2 - - 158 + Fast Subaru saloon soldiers on - Without a power increase
Subaru WRX STI 151 D ’10-’13 4/2457 296/6000 300/4000 1505kg 200 5.2 - - 158 + Fast Subaru back as a saloon - Without the blue paint and gold wheels
Subaru Impreza STI (‘Hawkeye’) 090 F ’05-’07 4/2457 276/6000 289/4000 1495kg 188 5.3 - - 158 + Stunning to drive - Not so stunning to look at
Subaru Impreza WRX GB270 109 D ’07 4/2457 266/5700 310/3000 1410kg 192 5.2 - - 143 + Fitting final fling for the Impreza badge on a fast Subaru - End of an era
Subaru Impreza RB320 105 F ’07 4/2457 316/6000 332/3750 1495kg 215 4.8 - - 155 + Fitting tribute to a rallying legend - Too hardcore for some?
Subaru Impreza WRX STI PPP (‘Blobeye’) 073 F ’03-’05 4/1994 300/6000 299/4000 1470kg 207 5.4 5.2 12.9 148 + A Subaru with real edge - Bit too edgy in the wet
Subaru Impreza Turbo (‘Classic’) 011 F ’98-’00 4/1994 215/5600 214/4000 1235kg 177 5.8 5.4 14.6 144 + Destined for classic status - Thirsty
Subaru Impreza RB5 187 F ’99 4/1994 237/6000 258/3500 1235kg 195 6.1 5.0 14.1 144 + Perfect blend of poise and power - Limited numbers
Subaru Impreza P1 200 F ’00-’01 4/1994 276/6500 260/4000 1283kg 219 4.7 4.9 13.3 150 + One of our favourite Imprezas - Doesn’t come cheap
Subaru Impreza 22B 188 F ’98-’99 4/2212 276/6000 265/3200 1270kg 220 5.3 5.0 13.1 150 + The ultimate Impreza - Prices reflect this
Tesla Model S P100D 235 F £129,400 - 595 713 2108kg 287 2.4 2.9 7.7 155 + Killer RWYB performance - Can take as long as 30 minutes to warm up for a Ludicrous+ launch
Tesla Model S P85D 208 D ’15-’16 - 457 687 2239kg 314 3.2 - - 155 + Dual motors and 4WD equals extraordinary acceleration - Lack of charging points
Tesla Model S Performance 196 F ’14 - 410 443 2100kg 201 4.2 - - 130 + Intoxicating performance, soothing refinement - Generic styling, charging limitations
Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport 2.0T 4x4 237 D £27,710 4/1998 257/5300 295/2500 1649kg 158 6.9 - - 155 + A more spacious and stylish Insignia - Still lacking the performance gene
Vauxhall Insignia VXR SuperSport 189 D ’13-’17 6/2792 321/5250 321/5250 1825kg 179 5.6 - - 170 + A 170mph Vauxhall - Should be a more engaging steer
Vauxhall Vectra VXR 102 D ’06-’09 6/2792 276/5500 262/1800 1580kg 177 6.1 - - 161 + Great engine, effortless pace, good value - Numb steering, lumpy ride
Vauxhall VXR8 GTS 215 D £56,380 8/6162 576/6150 545/3850 1834kg 319 4.2 - - 155 + Monster engine; engaging driving experience - Woeful interior
Volvo V60 Polestar 222 D £49,665 4/1969 362/6000 347/3100 1721kg 214 4.8 - - 155 + Subtle, well-executed performance car - Plays a little too safe

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SPORTS CARS / CONVERTIBLES

OUR CHOICE BEST OF THE REST
Lotus 3-Eleven. It may not be groundbreaking but it is hugely exciting. The 410bhp The Jaguar F-type impresses in most forms, and we’d defy anyone not to be charmed by an
supercharged V6 sounds fabulous and the open linkage on the manual gearbox looks fantastic. Aston Martin Vantage S Roadster (pictured), whether in V8 or V12 form. Unsurprisingly,
A circuit is obviously its natural habitat but it has surprisingly civilised road manners, so you you won’t find a duffer in the Lotus Elise and Exige Roadster ranges, and the same goes
for the evergreen Caterham Seven.
could happily drive to and from a trackday in it.

LB FT/ RPM
ISSUE NO.

0-100MPH
BHP/ RPM

MAX MPH
0-62MPH

0-60MPH
BHP/ TON
CYL /CC

WEIGHT
ENGINE

(CLAIMED)

(CLAIMED)
PRICE

(TESTED)
MAKE & MODEL RATING
Abarth 124 Spider 238 F £26,920 4/1368 168/5500 184/2500 1060kg 161 6.8 - - 143 + A little car with a big soul - Vague and lifeless front end 33332
Alfa Romeo 4C Spider 223 F £59,505 4/1742 237/6000 258/2200 940kg* 256 4.5 - - 160 + Stunningly beautiful; better steering than the coupe version - Still has the coupe’s other foibles 33342
Alfa Romeo 8C Spider 161 F ’09-’11 8/4691 450/7000 354/4750 1675kg 273 4.4 - - 181 + Beauty meets beast. They hit it off - Boot is useless for touring 33334
Alpina D4 Biturbo Convertible 212 D £56,000 6/2993 345/4000 516/1500 1815kg 193 5.0 - - 171 + As much torque as a 997 Turbo - A diesel convertible wouldn’t be our choice of Alpina 33332
Alpina B4 Biturbo Convertible 227 D ’16 6/2979 404/5500 442/3000 1840kg 223 4.5 - - 187 + A great GT - Not as exciting to drive as the numbers may suggest 33332
Ariel Atom 3 245 113 D £30,573 4/1998 245/8600 177/7200 520kg* 479 3.1 - - 145 + Even better than its predecessors - Can still be a bit draughty 33334
Ariel Atom 3.5 Supercharged 180 D £38,000 4/1998 310/8400 169/7200 550kg* 573 2.7 - - 155 + As mad as ever - Rain 33333
Ariel Atom 3.5R 205 F £64,800 4/1998 350/8400 243/6100 550kg* 647 2.6 - - 155 + Remarkable balance, poise and pace - Pricey 33333
Ariel Atom 3 Supercharged 138 F ’09-’12 4/1998 300/8200 162/7200 550kg* 554 3.3 - - 155 + It’s brilliant - It’s mental 33333
Ariel Atom Mugen 165 F ’12-’13 4/1998 270/8300 188/6000 550kg* 499 2.9 - - 150 + Perfect engine for the Atom’s chassis - Only ten were made 33333
Ariel Atom V8 500 165 F ’10-’12 8/3000 475/10,500 284/7750 550kg* 877 2.3 3.0 5.8 170 + An experience unlike anything else on Planet Car - It cost £150k when new 33333
Ariel Nomad 220 F £33,000 4/2354 235/7200 221/4300 670kg* 365 3.4 - - 134 + Off-road capabilities make for a super plaything - No Bluetooth 33333
Aston Martin V8 Vantage S Roadster 161 F £103,995 8/4735 430/7300 361/5000 1690kg 258 4.8 - - 189 + Sounds amazing, looks even better - Still not the best drop-top in its class 33334
Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster 212 F £147,000 12/5935 565/6750 457/5750 1745kg 329 4.1 - - 201 + A brilliant two-seat roadster… - …let down by a frustrating automated manual gearbox 33334
Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster 130 F ’09-’16 8/4735 420/7000 346/5750 1710kg 250 4.8 - - 180 + Sportiest, coolest drop-top Aston in years - Feels a bit dated compared with its contemporaries 33332
Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster 175 F ’12-’14 12/5935 510/6500 420/5750 1760kg 294 4.5 - - 190 + As good as the coupe, with amplified V12 rumble - Just a smidgen shakier 33334
Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster 105 F ’07-’09 8/4280 380/7000 302/5000 1710kg 226 5.0 - - 174 + Still looks and sounds fabulous; drives great too - You’ll want the later 4.7-litre engine 33342
Aston Martin DB9 Volante 150 D ’04-’15 12/5935 510/6500 457/5500 1890kg 274 4.5 - - 183 + Consummate cruiser and capable when pushed - Roof-up wind noise 33334
Aston Martin DBS Volante 133 D ’09-’12 12/5935 510/6500 420/5750 1810kg 286 4.3 - - 191 + A feelgood car par excellence - It’s a bit of a heavyweight 33332
Audi TTS Roadster 207 D £42,565 4/1984 306/5800 280/1800 1450kg 214 5.2 - - 155 + A serious proposition, ranking close behind a Boxster S - Coupe still looks better 33332
Audi TTS Roadster 122 D ’08-'14 4/1984 268/6000 258/2500 1455kg 187 5.6 - - 155 + Effortlessly quick - Long-term appeal open to question 33332
Audi TT RS Roadster 133 D '09-’14 5/2480 335/5400 332/1600 1510kg 225 4.7 - - 155 + Terrific engine… - …is the best thing about it 33342
Audi R8 V8 Spyder 186 D ’11-’15 8/4163 424/7900 317/6000 1660kg 259 4.8 - - 187 + More delicate and subtle than the V10 - The V10 sounds even better 33332
BAC Mono 189 F £165,125 4/2261 305/7700 206/6000 580kg* 534 2.8 - - 170 + The most single-minded track car available - That means no passengers… 33334
BMW Z4 sDrive 35i M Sport (Mk2) 186 D ’13-’17 6/2979 302/5800 295/1300 1505kg 204 5.2 - - 155 + Looks, hard-top versatility, drivetrain - Clumsy chassis is upset by ragged surfaces 33342
BMW Z4 3.0si (Mk1) 094 D ’06-’09 6/2996 265/6600 232/2750 1310kg 205 5.7 - - 155 + Terrific straight-six - Handling not as playful as we’d like 33332
BMW Z4 M Roadster 091 F ’06-’09 6/3246 338/7900 269/4900 1410kg 244 5.0 - - 155 + Exhilarating and characterful; that engine - Stiff suspension 33334
BMW M Roadster 002 F ’98-’02 6/3246 325/7400 258/4900 1375kg 240 5.1 - - 155 + M3 motor; hunky looks - M Coupe drives better 33342
BMW Z8 026 F ’00-’03 8/4941 400/6600 369/3800 1585kg 256 4.7 4.8 11.1 155 + M5-powered super-sportster - M5’s more fun to drive 33322
Caterham Seven 160 205 F £19,495 4/660 80/7000 79/3400 490kg* 166 6.9 - - 100 + The fabulous Seven formula at its most basic - Gets pricey with options 33334
Caterham Seven 270 219 F £23,995 4/1596 135/6800 122/4100 540kg* 254 5.0 - - 122 + Feisty engine, sweetly balanced, manic and exciting - The temptation of more power 33333
Caterham Seven 310 227 D £25,495 4/1596 152/7000 124/5600 540kg* 286 4.8 - - 126 + Intense and exciting - Sticky tyres limit the amount of throttle adjustability 33334
Caterham Seven 360 209 F £27,495 4/1999 180/7300 143/6100 560kg* 327 4.8 - - 130 + Extra power is welcome - You’ll need the six-speed gearbox to make the most of it 33333
Caterham Seven 420 223 F £30,495 4/1999 210/7600 150/6300 560kg* 381 3.8 4.0 10.3 136 + It’s the one we built for ourselves - Trickier on the limit than lesser-powered Sevens 33333
Caterham Seven CSR 094 F £46,495 4/2261 256/7500 200/6200 565kg* 460 3.1 3.8 - 155 + Brilliant for high days, holidays and trackdays - Wet Wednesdays 33334
Caterham Seven 620S 220 D £45,495 4/1999 310/7700 219/7350 610kg* 516 3.4 - - 155 + Ludicrous, near-620R pace, with added habitability - Well, ‘habitable’ for a Seven… 33333
Caterham Seven 620R 187 F £50,490 4/1999 310/7700 219/7350 572kg* 551 2.8 - - 155 + Banzai on track, yet still relevant on the road - £50k for a Seven? 33333
Caterham Seven Roadsport 125 105 F ’07-’14 4/1596 125/6100 120/5350 539kg* 235 5.9 - - 112 + Great debut for Ford-engined model - Bigger drivers need SV model 33334
Caterham Seven Supersport 165 F ’11-’14 4/1596 140/6900 120/5790 520kg* 273 4.9 - - 120 + One of the best Caterhams is also one of the cheapest of its era - It’s quite minimalist 33333
Caterham Seven Supersport R 180 D ’13-’14 4/1999 180/7300 143/6100 535kg* 342 4.8 - - 130 + One of the best road-and-track Sevens - Impractical, noisy, uncomfortable 33334
Caterham Seven Superlight R300 150 F ’09-’12 4/1999 175/7000 139/6000 515kg* 345 4.5 - - 140 + Possibly all the Caterham you need - They’re not cheap 33333
Caterham Seven Superlight R500 123 F ’08-’14 4/1999 263/8500 177/7200 506kg* 528 2.9 - - 150 + Better power-to-weight ratio than a Veyron - Until you add the driver 33333
Caterham Levante 131 F ’09-’10 8/2398 550/10,000 300/8500 520kg* 1074 3.0 4.8 8.2 150 + Twice the power-to-weight ratio of a Veyron! - Not easy to drive slowly 33334
Caterham Seven R300 068 F ’02-’06 4/1796 160/7000 130/5000 500kg* 325 4.7 - - 130 + Our 2002 Trackday Car of the Year - Not for wimps 33333
Caterham Seven R500 200 F ’99-’06 4/1796 230/8600 155/7200 460kg* 510 3.4 3.6 8.8 146 + The K-series Seven at its very best - No cup holders 33333
Elemental Rp1 238 D £98,700 4/1999 320/ n/a 332/2000 630kg 516 2.7 - - 165 + Sensational, explosive, captivating and exploitable - Price will test your level of commitment 33333
Ferrari California T 229 D £155,254 8/3855 553/7500 557/4750 1729kg 324 3.6 - - 196 + Turbocharged engine is a triumph - Still places daily useability above outright thrills 33342
Ferrari California 171 D ’08-’14 8/4297 483/7750 372/5000 1735kg 283 4.1 - - 193 + Revised with sharper performance and dynamics - We’d still take a 458 Spider 33334
Fiat 124 Spider 228 F £21,050 4/1368 138/5000 177/2250 1050kg 134 7.5 - - 134 + It’s an affordable Italian(ish) sports car - Lacks Italian brio 33322
Honda S2000 118 D ’99-’09 4/1997 237/8300 153/7500 1260kg 191 6.2 - - 150 + An alternative and rev-happy roadster - The Boxster’s better 33332
Jaguar F-type Convertible 3.0 V6 340PS 186 F £57,750 6/2995 335/6500 332/3500 1587kg 214 5.7 - - 161 + Beautiful, enjoyable, responsive - Noticeably the junior F-type 33332
Jaguar F-type Convertible 3.0 V6 380PS 183 F £68,500 6/2995 375/6500 339/3500 1604kg 238 5.5 - - 171 + A more rounded F-type than the V8s - We like V8s 33334
Jaguar F-type R Convertible - £92,345 8/5000 542/6500 501/3500 1665kg 331 4.1 - - 186 + Pace, characterful engine - Costs nearly £25k more than the hot V6 33334
Jaguar F-type SVR Convertible 230 D £115,485 8/5000 567/6500 516/3500 1720kg 335 3.7 - - 195 + Huge performance - Unpleasant soundtrack; unsettled on bumpy roads 33342
Jaguar F-type S Convertible 183 F ’13-’17 6/2995 375/6500 339/3500 1604kg 238 5.5 - - 171 + Better-damped and more rounded than the V8 S - A Boxster S is cheaper 33334
Jaguar F-type V8 S Convertible 183 F ’13-’14 8/5000 488/6500 461/2500 1665kg 298 4.3 - - 186 + Wilder than the V6 S - Could be too exuberant for some 33334
Jaguar F-type Project 7 212 F ’15 8/5000 567/6500 501/2500 1585kg 363 3.9 - - 186 + Noise, performance, adjustability - Expensive, and not the GT3 rival we would have liked 33334
Jaguar XKR Convertible 130 F ’09-’14 8/5000 503/6000 461/2500 1725kg 296 4.8 - - 155 + Fantastic 5-litre V8 - Loses sporting ground to its main foes 33332
Jaguar XKR-S Convertible 167 F ’11-’14 8/5000 542/6500 502/2500 1725kg 319 4.4 - - 186 + Loud and mad; most exciting Jag in years - It was also the most expensive in years 33334
KTM X-Bow GT 183 D £95,880 4/1984 281/6400 310/3200 875kg 326 4.1 - - 144 + Extraordinary ability, now in a more road-friendly package - Price 33334
KTM X-Bow R 165 F £87,480 4/1984 296/6300 295/3300 816kg 369 3.9 - - 144 + Sharper handling, more power - Pity it’s not even lighter, and cheaper 33332
KTM X-Bow 138 F ’08-’12 4/1984 237/5500 229/2000 818kg 294 3.8 - - 137 + Mad looks; real quality feel - Heavier and pricier than you’d hope 33332
Lotus Elise Sport - £32,300 4/1598 134/6800 118/4400 856kg 159 6.5 - - 127 + 1.6-litre Elise is light and fantastic - Smaller engine could put some off 33333
Lotus Elise Sprint - £37,300 4/1598 134/6800 118/4400 830kg 164 6.2 - - 127 + Even lighter version of the 1.6 Elise - It’ll cost you nearly £200 per kilo saved 33333
Lotus Elise Sport 220 - £39,300 4/1798 217/6800 184/4600 904kg 244 4.6 - - 145 + Epic grip and pace - A bit short on creature comforts 33333
Lotus Elise Sprint 220 236 D £44,300 4/1798 217/6800 184/4600 878kg 251 4.5 - - 145 + Makes the most of its lightness - Heavyweight price 33333
Lotus Elise Cup 250 238 D £47,400 4/1798 243/7200 184/3500 917kg 269 4.3 - - 154 + Quickest Elise yet - Prioritises grip over adjustability 33333
Lotus Elise Club Racer 183 F ’11-’15 4/1598 134/6800 118/4400 852kg 160 6.5 - - 127 + Even lighter, even more focused than a standard 1.6 Elise - Are you prepared to go this basic? 33333
Lotus Elise S Club Racer 189 D ’13-’15 4/1798 217/6800 184/4600 905kg 244 4.6 - - 145 + Purist approach intensifies ability - Lightest, option-free spec requires commitment 33333
Lotus Elise R 068 F ’04-’11 4/1796 189/7800 133/6800 860kg 223 5.4 5.6 13.9 138 + A most thrillsome Elise - Blaring engine note 33333
Lotus Elise SC 131 F ’08-’11 4/1794 218/8000 156/5000 870kg 254 4.6 4.5 11.4 145 + All the usual Elise magic - Supercharged engine lacks sparkle 33334
Lotus Elise S 104 F ’06-’10 4/1794 134/6200 127/4200 860kg 158 6.1 6.3 18.7 127 + Brilliant entry-level Elise - Precious little 33333
Lotus Elise 111S 049 F ’02-’04 4/1796 156/7000 129/4650 860kg 197 5.1 - - 131 + A genuinely useable Elise - Air-con? In an Elise? 33333
Lotus Elise Sport 135 040 D ’03 4/1796 135/6200 129/4850 726kg 189 5.4 - - 129 + One of our fave S2 Elises - Brakes need more bite and pedal feel 33333
Lotus Elise Sport 190 044 F ’03 4/1796 190/7800 128/5000 710kg 272 4.5 4.7 12.1 135 + Fabulous trackday tool - Pricey 33334
Lotus Elise (S1) 235 F ’96-’01 4/1796 118/5500 122/3000 731kg 164 5.9 6.1 18.5 126 + A modern classic - A tad impractical? 33333
Lotus Exige Sport 350 Roadster 221 F £55,900 6/3456 345/7000 295/4500 1125kg 312 3.9 - - 145 + An Exige with added sunny-day appeal - A Boxster would be more practical 33333
Lotus Exige Sport 380 Roadster 231 F £67,900 6/3456 375/6700 302/5000 1110kg 343 3.7 - - 178 + Like the 350 Roadster, but faster and even purer - A Boxster would still be more practical 33333

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LB FT/ RPM
ISSUE NO.

0-100MPH
BHP/ RPM

MAX MPH
0-60MPH
0-62MPH
BHP/ TON
CYL /CC

WEIGHT
ENGINE

(CLAIMED)
PRICE

(TESTED)

(TESTED)
MAKE & MODEL RATING
Lotus Exige S Roadster 186 F ’13-15 6/3456 345/7000 295/4500 1166kg 301 4.0 - - 145 + Like the hard-top Exige S, but more road-friendly - 981 Boxster S is a better all-rounder 33333
Lotus 3-Eleven 220 F £82,500 6/3456 410/7000 302/3000 925kg 450 3.4 - - 174 + A fantastically exciting Lotus - If not exactly a groundbreaking one 33333
Lotus 2-Eleven 126 F ’07-’11 4/1796 189/7800 133/6800 720kg 267 4.5 - - 140 + Not far off the supercharged 2-Eleven’s pace - You want the supercharged one, don’t you? 33334
Lotus 2-Eleven Supercharged 123 F ’07-’11 4/1796 252/8000 179/7000 745kg 344 4.0 - - 150 + Impressive on road and track - Not hardcore enough for some 33333
Lotus 2-Eleven GT4 138 F ’09-’11 4/1796 266/8200 179/7200 750kg 360 3.7 - - 155 + evo Track Car of the Year 2009 - Expensive; regular 2-Elevens make better road cars 33333
Lotus 340R 126 F ’00 4/1796 190/7800 146/5000 701kg 275 4.5 4.5 12.5 126 + Hardcore road-racer… - …that looks like a dune buggy from Mars 33333
Lotus Elan SE 095 F ’89-’95 4/1588 165/6600 148/4200 1022kg 164 6.7 - - 137 + Great front-drive chassis - Less involving that a good rear-drive sports car 33332
Maserati GranCabrio 142 D £98,970 8/4691 434/7000 332/4750 1980kg 223 5.2 - - 177 + As good to drive as it is to look at - Lacks the grunt of some rivals 33334
Maserati GranCabrio Sport 161 D £104,565 8/4691 444/7000 376/4750 1980kg 228 5.0 - - 177 + Looks, performance, cruising ability - Brakes could be sharper 33334
Maserati GranCabrio MC 185 D £112,400 8/4691 454/7000 383/4750 1973kg 234 4.9 - - 179 + Most powerful GranCabrio yet - The GranCabrio is starting to show its age 33332
Mazda MX-5 1.5 (Mk4) 230 F £18,795 4/1496 129/7000 111/4800 975kg 134 8.3 - - 127 + Lightest MX-5 since the Mk1 - Lacks intensity 33342
Mazda MX-5 2.0 Sport Nav (Mk4) 228 F £24,195 4/1998 158/6000 147/4600 1000kg 161 7.3 - - 133 + Brilliant basic recipe - The desire for stiffer suspension and more power 33342
Mazda MX-5 RF 2.0 (Mk4) 234 F £23,395 4/1998 158/6000 147/4600 1045kg 154 7.4 - - 134 + Drives just like its soft-top brother - Significant wind noise with the roof down 33342
Mazda MX-5 2.0i Sport Tech (Mk3.5) 212 F ’09-’15 4/1999 158/7000 139/5000 1098kg 146 7.6 - - 138 + Handles brilliantly again; folding hard-top also available - Less-than-macho image 33334
Mazda MX-5 1.8i (Mk3) 091 F ’05-’09 4/1798 124/6500 123/4500 1080kg 108 9.3 - - 122 + Gearchange, interior - Lost some of the charm of old MX-5s; dubious handling 33342
Mazda MX-5 1.8i (Mk2) 017 F ’98-’05 4/1839 146/7000 124/5000 1065kg 140 8.5 - - 123 + Affordable ragtops don’t get much better - Cheap cabin 33333
Mazda MX-5 1.6 (Mk1) 131 F ’89-’97 4/1597 115/6500 100/5500 971kg 120 8.8 - - 114 + The original and still (pretty much) the best - Less than rigid 33333
Mercedes-AMG SLC43 222 D £47,600 6/2996 362/5500 383/2000 1520kg 242 4.7 - - 155 + Twin-turbo V6 well-suited to baby roadster - But also highlights the chassis’ age 33332
Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG 186 F ’12-’15 8/5461 416/6800 398/4500 1615kg 262 4.6 - - 155 + Quicker and more economical than ever - Needs to be sharper, too 33322
Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG 087 F ’05-’10 8/5439 355/5750 376/4000 1575kg 229 4.9 - - 155 + Superb engine, responsive chassis - No manual option, ESP spoils fun 33332
Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG Black Series 110 F ’07-’08 8/5439 394/5750 383/3750 1495kg 268 4.5 4.9 11.2 174 + AMG gets serious - Dull-witted auto ’box, uneven dynamics 33342
Mercedes-AMG SL63 228 D £116,430 8/5461 577/5500 664/2250 1770kg 331 4.1 - - 155 + Effortless performance - Needs more involvement to go with the pace 33332
Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster 235 D £139,445 8/3982 549/5750 502/1900 1678kg 332 3.7 - - 196 + Arguably the best AMG GT yet, with added fresh air - Road noise can get wearing on long journeys 33332
Mercedes-Benz SL500 169 D ’12-’16 8/4663 429/5250 516/1800 1710kg 255 4.6 - - 155 + Wafty performance, beautifully engineered - Lacks ultimate sports car feel 33332
Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG 171 D ’12-’16 8/5461 530/5500 590/2000 1770kg 304 4.3 - - 155 + Monster performance, lighter than before - Still heavy, steering lacks consistency 33334
Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG 183 D ’13-’16 12/5980 621/4800 737/2300 1875kg 336 4.0 - - 155 + Chassis just about deals with the power - Speed limits 33332
Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG 117 D ’08-’13 8/6208 518/6800 464/5200 1970kg 278 4.6 - - 155 + More focused than old SL55 AMG - Lost some of its all-round appeal 33332
Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG 071 D ’04-’10 12/5980 604/4800 737/2000 2035kg 302 4.2 - - 155 + Gob-smacking performance - Costly to run 33334
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster 167 F ’12-’14 8/6208 563/6800 479/4750 1660kg 345 3.7 - - 197 + Loses none of the coupe’s talents - But (understandably) loses the gullwing doors 33333
Morgan 3 Wheeler 198 F £31,140 2/1976 82/5250 103/3250 525kg* 159 6.0 - - 115 + Quirky, characterful, brilliant - Can become a two-wheeler if you push too hard 33332
Morgan Plus 8 171 F £85,461 8/4799 362/6300 370/3600 1100kg* 334 4.5 - - 155 + Hilarious mix of old looks and new mechanicals-Refinementisdefinitelyold-school 33332
Morgan Plus 8 Speedster 202 F ’14 8/4799 362/6300 370/3600 1000kg* 368 4.2 - - 148 + Fantastic old-school roadster experience -Getsunsettledbybigbumps;only60weremade 33332
Morgan Aero 8 105 F £94,665 8/4799 362/6300 361/3400 1180kg* 312 4.5 - - 170 + Glorious sound, view over bonnet, dynamics - Awkward-looking rear 33332
Morgan Aero SuperSports 145 F ’10-’11 8/4799 362/6300 370/3600 1180kg* 312 4.2 - - 170 + It’s an Aero 8 with a V8 and targa top - Limited edition, costing proper supercar money 33332
Nissan 370Z Roadster 143 F '10-'14 6/3696 326/7000 269/5200 1554kg 213 5.5 - - 155 + The Zed’s old-school character remains intact - Its purposeful looks don’t 33332
Porsche 718 Boxster 224 D £44,758 4/1988 296/6500 280/1950 1335kg 225 5.1 - - 170 + Chassis as good as ever - Four-cylinder’s tuneless din would be hard to live with 33342
Porsche 718 Boxster S 222 F £53,714 4/2497 345/6500 310/1900 1355kg 259 4.6 4.4 9.8 177 + Still sensationally capable - Turbo four-cylinder engine lacks appeal of the old flat-six 33334
Porsche Boxster (981) 238 F ’12-’16 6/2706 261/6700 206/4500 1310kg 202 5.8 - - 164 + Goes and looks better than the 987 Boxster - Shame about the electric steering 33333
Porsche Boxster S (981) 186 F ’12-’16 6/3436 311/6700 265/4500 1320kg 239 5.1 - - 173 + Boxster steps out of 911’s shadow - But gets 911’s less appealing electric steering 33333
Porsche Boxster GTS (981) 203 D ’14-’16 6/3436 325/6700 273/4500 1345kg 246 5.0 - - 174 + Superb dynamics, fantastic engine, great looks - Sport suspension is very firm 33333
Porsche Boxster Spyder (981) 223 F ’15-’16 6/3800 370/6700 310/4750 1315kg 286 4.5 - - 180 + An even faster, even more rewarding Boxster - Feedback trails the Cayman GT4’s 33333
Porsche Boxster S (987) 161 F ’05-’12 6/3436 306/6400 265/5500 1355kg 229 5.3 - - 170 + Second-gen Boxster’s as brilliant as ever - It’s a typically Porsche redesign 33333
Porsche Boxster Spyder (987) 188 F ’10-’12 6/3436 316/7200 273/4750 1275kg 252 4.9 - - 166 + Lighter, more driver-centric Boxster - Collapsed-brolly roof not the most practical 33333
Porsche Boxster S (986) 070 F ’99-’04 6/3179 256/6200 229/4600 1320kg 200 5.7 - - 164 + Added power over the non-S Boxster is seductive - Very little 33333
Radical SR3 SL 174 F ’11-’14 4/2000 300/6000 265/4000 775kg* 393 3.4 - - 161 + Our 2011 Track Car of the Year, and it’s road-legal - You’ll need to wrap up warm 33333
Radical SR8LM 138 F ’09-’12 8/2800 460/10,500 260/8000 680kg* 687 3.2 - - 168 + Held the Nordschleife road-car lap record for eight years! - Convincing people it’s road legal 33333
Renault Sport Spider 231 F ’96-’99 4/1998 148/6000 136/4500 930kg 157 6.5 - - 131 + Rarity; unassisted steering - Heavier than you’d hope; disappointing engine 33322
Rolls-Royce Dawn 222 D £264,000 12/6592 563/5250 575/1500 2560kg 223 4.9 - - 155 + Effortless driving experience - Driver involvement not a priority 33334
Toyota MR2 (Mk3) 187 F ’00-’06 4/1794 138/6400 125/4400 975kg 141 8.0 7.2 21.2 131 + Tight lines, taut dynamics - Minimal luggage space 33334
TVR Tamora 070 F ’01-’07 6/3605 350/7200 290/5500 1060kg 335 4.2 - - 175 + Well-sorted soft-top TVR - Awkward styling 33332
TVR Tuscan Convertible 091 F ’05-’07 6/3996 365/6800 315/6000 1100kg 337 3.8 - - 195+ + Spirit of the Griff reborn - Over 195mph? Really? 33334
TVR Chimaera 5.0 007 F ’93-’03 8/4997 320/5500 320/3750 1060kg 307 4.4 - - 167 + Gorgeous noise, tarmac-rippling grunt - Details 33332
TVR Griffith 4.3 068 F ’92-’93 8/4280 280/5500 305/4000 1040kg 274 4.4 4.8 11.2 155 + The car that made TVR. Cult status - Mere details 33334
TVR Griffith 500 009 F ’93-’01 8/4997 320/5500 320/4000 1060kg 307 4.1 - - 167 + Gruff diamond - A few rough edges 33334
Vauxhall VX220 023 F ’00-‘04 4/2198 145/5800 150/4000 875kg 168 5.9 - - 136 + Absurdly good Vauxhall - The badge? 33334
Vauxhall VX220 Turbo 066 F ’03-’05 4/1998 197/5500 184/1950 930kg 215 4.9 - - 151 + Nothing comes close for the money - Marginal everyday usability 33333
Vuhl 05 220 F £59,995 4/2000 285/5600 310/3000 725kg 405 3.7 - - 152 + Impressive pace and quality - You can get a more thrills from a Caterham at half the price 33332
Zenos E10 S 214 F £30,595 4/1999 250/7000 295/2500 725kg* 350 4.0 4.2 - 145 + Neutral and exploitable - Prescriptive balance 33332

COUPES / GTs
OUR CHOICE BEST OF THE REST
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS. Adjustable, playful, communicative and with top-class body Lower down the 991.2 range, the Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S haven’t been ruined by
control and damping, the 991.2-generation Carrera GTS is everything a 911 should be. It even the addition of turbos, while among their rivals we’d take a Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe
has the best steering to date in a 991 Carrera. Just make sure you order the two-wheel-drive, (pictured) over a standard BMW M4, although the M4 CS responds to that – at a price.
Elsewhere, the Lotus Exige and Evora continue to offer sublime handling in all guises.
manual coupe version.

Alfa Romeo 4C 209 F £51,505 4/1742 237/6000 258/2200 895kg* 269 4.5 - - 160 + Carbonfibre tub, mini-supercar looks - Hot hatch engine, clunky gearbox 33342
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione 120 F ’07-’09 8/4691 450/7000 354/4750 1585kg 288 4.2 - - 181 + Looks, exclusivity, noise, balance - Cost more now than they did new 33334
Alpina D4 Biturbo 206 F £50,950 6/2993 345/4000 516/1500 1585kg 221 4.6 - - 173 + Fifth-gear oversteer - Sounds like a diesel; fuel economy not as good as you might hope 33334
Alpina B4 Biturbo 206 F ’14-’16 6/2979 404/5500 442/3000 1615kg 254 4.2 - - 188 + More fluid than the M4; better traction, too - Not as precise as the M-car over the limit 33334
Aston Martin V8 Vantage S 168 F £94,995 8/4735 430/7300 361/5000 1610kg 271 4.8 - - 190 + Keener engine, V12 Vantage looks - Slightly sluggish auto only 33334
Aston Martin Vantage GT8 229 F £165,000 8/4735 440/7300 361/5000 1530kg 292 4.4 - - 190 + Enough drama to fill a Netflix mini-series - Just 150 being made 33333
Aston Martin V8 Vantage (4.3) 109 F ’05-’07 8/4280 380/7000 302/5000 1630kg 237 5.0 5.2 12.0 175 + Gorgeous; awesome soundtrack - Can’t quite match a 911 dynamically 33332
Aston Martin V8 Vantage (4.7) 169 D ’08-’16 8/4735 420/7000 346/5750 1630kg 262 4.8 - - 180 + Still feels special - But also a little dated 33332
Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 218 F ’15 -’16 8/4735 430/7300 361/5000 1610kg 271 4.8 - - 189 + Malleable, involving - Never feels rampantly quick 33333
Aston Martin V12 Vantage S 238 F £138,000 12/5935 563/6650 457/5500 1665kg 344 3.9 - - 205 + Amongst the best Astons ever made - Old-school automated ’box (so get the manual) 33333
Aston Martin V12 Vantage 146 F ’09-’13 12/5935 510/6500 420/5750 1680kg 308 4.2 4.4 9.7 190 + The car we hoped the V8 Vantage would be - Erm, a tad thirsty? 33333
Aston Martin Vantage GT12 214 F ’15-’16 12/5935 592/7000 461/5500 1565kg 384 3.5 - - 185 + The GT3-style Vantage we waited so long for - Only 100 were made 33333
Aston Martin DB11 235 F £157,900 12/5204 600/6500 516/1500 1770kg 344 3.9 4.0 8.1 200 + An excellent GT - Suffers in outright handling terms as a result 33334
Aston Martin DB9 GT 214 D £140,000 12/5935 540/6750 457/5500 1785kg 307 4.5 - - 183 + More power; still has bags of character - Needs an eight-speed auto ’box 33334
Aston Martin DB9 178 F ’04-’16 12/5935 510/6500 457/5500 1785kg 290 4.6 - - 183 + A great start to Gaydon-era Astons - Automatic gearbox could be quicker 33334
Aston Martin DBS 142 F ’07-’12 12/5935 510/6500 420/5750 1695kg 306 4.3 - - 191 + Stupendous engine, gearbox, brakes - Pricey; can bite the unwary 33334
Audi TT 2.0 TFSI (Mk3) 204 F £31,685 4/1984 227/4500 273/1650 1230kg 188 6.0 - - 155 + Desirable, grippy and effortlessly quick - Still not the last word in interaction 33334
Audi TT 2.0 TFSI quattro (Mk3) 203 D £34,895 4/1984 227/4500 273/1600 1335kg 173 5.3 - - 155 + Looks, interior, decent performance and handling - Lacks ultimate involvement 33332
Audi TTS (Mk3) 209 F £40,840 4/1984 306/5800 280/1800 1365kg 228 4.9 - - 155 + Dynamically interesting (for a TT) - Still not as interactive as a Cayman 33332

www.evo.co.uk 161
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LB FT/ RPM
ISSUE NO.

0-100MPH
BHP/ RPM

MAX MPH
0-60MPH
0-62MPH
BHP/ TON
CYL /CC

WEIGHT
ENGINE

(CLAIMED)
PRICE

(TESTED)

(TESTED)
MAKE & MODEL RATING
Audi TT RS (Mk3) 230 F £52,100 5/2480 394/5850 354/1700 1440kg 278 3.7 3.4 - 155 + Soundtrack; tremendous point-to-point pace - A bit one-dimensional in the long run 33334
Audi TTS (Mk2) 193 F ’08-’14 4/1984 268/6000 258/2500 1395kg 195 5.4 - - 155 + A usefully quicker TT, with a great drivetrain - Still steers like a computer game 33332
Audi TT RS (Mk2) 158 F ’09-’14 5/2480 335/5400 332/1600 1450kg 235 4.7 4.4 11.1 155 + Sublime five-cylinder turbo engine - Rest of package can’t quite match it 33332
Audi TT RS Plus (Mk2) 185 D ’12-’14 5/2480 355/5500 343/1650 1450kg 249 4.3 - - 174 + Stonkingly fast cross-country - Shockingly expensive for a TT 33332
Audi TT Sport (Mk1) 081 D ’05-’06 4/1781 237/5700 236/2300 1390kg 173 5.7 - - 155 + Deliciously purposeful interior, crisp chassis - Numb steering 33332
Audi S5 233 F £47,875 6/2995 349/5400 369/1370 1615kg 220 4.7 - - 155 + Chassis rewards commitment… - …but doesn’t offer a challenge. Plain engine, too 33342
Audi RS5 238 D £62,900 6/2894 444/5700 442/1900 1655kg 273 3.9 - - 155 + Lighter and quicker; makes green paint look good - Twin-turbo V6 lacks the character of the old V8 33332
Audi RS5 206 F ’10-’16 8/4163 444/8250 317/4000 1715kg 263 4.5 - - 155 + Brilliant engine and improved chassis - Lack of suspension travel; inconsistent steering 33332
Audi R8 V8 201 F ’07-’15 8/4163 424/7900 317/4500 1560kg 276 4.6 4.1 9.9 188 + A true 911 alternative - Exclusivity comes at a price 33333
Bentley Continental GT V8 178 F £140,300 8/3993 500/6000 487/1700 2220kg 229 4.8 - - 188 + A proper drivers’ Bentley with decent economy - W12 suddenly seems pointless 33334
Bentley Continental GT V8 S 204 F £149,800 8/3993 521/6000 502/1700 2220kg 238 4.5 - - 192 + An even better drivers’ Bentley - Vast weight makes its presence felt in harder driving 33334
Bentley Continental GT 152 D £150,500 12/5998 567/6000 516/1700 2245kg 257 4.5 - - 198 + Near 200mph in utter comfort - Weight; W12’s thirst 33332
Bentley Continental GT Speed 230 D £168,900 12/5998 633/5900 620/2000 2245kg 286 4.1 - - 206 + Desirability meets exclusivity and performance - We’d still have the V8 33334
Bentley Continental Supersports 234 D £212,500 12/5998 700/6000 750/2050 2205kg 323 3.5 - - 209 + Massive performance, surprisingly agile - Styling and soundtrack far from descreet 33334
Bentley Continental GT3-R 203 D £237,500 8/3993 572/6000 518/1700 2120kg 274 3.8 - - 170 + The best-handling Continental ever - Expensive; it still weighs 2120kg 33334
BMW 1-series M Coupe 188 F ’11-’12 6/2979 335/5900 369/1500 1495kg 228 4.9 - - 155 + Character, turbo pace and great looks - Came and went too quick 33333
BMW M240i Coupe 229 D £35,865 6/2998 335/6800 369/1520 1470kg 232 4.8 - - 155 + Adjustable and plenty of fun - Lacks finesse and precision 33334
BMW M235i Coupe 225 F ’14-’16 6/2979 321/5800 332/1300 1455kg 224 5.0 5.2 12.7 155 + Powertrain, chassis, looks, size - Limited-slip diff is an option, not standard 33334
BMW M2 230 F £45,750 6/2979 365/6500 369/1450 1495kg 248 4.5 4.5 - 155 + More progressive chassis balance than the M4 - Feels unsettled on rough tarmac 33334
BMW 440i M Sport Coupe 233 F £43,430 6/2998 321/5500 332/1380 1540kg 212 5.2 - - 155 + Almost-too-powerful engine - Doesn’t feel special enough to drive 33334
BMW M4 218 F £58,365 6/2979 425/5500 406/1850 1515kg 285 4.3 - - 155 + Ferociously fast - A handful on less-than-perfect or less-than-bone-dry roads 33334
BMW M4 Competition Package 238 F £61,365 6/2979 444/7000 406/1850 1515kg 298 4.2 - - 155 + Better tied-down than the regular M4 - Torque delivery still rather abrupt 33334
BMW M4 CS 237 D £89,130 6/2979 454/6250 442/4000 1505kg 307 3.9 - - 174 + Finally, an M4 you can enjoy on any road, in any conditions - It ain’t cheap 33334
BMW M4 GTS 237 F ’16 6/2979 493/6250 442/4000 1510kg 332 3.8 3.7 8.0 190 + Vast improvement on lesser M4s - So it should be, given its price 33333
BMW M3 (E92) 196 F ’07-13 8/3999 414/8300 295/3900 1580kg 266 4.8 4.3 10.3 155 + Fends off all of its rivals… - …except the cheaper 1-series M Coupe 33333
BMW M3 GTS (E92) 232 F ’10-’11 8/4361 444/8300 324/3750 1530kg 295 4.4 - - 190 + Highly exclusive; one of the most focused M-cars ever - Good luck trying to find one 33333
BMW M3 (E46) 066 F ’00-’07 6/3246 338/7900 269/5000 1495kg 230 5.2 5.1 12.3 155 + One of the best BMWs ever. Runner-up in eCoty 2001 - Slightly artificial steering feel 33333
BMW M3 CS (E46) 219 F ’05-’07 6/3246 338/7900 269/5000 1495kg 230 5.2 - - 155 + CSL dynamics without CSL price - Looks like the standard car 33333
BMW M3 CSL (E46) 200 F ’03-’04 6/3246 355/7900 273/4900 1385kg 260 4.9 5.3 12.0 155 + Still superb - Changes from the automated single-clutch ’box are… a… bit… sluggish 33333
BMW M3 Evolution (E36) 148 F ’96-’98 6/3201 317/7400 258/3250 1515kg 215 5.5 5.4 12.8 158 + Performance, image - Never quite as good as the E30 33332
BMW M3 (E30) 165 F ’89-’90 4/2302 212/6750 170/4600 1165kg 185 6.7 6.7 17.8 147 + The best M-car ever - Prices have got out of hand 33333
BMW Z4 M Coupe 097 F ’06-’09 6/3246 338/7900 269/4900 1420kg 242 5.0 - - 155 + A real drivers’ car - You’ve got to be prepared to get stuck in 33334
BMW M Coupe 005 F ’98-’03 6/3246 321/7400 261/4900 1375kg 237 5.3 - - 155 + Quick and characterful - Lacks finesse 33332
BMW M6 (F13) 218 F £95,580 8/4395 552/6000 501/1500 1850kg 303 4.2 - - 155 + Mighty ability, pace, technology - You’ll want the Competition Package upgrade, too 33334
BMW M6 (E63) 106 F ’05-’10 10/4999 500/7750 384/6100 1635kg 311 4.2 4.8 10.0 155 + Awesome GT, awesome sports car - SMG gearbox now off the pace 33334
BMW i8 210 F £106,310 3/1499 357/5800 420/3700 1485kg 244 4.4 - - 155 + Brilliantly executed concept; sci-fi looks - Safe dynamic set-up 33334
Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 220 F ’14-’16 8/7008 505/6100 481/4800 1732kg 296 4.2 - - 175 + Scalpel-sharp engine, great chassis (really) - Feels very stiff on UK roads 33334
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (C7) 197 F £63,295 8/6162 460/6000 465/4600 1496kg 312 4.2 4.4 9.4 180 + Performance, chassis balance, supple ride - Body control could be better 33334
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C7) 227 F £90,445 8/6162 650/6000 650/3600 1598kg 413 3.7 - - 196 + Mind-boggling raw speed; surprisingly sophisticated - Edgy when really pushed 33334
Ford Mustang 2.3 EcoBoost 222 D £33,645 4/2261 313/5500 319/3000 1655kg 192 5.8 - - 155 + Ninety per cent as good as the V8 - Missing ten per cent is what makes the Mustang 33342
Ford Mustang 5.0 V8 GT 225 F £38,095 8/4951 410/6500 391/4250 1711kg 243 4.8 4.8 11.6 155 + Looks, noise, performance, value, right-hand drive - Comes undone on rougher roads 33342
Honda Integra Type R (DC2) 200 F ’96-’00 4/1797 187/8000 131/7300 1101kg 173 6.7 6.2 17.9 145 + Arguably the greatest front-drive car ever - Too raw for some 33333
Infiniti Q60S Sport 3.0T 228 D £43,535 6/2997 400/6400 350/1600 1799kg 226 5.0 - - 155 + Impressive tech - Electronic systems reduce feeling of involvement 33342
Jaguar F-type Coupe 3.0 V6 340PS 204 D £52,265 6/2995 335/6500 332/3500 1567kg 217 5.7 - - 161 + Drop-dead looks, brilliant chassis, desirability - Engine lacks top-end fight 33332
Jaguar F-type Coupe 3.0 V6 380PS 211 D £63,015 6/2995 375/6500 339/3500 1584kg 241 5.5 - - 171 + Exquisite style, more rewarding (and affordable) than roadster - Scrappy on the limit 33334
Jaguar F-type R Coupe AWD 227 D £90,860 8/5000 542/6500 501/3500 1730kg 318 4.1 3.5 8.1 186 + Better than the rear-drive R in the wet - Less involving in the dry 33334
Jaguar F-type SVR Coupe 224 D £110,880 8/5000 567/6500 516/3500 1705kg 338 3.7 - - 200 + A marginally better drive than the AWD R - Not by enough to justify the extra outlay 33334
Jaguar F-type R Coupe (RWD) 218 F ’14-’17 8/5000 542/6500 501/3500 1650kg 334 4.2 - - 186 + Looks, presence, performance, soundtrack - Bumpy and boistrous 33333
Jaguar XKR 168 F ’09-’14 8/5000 503/6000 461/2500 1753kg 292 4.8 - - 155 + Fast and incredibly rewarding Jag - The kids will have to stay at home 33334
Jaguar XKR-S 168 F ’11-’14 8/5000 542/6000 502/2500 1753kg 314 4.4 - - 186 + Faster and wilder than regular XKR - The F-type R Coupe 33334
Lexus RC200t F Sport 225 F £38,695 4/1998 242/5800 258/1650 1675kg 147 7.5 - - 143 + Fluid ride - Lacks body control and outright grip 33342
Lexus RC F 226 F £61,310 8/4969 470/6400 391/4800 1765kg 271 4.5 - - 168 + Great steering, noise, sense of occasion - Too heavy to be truly exciting 33332
Lexus LC500 231 D £76,565 8/4969 470/7100 398/4800 1935kg 247 4.4 - - 168 + Glorious engine, rewarding chassis for a GT car - Numb steering, messy ergonomics 33332
Lotus Exige Sport 350 221 F £55,900 6/3456 345/7000 295/4500 1125kg 312 3.9 - - 170 + Further honed Exige, with vastly improved gearshift - Still not easy to get into and out of 33333
Lotus Exige Sport 380 231 F £67,900 6/3456 375/6700 302/5000 1110kg 343 3.7 - - 178 + Intense, absorbing and brilliantly capable - Perhaps not an everyday car 33333
Lotus Exige S (V6) 209 F ’12-’15 6/3456 345/7000 295/4500 1176kg 298 3.8 - - 170 + Breathtaking road-racer; our joint 2012 Car of the Year - Gearshift not the sweetest 33333
Lotus Exige S (S2) 105 F ’06-’11 4/1796 218/7800 158/5500 930kg 238 4.3 - - 148 + Lightweight with a hefty punch - Uninspiring soundtrack 33333
Lotus Exige (S1) 200 F ’00-’01 4/1796 192/7800 146/5000 780kg 247 4.6 - - 136 + Looks and goes like an Elise racer - A tad lacking in refinement 33333
Lotus Evora 400 216 F £72,000 6/3456 400/7000 302/3500 1395kg 291 4.2 - - 186 + Evora excitement levels take a leap - Gearbox still not perfect; punchy pricing 33333
Lotus Evora Sport 410 230 F £82,000 6/3456 410/7000 310/3500 1325kg 314 4.2 - - 190 + Even lighter and sharper Evora - Engine and gearbox behind the best at this price 33334
Lotus Evora 138 F ’09-’15 6/3456 276/6400 258/4700 1382kg 203 5.1 5.6 13.6 162 + Sublime ride and handling. Our 2009 Car of the Year - The Evora S 33333
Lotus Evora S 168 F ’10-’15 6/3456 345/7000 295/4500 1430kg 245 4.8 - - 172 + A faster and better Evora - But one which spars with the Porsche 911 33333
Maserati GranTurismo 114 F £83,790 8/4244 399/7100 339/4750 1880kg 216 5.2 5.5 12.7 177 + Striking, accomplished GT - Doesn’t spike the pulse like an Aston or 911 33332
Maserati GranTurismo Sport 188 F £95,650 8/4691 454/7000 383/4750 1880kg 245 4.7 - - 185 + The best everyday GranTurismo yet - Starting to get long in the tooth 33334
Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale 193 F £111,645 8/4691 454/7000 383/4750 1800kg 256 4.5 - - 188 + Brilliant blend of road racer and GT - Gearbox takes a little getting used to 33334
Mazda RX-8 122 F ’03-’11 2R/1308 228/8200 156/5500 1429kg 162 6.4 6.5 16.4 146 + Never mind the quirkiness, it’s a great drive - Wafer-thin torque output; thirsty (for petrol and oil) 33334
Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic Coupe 233 F £47,605 8/2996 362/5500 383/2000 1660kg 222 4.7 - - 155 + Fast and instilled with a real sense of quality - Not enough emphasis on fun 33332
Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe (W205) 229 F £70,385 8/3982 503/5500 516/1750 1725kg 296 3.9 4.3 100 155 + Mouth-watering mechanical package; better than an M4 - Light steering 33334

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 TheKnowledge

LB FT/ RPM
ISSUE NO.

0-100MPH
BHP/ RPM

MAX MPH
0-60MPH
0-62MPH
BHP/ TON
CYL /CC

WEIGHT
ENGINE

(CLAIMED)
PRICE

(TESTED)

(TESTED)
MAKE & MODEL RATING

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe (W204) 162 F ’11-’14 8/6208 451/6800 442/5000 1655kg 277 4.5 4.4 10.3 155 + A proper two-door M3 rival - C63 saloon looks better 33333
Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series (W204) 171 F ’12-’13 8/6208 510/6800 457/5200 1635kg 317 4.2 - - 186 + The C63 turned up to 11 - Too heavy; not as fiery as Black Series cars of old 33334
Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series 106 F ’07-’09 8/6208 500/6800 464/5250 1760kg 289 4.2 - - 186 + AMG goes Porsche-hunting - Dull-witted gearshift spoils the party 33334
Mercedes-Benz E400 4Matic Coupe 234 D £50,775 8/2996 328/5200 354/1600 1770kg 188 5.3 - - 155 + Good looks, classy cabin, relaxed performance - Not much here in the way of real thrills 33342
Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe 205 D £130,680 8/5461 577/5500 664/2250 1995kg 294 4.2 - - 155 + Thunderously fast S-class built for drivers - Lacks badge appeal of a Continental GT 33334
Mercedes-AMG S65 Coupe 209 D £188,550 12/5980 621/4800 737/2300 2110kg 299 4.1 - - 186 + Almighty power, fabulous luxury - Nearly £60k more than the S63! 33332
Mercedes-AMG GT 227 D £98,760 8/3982 456/6000 442/1600 1540kg 301 4.0 - - 189 + A true sports coupe that also does luxury - Takes time to reveal its talents 33332
Mercedes-AMG GT S 216 F £112,060 8/3982 503/6250 479/1750 1570kg 326 3.8 - - 193 + Fantastic chassis, huge grip - Artificial steering feel; downshifts could be quicker 33334
Nissan 370Z 204 F £29,180 6/3696 323/7000 268/5200 1496kg 219 5.3 - - 155 + Quicker, leaner, keener than 350Z - Not quite a Cayman-killer 33332
Nissan 370Z Nismo 209 F £39,375 6/3696 339/7400 274/5200 1496kg 230 5.2 - - 155 + Sharper looks, improved ride, extra thrills - Engine lacks sparkle 33334
Nissan 350Z 107 F ’03-’09 6/3498 309/6800 264/4800 1532kg 205 5.6 5.5 13.0 155 + Huge fun, and great value too - Muscle-car vibe not for everyone 33332
Nissan GT-R (2017MY) 230 F £81,875 6/3799 562/6800 470/3600 1752kg 326 2.7 - - 196 + More refinement, much improved interior, still fast - Feels a touch less alert 33334
Nissan GT-R Track Edition (2017MY) 229 D £93,875 6/3799 562/6800 470/3600 1745kg 327 2.7 - - 196 + GT-R regains its sharpness - Getting pricey these days 33333
Nissan GT-R Nismo (2017MY) 232 F £150,875 6/3799 592/6800 481/3600 1725kg 349 2.7 - - 196 + Incredibly focused - Still too firm to be at its best on UK roads 33334
Nissan GT-R (2012MY-2016MY) 238 F ’12-’16 6/3799 542/6400 466/3200 1740kg 316 2.7 3.2 7.5 196 + Even quicker and better than before - Stopping your Porsche-owning friends calling it a Datsun 33333
Nissan GT-R Track Edition (2016MY) 223 F ’15-’16 6/3799 542/6400 466/3200 1740kg 316 2.7 3.4 7.7 196 + Recreates much of the Nismo’s ability, without the rock-hard ride - Interior feels dated 33333
Nissan GT-R Nismo (2014MY) 205 F ’14-’16 6/3799 592/6800 481/3200 1720kg 350 2.6 - - 196 + Manages to make regular GT-R feel imprecise - Compromised by super-firm suspension 33334
Nissan GT-R (2010MY) 152 F ’10-’12 6/3799 523/6400 451/3200 1740kg 305 3.0 - - 194 + More powerful version of the original - But they’re not worlds apart to drive 33333
Nissan GT-R (2008MY) 125 F ’08-’10 6/3799 473/6400 434/3200 1740kg 276 3.8 - - 193 + Our 2008 Car of the Year - You won’t see 20mpg often 33333
Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) 196 F ’99-’02 6/2568 276/7000 289/4400 1560kg 180 4.8 4.7 12.5 165 + Big, brutal, and great fun - Needs more than the standard 276bhp 33333
Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33) 196 F ’97-’99 6/2568 276/6800 271/4400 1540kg 182 4.9 5.4 14.3 155 + Early proof that Japanese high-tech could work (superbly) - Limited supply 33333
Peugeot RCZ 1.6 THP 200 155 F ’09-’15 4/1598 197/5500 202/1700 1421kg 141 7.6 7.3 18.1 147 + Distinctive looks, highly capable handling - Could be a bit more exciting 33332
Peugeot RCZ R 209 F ’14-’15 4/1598 266/6000 243/1900 1280kg 211 5.9 - - 155 + Rewarding and highly effective when fully lit - Dated cabin, steering lacks feel 33334
Porsche 718 Cayman 229 D £42,897 4/1988 296/6500 280/1950 1335kg 225 5.1 - - 170 + Chassis remains a dream - Sounds like a Toyota GT86 33332
Porsche 718 Cayman S 230 F £51,853 4/2497 345/6500 310/1900 1355kg 259 4.6 4.4 - 177 + Faster and better to drive than ever - Bring earplugs 33334
Porsche Cayman S (981) 202 F ’13-’16 6/3436 321/7400 273/4500 1320kg 247 5.0 4.5 10.5 175 + The Cayman comes of age - Erm… 33333
Porsche Cayman GTS (981) 219 F ’14-’16 6/3436 335/7400 280/4750 1345kg 253 4.9 - - 177 + Tweaks improve an already sublime package - Slightly ‘aftermarket’ looks 33333
Porsche Cayman GT4 (981) 221 F ’15-’16 6/3800 380/7400 310/4750 1340kg 288 4.4 - - 183 + evo Car of the Year 2015 (even though the 991 GT3 RS was there!) - Second-hand prices 33333
Porsche Cayman S (987) 231 F ’06-’13 6/3436 316/7200 273/4750 1350kg 237 5.2 - - 172 + Still want that 911? - Yeah, us too 33334
Porsche Cayman R (987) 158 F ’11-’13 6/3436 325/7400 273/4750 1295kg 255 5.0 - - 175 + Total handling excellence - Styling additions not to all tastes 33333
Porsche 911 Carrera (991.2) 218 F £77,891 6/2981 365/6500 332/1700 1430kg 259 4.6 - - 183 + Forced induction hasn’t ruined the Carrera - Purists won’t be happy 33333
Porsche 911 Carrera S (991.2) 217 F £87,335 6/2981 414/6500 369/1700 1440kg 292 4.3 - - 191 + Blindingly fast - You’ll want the sports exhaust 33334
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS (991.2) 238 F £95,795 6/2981 444/6500 406/2150 1450kg 311 4.1 - - 193 + In rear-drive coupe format, it’s everything a 911 should be - Not all GTSs are rear-drive coupes 33333
Porsche 911 Carrera S (991.1) 201 F ’12-’15 6/3800 394/7400 324/5600 1415kg 283 4.5 4.3 9.5 188 + A Carrera with supercar pace - Electric steering robs it of some tactility 33334
Porsche 911 Carrera 4S (991.1) 179 F ’13-’15 6/3800 394/7400 324/5600 1465kg 273 4.5 - - 185 + More satisfying than rear-drive 991.1 Carreras - Choose your spec carefully 33333
Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS (991.1) 208 D ’15 6/3800 424/7500 324/5750 1470kg 293 4.4 - - 189 + The highlight of the 991.1 Carrera lineup - Pricey for a Carrera 33333
Porsche 911 Carrera S (997.2) 121 F ’08-’11 6/3800 380/6500 310/4400 1425kg 271 4.7 - - 188 + Poise, precision, blinding pace - Feels a bit clinical 33334
Porsche 911 Carrera S (997.1) 070 F ’04-’08 6/3824 350/6600 295/4600 1420kg 246 4.6 - - 182 + evo Car of the Year 2004 - Tech overload? 33333
Porsche 911 Carrera (996, 3.4) 008 F ’98-’01 6/3387 300/6800 258/4600 1320kg 231 5.2 - - 174 + evo Car of the Year 1998; beautifully polished - Some like a bit of rough 33333
Radical RXC Turbo 500R 227 D ’16 6/3496 600/6700 465/4200 1070kg* 561 2.8 - - 185 + Immense accessible performance - Fit, finish and detailing lack finesse 33334
Radical RXC Turbo 500 209 D ’15 6/3496 530/6100 481/5000 1100kg* 490 2.6 - - 185 + Huge performance, intuitive adjustability, track ability - Compromised for road use 33334
Radical RXC Turbo 205 F ’14 6/3496 454/6000 500/3600 940kg* 491 2.6 - - 185 + Eats GT3s for breakfast - Might not feel special enough for its price 33334
Radical RXC 189 F ’13 6/3700 350/6750 320/4250 900kg* 395 2.8 - - 175 + A real trackday weapon - Can’t match the insanity of a Caterham 620R 33334
Rolls-Royce Wraith 205 D £240,768 12/6592 624/5600 590/1500 2360kg 260 4.6 - - 155 + Refinement, chassis, drivetrain - Shared componentry lets cabin down 33334
Subaru BRZ 204 F £22,495 4/1998 197/7000 151/6400 1230kg 163 7.6 - - 140 + Fine chassis, great steering - Weak engine, not the slide-happy car they promised 33332
Toyota GT86 234 F £26,410 4/1998 197/7000 151/6400 1240kg 161 7.6 6.9 16.5 140 + More fun than its Subaru BRZ cousin - Same lack of torque, poor interior quality 33332
Toyota MR2 (Mk1) 237 F ’84-’89 4/1587 122/6600 105/5000 977kg 127 8.2 - - 124 + Mid-engined fun comes no more affordable - Finding a good one will take time 33334
TVR T350C 057 F ’03-’07 6/3605 350/7200 290/5500 1187kg 300 4.5 4.7 10.0 175 + Looks, engine - Unsupportive seats; chassis lacks ultimate polish 33332
TVR Sagaris 097 F ’05-’07 6/3996 406/7500 349/5000 1078kg 383 3.7 - - 185 + Looks outrageous - 406bhp feels a touch optimistic 33334
TVR Tuscan S (Mk2) 076 F ’05-’07 6/3996 400/7000 315/5250 1100kg 369 4.0 - - 185 + Possibly TVR’s best ever car - Aerodynamic ‘enhancements’ 33334
TVR Cerbera Speed Six 004 F ’98-’04 6/3996 350/6800 330/5000 1130kg 315 4.4 5.0 11.4 160+ + Accomplished and desirable - Check chassis for corrosion 33334
VW Scirocco GT 2.0 TSI / GTS 155 F £26,050 4/1984 217/4500 258/1500 1369kg 158 6.5 - - 153 + Golf GTI price and performance - Interior lacks flair 33332
VW Scirocco R 200 D £30,690 4/1984 276/6000 258/2500 1426kg 187 5.7 - - 155 + Great engine, grown-up dynamics - Perhaps a little too grown-up for some 33332

SUPERCARS
OUR CHOICE BEST OF THE REST
Ferrari 488 GTB. Its turbocharged V8 engine is spectacular, with unbelievably good throttle The Lamborghini Huracán Performante (left) makes an appealing alternative to the 488,
response, and it’s got the chassis to exploit it, too. The 488 is also a fully rounded, three- while the latest Porsche 911 GT3 is yet another outstanding Porsche Motorsport model
dimensional car: civilised, refined, smooth, intuitive and beautifully built. Clearly the work of a (but sadly another that’s difficult to actually buy). The McLaren 540C, 570S and 570GT,
meanwhile, are all corking entry-level supercars, as is the Audi R8 V10.
team of engineers at the top of their game.

Aston Martin Vanquish (Mk2) 203 F £192,995 12/5935 568/6650 465/5500 1739kg 332 3.8 - - 201 + Much better than the DBS it succeeds, especially in 2015MY form - It’s no Ferrari F12 33334
Aston Martin Vanquish S (Mk2) 235 F £199,950 12/5935 595/7000 465/5500 1739kg 348 3.5 3.9 8.3 201 + Noise, poise, drama and charm - Not as rounded as the DB11 33334
Aston Martin Vanquish S (Mk1) 110 F ’05-’07 12/5935 520/7000 425/5800 1875kg 282 4.8 4.9 10.1 200 + Vanquish joins the supercar greats - A tad intimidating at the limit 33333
Aston Martin One-77 179 F ’10-’12 12/7312 750/6000 553/7600 1740kg 438 3.7 - - 220+ + The engine, the looks, the drama - Gearbox hates manoeuvring; only 77 were made 33333
Audi R8 V10 234 F £123,330 10/5204 533/7800 398/6500 1595kg 340 3.5 - - 198 + All the R8 you really need - Some may hanker after a manual gearbox 33334
Audi R8 Spyder V10 235 F £132,020 10/5204 533/7800 398/6500 1720kg 315 3.6 3.2 7.2 197 + Open top even better for enjoying that V10 - Being mistaken for a poser; cramped seating 33332
Audi R8 V10 Plus 229 F £138,330 10/5204 602/8250 413/6500 1555kg 393 3.2 - - 205 + Timeless drivetrain, huge performance - Needs to be driven hard to really engage 33333
Audi R8 V10 181 D ’10-’15 10/5204 518/8000 391/6500 1620kg 325 4.1 3.9 8.4 194 + Real supercar feel - The V8 is cheaper, and still superb 33334
Audi R8 V10 Plus 190 F ’13-’15 10/5204 542/8000 398/6500 1570kg 351 3.8 - - 198 + An R8 fit to take on the 458 and 12C - Firm ride may be too much for some 33333
Audi R8 GT 169 F ’10-’12 10/5204 552/8000 398/6500 1520kg 369 3.6 - - 199 + Everything we love about the R8 - Not as hardcore as we wanted 33333
Audi R8 LMX 208 F ’15 10/5204 562/8000 398/6500 1595kg 358 3.4 - - 198 + More of everything that makes the R8 great - S-tronic transmission not perfect 33333
BMW M1 110 F ’78-’81 6/3500 277/6500 239/5000 1303kg 216 5.9 - - 161 + Early supercar icon - A bit under-endowed these days 33332
Bugatti Chiron 235 F c£2.5m 16/7993 1479/6700 1180/2000 1995kg 753 2.5 - - 261 + Backs up the numbers with feel and emotion - Limited top speed(!) 33333
Bugatti Veyron 16.4 134 F ’05-’11 16/7993 987/6000 922/2200 1888kg 531 2.5 2.8 5.8 253 + Superbly engineered four-wheel-drive quad-turbo rocket - Er, lacks luggage space? 33333
Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport 133 F ’09-’15 16/7993 987/6000 922/2200 1990kg 504 2.7 - - 253 + Warp speed and ferocious noise sans-roof - Ridiculous brolly/roof thing 33333
Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport 151 F ’10-’11 16/7993 1183/6400 1106/3000 1838kg 654 2.5 - - 258 + Was once the world’s fastest supercar - Limited to 258mph for us mere mortals 33333
Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse 185 F ’11-’15 16/7993 1183/6400 1106/3000 1990kg 604 2.6 - - 255 + Was the world’s fastest convertible - Limited to 258mph for us mere mortals 33333
Bugatti EB110 078 F ’91-’95 12/3500 552/8000 451/3750 1618kg 347 3.6 - - 213 + Superbly engineered four-wheel-drive quad-turbo rocket - It just fizzled out 33334
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 133 F ’09-’13 8/6162 638/6500 604/3800 1528kg 424 3.4 3.8 7.6 205 + Huge pace and character - Take plenty of brave pills if there’s rain 33342
Ferrari 488 GTB 228 F £183,984 8/3902 661/6500 561/3000 1475kg 455 3.0 - - 205+ + Staggeringly capable - Lacks a little of the 458’s heart and excitement 33333
Ferrari 488 Spider 216 D £204,411 8/3902 661/6500 561/3000 1525kg 440 3.0 - - 203+ + All the usual 488 thrills, but with the wind in your hair - See left 33333
 TheKnowledge

LB FT/ RPM
ISSUE NO.

0-100MPH
BHP/ RPM

MAX MPH
0-60MPH
0-62MPH
BHP/ TON
CYL /CC

WEIGHT
ENGINE

(CLAIMED)
PRICE

(TESTED)

(TESTED)
MAKE & MODEL RATING
Ferrari 458 Italia 221 F ’09-’15 8/4497 562/9000 398/6000 1485kg 384 3.4 3.2 6.8 202+ + An astounding achievement - Paddleshift only 33333
Ferrari 458 Speciale 203 F ’14-’15 8/4497 597/9000 398/6000 1395kg 435 3.0 - - 202+ + evo Car of the Year 2014 - If you don’t own a regular 458, nothing 33333
Ferrari F430 163 F ’04-’10 8/4308 483/8500 343/5250 1449kg 339 4.0 - - 196+ + Just brilliant - Didn’t you read the plus point? 33333
Ferrari 430 Scuderia 121 F ’07-’10 8/4308 503/8500 347/5250 1350kg 378 3.6 3.5 7.7 198 + Successful F1 technology transplant - Likes to shout about it 33333
Ferrari 360 Modena 163 F ’99-’04 8/3586 394/8500 275/4750 1390kg 288 4.5 - - 183+ + Worthy successor to 355 - Not quite as involving as it should be 33334
Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale 068 F ’03-’04 8/3586 420/8500 275/4750 1280kg 333 4.1 - - 186 + Totally exhilarating road-racer. It’s loud - It’s very, very loud 33333
Ferrari F355 Berlinetta 231 F ’94-’99 8/3496 374/8250 268/6000 1350kg* 281 4.7 - - 183 + Looks terrific, sounds even better - Are you kidding? 33333
Ferrari 812 Superfast 238 F £253,004 12/6496 789/8500 529/7000 1630kg 492 2.9 - - 211 + Over-delivers on your expectations in just about every department - Not a classic beauty 33333
Ferrari F12 Berlinetta 190 F ’12-’17 12/6262 730/8250 509/6000 1630kg 455 3.1 - - 211+ + 730bhp isn’t too much power for the road - Super-quick steering is an acquired taste 33333
Ferrari F12tdf 230 F £340,051 12/6262 769/8500 520/6250 1520kg 514 2.9 - - 211+ + Alarmingly fast - Doesn’t flow like a 458 Speciale 33334
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano 101 F ’06-’12 12/5999 611/7600 448/5600 1690kg 368 3.7 3.5 7.4 205 + evo Car of the Year 2006 - Banks are getting harder to rob 33333
Ferrari 599 GTO 161 F ’11-’12 12/5999 661/8250 457/6500 1605kg 418 3.4 - - 208+ + One of the truly great Ferraris - Erm, the air con isn’t very good 33333
Ferrari 575M Fiorano Handling Pack 200 F ’02-’06 12/5748 508/7250 434/5250 1688kg 298 3.7 4.2 9.6 205+ + Fiorano pack makes 575 truly great - It should have been standard 33333
Ferrari 550 Maranello 169 F ’96-’02 12/5474 478/7000 420/5000 1690kg 287 4.4 - - 199 + Everything - Nothing 33333
Ferrari GTC4 Lusso 225 D £230,430 12/6262 680/8000 514/5750 1920kg 360 3.4 - - 208 + Rear-wheel steering increases agility - Not as engaging as other Ferraris 33334
Ferrari FF 194 F ’11-’15 12/6262 651/8000 504/6000 1880kg 347 3.7 - - 208 + Four seats and 4WD, but a proper Ferrari - Looks divide opinion 33333
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti 090 F ’04-’11 12/5748 533/7250 434/5250 1875kg 289 4.0 4.3 9.8 199 + Awesomely capable grand tourer - See above 33333
Ferrari LaFerrari 203 F ’13-’15 12/6262 950/9000 664/6750 1574kg 613 3.0 - - 217+ + Perhaps the greatest Ferrari ever - Brakes lack a touch of precision on track 33333
Ferrari Enzo 203 F ’02-’04 12/5999 651/7800 485/5500 1365kg 485 3.7 3.5 6.7 217+ + Intoxicating, exploitable - Cabin detailing falls short of a Zonda or F1 ’s 33333
Ferrari F50 186 F ’95-’97 12/4699 513/8500 347/6500 1230kg* 424 3.9 - - 202 + A better drivers’ Ferrari than the 288, F40 or Enzo - Not better looking, though 33333
Ferrari F40 222 F ’87-’92 8/2936 471/7000 426/4000 1100kg* 437 4.1 - - 201 + Brutally fast - It’s in the dictionary under ‘turbo lag’ 33333
Ford GT 236 F $450,000 6/3497 647/6250 550/5900 1385kg* 475 2.8 - - 216 + Everything it does on track - Too many of the things it does on the road 33332
Ford GT 200 F ’04-’06 8/5409 550/6500 500/3750 1583kg 353 3.9 - - 205 + Our 2005 Car of the Year - Don’t scalp yourself getting in 33333
Hennessey Venom GT 180 F ’11-’17 8/7000 1244/6500 1155/4000 1244kg 1016 2.5 - - 270 + 0-200mph in 14.5sec, and it handles too - Looks like an Exige 33333
Honda NSX 233 F £144,765 6/3493 573 476/2000 1776kg 328 2.9 3.0 6.9 191 + Blisteringly quick and brilliantly engineered - Limited range on a full tank 33333
Honda NSX (NA2) 188 F ’97-’05 6/3179 276/7300 224/5300 1410kg 196 5.7 - - 168 + ‘The useable supercar’ - 276bhp sounds a bit weedy today 33334
Honda NSX-R (NA2) 100 F ’02-’03 6/3179 276/7300 224/5300 1270kg 221 4.4 - - 168 + evo Car of the Year 2002 - Hard to find in the UK 33333
Jaguar XJ220 157 F ’92-’94 6/3498 542/7200 475/4500 1470kg 375 3.7 - - 213 + Britain’s greatest supercar… - …until McLaren built the F1 33332
Koenigsegg One:1 202 F c£2.0m 8/5065 1341/7500 1011/6000 1360kg 1002 2.9 - - 273 + One of the most powerful cars we’ve tested - It’s sold out, not that we couldn’t afford one anyway 33333
Koenigsegg Agera R 180 F ’11-’14 8/5032 1124/7100 885/2700 1435kg 796 2.8 - - 273 + As fast and exciting as your body can handle - It’s Veyron money 33333
Koenigsegg CCXR Edition 118 F ’08-’10 8/4800 1004/7000 796/5600 1280kg* 797 2.9 - - 250+ + One of the world’s fastest cars - Spiky power delivery 33333
Lamborghini Huracán RWD 229 F £155,400 10/5204 572/8000 397/6500 1389kg* 385 3.4 - - 199 + More seductive than the 4WD Huracán - Feels like there’s more to come 33334
Lamborghini Huracán 209 D £186,760 10/5204 602/8250 413/6500 1422kg* 430 3.2 - - 201+ + Defies the numbers; incredible point-to-point pace - Takes work to find its sweet-spot 33334
Lamborghini Huracán Performante 237 F £215,000 10/5204 631/8000 442/6500 1382kg* 464 2.9 - - 201+ + The realisation of the Huracán’s seemingly ever elusive potential - Kitchen-worktop carbonfibre 33333
Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 180 D ’08-’13 10/5204 552/8000 398/6500 1410kg* 398 3.7 - - 202 + Still a missile from A to B - Feels a little dated next to some rivals 33332
Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Balboni 138 F ’09-’10 10/5204 542/8000 398/6500 1380kg* 399 3.9 - - 199 + Mad, rear-wheel-drive Lambo - Limited numbers 33334
Lamborghini LP570-4 Superleggera 152 F ’10-’13 10/5204 562/8000 398/6500 1340kg* 426 3.4 3.5 - 202 + Less weight and more power than original Superleggera - LP560-4 runs it very close 33334
Lamborghini Gallardo 094 F ’03-’08 10/4961 513/8000 376/4250 1430kg* 364 4.0 4.3 9.4 196 + On a full-bore start it spins all four wheels. Cool - Slightly clunky e-gear 33334
Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera 104 F ’07-’08 10/4961 522/8000 376/4250 1420kg* 373 3.8 - 196 + Lighter, more agile - Grabby carbon brakes, clunky e-gear 33334
Lamborghini Aventador 194 F £260,040 12/6498 690/8250 509/5500 1575kg* 445 2.9 - - 217 + Most important new Lambo since the Countach - Can feel a little clumsy 33333
Lamborghini Aventador S 233 F £271,146 12/6498 730/8400 509/5500 1575kg* 471 2.9 - - 217 + A more agile, more connected Aventador - Erm… expensive? 33333
Lamborghini Aventador SV 216 F £321,723 12/6498 740/8400 509/5500 1525kg* 493 2.8 - - 217+ + More exciting than the standard Aventador - ISR gearbox inconsistent 33333
Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 093 F ’06-’11 12/6496 631/8000 487/6000 1665kg* 385 3.8 - - 211 + Compelling old-school supercar - You’d better be on your toes 33333
Lamborghini Murciélago LP670-4 SV 200 F ’09-’11 12/6496 661/8000 487/6500 1565kg* 429 3.3 3.2 7.3 212 + A supercar in its truest, wildest sense - Be prepared for stares 33333
Lamborghini Murciélago 089 D ’01-’06 12/6192 572/7500 479/5400 1650kg* 351 4.0 - - 206 + Gorgeous, capable and incredibly friendly - V12 feels stressed 33333
Lamborghini Diablo VT 6.0 019 F ’00-’02 12/5992 543/7100 457/5500 1625kg* 343 3.9 - - 208 + Best-built, best-looking Diablo of all - People’s perceptions 33334
Lexus LFA/LFA Nürburgring 200 F ’10-’12 10/4805 552/8700 354/6800 1480kg 379 3.7 - - 202 + Absurd and compelling supercar - Badge and price don’t quite match 33333
Maserati MC12 079 F ’04-’05 12/5998 621/7500 481/5500 1445kg 437 3.8 - - 205 + Rarer than an Enzo - The Ferrari’s better 33332
McLaren 540C 234 F £126,000 8/3799 533/7500 398/3500 1311kg* 413 3.5 - - 199 + An excellent junior supercar - The 570S is still better to drive 33333
McLaren 570S 229 F £145,305 8/3799 562/7500 443/5000 1440kg 397 3.2 - - 204 + A truly fun and engaging sports car - McLaren doesn’t call it a supercar! 33333
McLaren 570S Track Pack 235 D £159,750 8/3799 562/7500 443/5000 1415kg 404 3.2 - - 204 + Feels like a 675LT that’s been dialled down a couple of notches - Engine response lacks edge 33333
McLaren 570GT 228 F £154,000 8/3799 562/7500 443/5000 1495kg 382 3.4 - - 204 + Blurs the line between grand tourer and supercar brilliantly - 570S is more involving 33333
McLaren 720S 236 F £208,600 8/3994 710/7250 568/5500 1283kg* 562 2.9 - - 212 + Astonishingly, effortlessly fast - Oddly unexciting 33334
McLaren 650S 196 F ’14-’17 8/3799 641/7250 500/6000 1428kg 456 3.0 - - 207 + Better brakes, balance and looks than 12C; more power too - Which all comes at a price 33334
McLaren 675LT 228 F ’15-’17 8/3799 666/7100 516/5500 1328kg 510 2.9 - - 205 + Runner-up at eCoty 2015; asks questions of the P1 - Aventador price tag 33333
McLaren 675LT Spider 222 D ’16-’17 8/3799 666/7100 516/5500 1368kg 495 2.9 - - 203 + Spectacularly fast; involving, too - Might mess up your hair 33333
McLaren 12C 228 F ’11-’14 8/3799 616/7500 442/3000 1434kg 435 3.3 - - 207 + Staggering performance, refinement - Engine noise can be grating 33332
McLaren P1 228 F ’13-’15 8/3799 903/7500 664/4000 1490kg 616 2.8 - - 217 + Freakish breadth of ability - At its mind-bending best on track 33333
McLaren F1 228 F ’94-’98 12/6064 627/7500 479/4000 1138kg 560 3.2 - - 240 + Still the most single-minded supercar ever - There’ll never be another 33333
Mercedes-AMG GT R 236 F £143,260 8/3982 577/6250 516/1900 1555kg 377 3.6 3.3 7.1 198 + Fun and blisteringly fast; a true rival for the 911 GT3 - A touch showy, perhaps 33333
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG 159 F ’10-’15 8/6208 563/6800 479/4750 1620kg 335 3.9 4.1 8.4 197 + Great engine and chassis (gullwing doors too!) - Slightly tardy gearbox 33333
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series 204 F ’13-’15 8/6208 622/7400 468/5500 1550kg 408 3.6 - - 196 + Stunning engine, superb body control - Be careful on less-than-smooth roads… 33333
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 228 F ’03-’07 8/5439 617/6500 575/3250 1693kg 370 3.8 - - 208 + Zonda-pace, 575-style drivability - Dreadful brake feel 33332
Noble M600 186 F c£200,000 8/4439 650/6800 604/3800 1198kg* 551 3.5 3.8 7.7 225 + Spiritual successor to the Ferrari F40 - It’s a bit pricey 33333
Pagani Huayra 185 F c£1m 12/5980 720/5800 737/2250 1350kg* 542 3.3 - - 224 + Our joint 2012 Car of the Year - Engine isn’t as nape-prickling as the Zonda’s 33333
Pagani Zonda 760RS 170 F £1.5m 12/7291 750/6300 575/4500 1210kg* 630 3.3 - - 217+ + One of the most extreme Zondas ever - One of the last Zondas ever (probably) 33333
Pagani Zonda S 7.3 096 F ’02-’05 12/7291 555/5900 553/4050 1280kg* 441 3.7 - - 220 + evo Car of the Year 2001 (in earlier 7.0 form) - Values have gone up a fair bit since then 33333
Pagani Zonda F 186 F ’05-’06 12/7291 602/6150 575/4000 1230kg* 497 3.6 - - 214+ + Everything an Italian supercar ought to be - Looks a bit blingy next to a Carrera GT 33333
Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster 147 D ’09-’10 12/7291 669/6200 575/4000 1210kg* 562 3.4 - - 217+ + The best Zonda ever - Doesn’t come up in the classifieds often 33333
Porsche 911 GT3 (991.2) 236 F £111,802 6/3996 493/8250 339/6000 1413kg 355 3.9 - - 198 + Almost impossible to criticise - Not the easiest car to place an order for 33333
Porsche 911 GT3 (991.1) 206 F ’16-’16 6/3799 468/8250 324/6250 1430kg 333 3.5 - - 196 + evo Car of the Year 2013 - PDK only 33333
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (991.1) 223 F ’15-’16 6/3996 493/8250 339/6250 1420kg 353 3.3 3.0 7.1 193 + Sensationally good to drive - The Cayman GT4 is even better 33333
Porsche 911 R (991.1) 229 F ’16 6/3996 493/8250 339/6250 1370kg 366 3.8 - - 200 + evo Car of the Year 2016 - Limited availability 33333
Porsche 911 GT3 (997.2) 182 F ’09-’11 6/3797 429/7600 317/6250 1395kg 312 4.1 4.2 9.2 194 + Even better than the car it replaced - Give us a minute… 33333
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (3.8, 997.2) 200 F ’10-’11 6/3797 444/7900 317/6750 1370kg 329 4.0 - - 193 + We named it our favourite car from the first 200 issues of evo - For people like us, nothing 33333
Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 (997.2) 187 F ’11-’12 6/3996 493/8250 339/5750 1360kg 368 3.8 - - 193 + evo Car of the Year 2011 - Unforgiving on-road ride; crazy used prices 33333
Porsche 911 GT2 RS (997.2) 204 F ’10-’13 6/3600 611/6500 516/2250 1370kg 453 3.5 - - 205 + More powerful than a Carrera GT. Handles, too - Erm… 33333
Porsche 911 GT3 (997.1) 182 F ’07-’09 6/3600 409/7600 298/5500 1395kg 298 4.3 4.3 9.4 192 + Runner-up at evo Car of the Year 2006 - Ferrari 599 GTBs 33333
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997.1) 105 F ’07-’09 6/3600 409/7600 298/5500 1375kg 302 4.2 - - 193 + evo Car of the Year 2007 - A chunk more money than the already brilliant GT3 33333
Porsche 911 GT3 (996.2) 221 F ’03-’05 6/3600 375/7400 284/5000 1380kg 272 4.5 4.3 9.2 190 + evo Car of the Year 2003 - Chassis a bit too track-focused for some roads 33333
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (996.2) 068 F ’04-’05 6/3600 375/7400 284/5000 1360kg 280 4.4 - - 190 + An even more focused version of the superb GT3 - Limited supply 33333
Porsche 911 GT2 (996.2) 072 F ’04-’06 6/3600 475/5700 472/3500 1420kg 338 4.0 - - 198 + Revisions made it even more of a star than the 456bhp 996.1 GT2 - Care still required 33333
Porsche 911 GT3 (996.1) 182 F ’99-’01 6/3600 360/7200 273/5000 1350kg 271 4.8 4.5 10.3 187 + evo Car of the Year 1999 - Porsche didn’t build enough 33333
Porsche 911 Turbo (991.2) 234 F £128,692 6/3800 533/6400 524/1950 1595kg 340 3.0 - - 198 + Makes the Turbo S seem unnecessary - But you still would… 33333
Porsche 911 Turbo S (991.2) 223 F £147,540 6/3800 572/6750 553/2250 1600kg 363 2.9 2.6 6.0 205 + Enormous performance - Not as thrilling as some rivals 33333
Porsche 911 Turbo S (991.1) 217 F ’13-’15 6/3800 552/6500 553/2200 1605kg 349 3.1 - - 197 + Superb everyday supercar - At times disguises the thrills it can offer 33333
Porsche 911 Turbo (997.2) 218 F ’09-’13 6/3800 493/6000 479/1950 1570kg 319 3.7 3.2 7.3 194 + The Turbo at the very top of its game - Favours outright grip over adjustability 33333
Porsche 911 Turbo (997.1) 094 F ’06-’09 6/3600 472/6000 457/1950 1585kg 303 3.7 4.0 8.7 193 + Monster cornering ability - A bit woolly on its standard settings 33333
Porsche 911 Turbo (996) 017 F ’00-’06 6/3600 414/6000 413/2700 1540kg 273 4.2 4.1 10.0 190 + evo Car of the year 2000; the 911 for all seasons - We can’t find any reasons 33333
Porsche 911 Turbo (993) 066 F ’95-’98 6/3600 402/5750 398/4500 1500kg 272 4.3 - - 180 + Stupendous all-weather supercar - It doesn’t rain enough 33333
Porsche 918 Spyder 233 F ’13-’15 8/4593 875/8500 944/6600 1674kg 531 2.6 - - 211 + Blistering performance; cohesive hybrid tech - Added weight and complexity 33333
Porsche Carrera GT 200 F ’04-’06 10/5733 604/8000 435/5750 1380kg 445 3.9 - - 205 + Felt ahead of its time - Needs modern tyres to tame its spikiness 33333
Ruf CTR ‘Yellowbird’ 097 F ’87-’89 6/3366 469/5950 408/5100 1170kg 345 4.8 - - 211 + A true legend - We can’t all drive like Stefan Roser 33333

www.evo.co.uk 167
Track times
= new this month. Red denotes the car is the fastest in its class on that track.

ANGLESEY COASTAL CIRCUIT

B R AN D N E W!
Anglesey, UK, GPS 53.188372, -4.496385, LENGTH 1.55 miles

Car Lap time issue no. YouTube

BAC Mono 2.5 (fastest sports car) 1:07.7 229 Yes
Radical RXC Turbo 500 (fastest coupe) 1:10.5 - Yes
McLaren P1 (on Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tyres) (fastest supercar) 1:11.2 200 Yes
Porsche 918 Spyder 1:12.4 200 Yes
McLaren P1 1:12.6 200 Yes
Ferrari 488 GTB 1:12.8 228 Yes
McLaren 675LT 1:12.8 228 Yes
Porsche 911 GT3 (991.2) 1:13.4 236 Yes
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (991.1) 1:13.6 - Yes
Porsche 911 Turbo S (991.1) 1:13.6 - Yes
Ferrari 458 Speciale 1:14.2 198 Yes
McLaren 570S 1:14.5 - Yes
Porsche 911 Turbo (991.1) 1:15.2 210 Yes
Aston Martin Vantage GT12 1:16.0 214 Yes
Nissan GT-R (2014MY) 1:16.9 210 Yes
Mercedes-AMG GT S 1:17.0 210 Yes
Porsche 911 Carrera (991.1) 1:17.8 199 Yes
Porsche Cayman (981) 1:18.9 209 -
Aston Martin N430 1:19.1 210 -
Lotus Exige S (V6) 1:19.1 209 -
SEAT Leon Cupra 280 Sub8 (fastest hot hatch) 1:19.1 212 Yes
BMW M4 1:19.2 199 Yes
BMW i8 1:19.4 210 -
Honda Civic Type R (FK2) 1:19.5 212 -
Renaultsport Mégane Trophy 275 1:19.6 212 -
BMW M5 Competition Pack (F10M) (fastest saloon) 1:19.7 - Yes
Audi TTS (Mk3) 1:19.9 209 -
Audi R8 V8 (Mk1) 1:20.1 201 -
BMW M135i 1:20.4 212 -
Nissan 370Z Nismo 1:20.5 209 -

BEDFORD AUTODROME WEST CIRCUIT

Bedfordshire, UK, GPS 52.235133, -0.474321, LENGTH 1.8 miles

SEAT Leon Cupra 280 Ultimate Sub8 (fastest hot hatch) 1:23.1 215 -
From the
Renaultsport Mégane 275 Trophy-R
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (fastest saloon)
Mercedes-AMG C63 S Saloon
1:23.6
1:23.6
1:24.0
215
237
211
Yes
-
Yes
publishers of
VW Golf GTI Clubsport S 1:24.1 227 -
SEAT Leon Cupra 290 (on optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres) 1:24.2 227 -
Ford Focus RS (Mk3, on optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres) 1:24.6 227 -
Honda Civic Type R (FK2, on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres)
BMW M3 Competition Package (F80)
VW Golf R (Mk7)
1:24.6
1:24.7
1:26.1
227
237
-
-
-
Yes
and
Audi RS3 Sportback (2015MY) 1:26.6 - Yes
Ford Fiesta ST Mountune 1:29.5 213 -
Mazda MX-5 2.0i Sport (Mk4) (fastest sports car) 1:29.8 - Yes
Toyota GT86 (fastest coupe) 1:29.9 - Yes

BLYTON PARK OUTER CIRCUIT

Lincolnshire, UK, GPS 53.460093, -0.688666, LENGTH 1.6 miles

Ariel Atom 3.5R (fastest sports car) 0:58.9 205 -

O N SALE N OW !
Available in WHSmith...
Radical RXC Turbo (fastest coupe) 1:00.4 205 Yes
BAC Mono 1:01.4 189 -
Porsche 911 GT2 RS (997.2) (fastest supercar) 1:01.8 204 Yes
Porsche 911 GT3 (991.1) 1:01.9 205 Yes
Caterham Seven 620R 1:02.1 189 -
Nissan GT-R Nismo
Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series
1:02.1
1:02.5
205
204
Yes
Yes And all leading newsagents
Pagani Huayra 1:02.5 177 -
McLaren 12C 1:02.7 187 -
Radical RXC 1:02.9 189 -
Ariel Atom 3.5 310 1:03.4 189 -
Audi R8 V10 Plus (Mk1) 1:03.4 - Yes
Porsche Cayman GT4 1:03.6 221 Yes
Lotus Exige S (V6) 1:04.4 177 -

BE THE FIRST
Porsche 911 Carrera (991.1) 1:05.1 177 -
Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 1:05.1 220 Yes
Porsche 911 GT3 (997) 1:05.2 - Yes
Porsche Boxster S (981) 1:05.5 177 -
Porsche Cayman GTS (981) 1:05.5 - Yes

TO SUBSCRIBE
Porsche Cayman S (981) 1:05.5 189 -
Caterham Seven 420R 1:05.7 220 Yes
Vuhl 05 1:06.5 220 Yes
Zenos E10 S 1:06.6 214 -
Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series 1:06.9 177 -
Renaultsport Mégane 275 Trophy-R (fastest hot hatch) 1:07.3 205 Yes
SEAT Leon Cupra 280 Sub8 1:07.6 220 -
BMW M135i 1:07.7 177 -
Porsche Cayman (981) 1:07.7 - Yes

ENZO-MAGAZINE.CO.UK
BMW M235i 1:08.7 - Yes
Mini John Cooper Works GP (R56) 1:08.7 181 -
Renaultsport Mégane R26.R 1:08.9 181 -
VW Golf GTI Performance Pack (Mk7) 1:10.3 192 -
Toyota GT86 1:12.8 177 -

168 www.evo.co.uk
 AudiDRIVER2017
INTERNATIONAL III

THE GREATEST DAY OF THE YEAR FOR AUDI ENTHUSIASTS!

DRIVE YDOIUORN EVO

REA
VW/AU K! SPECIALDOEFR
TRACWELCOME* USE “EVO1 FER
SPECTATORSY FEE £10
*ENTR AT CHECKO 7”
UT

FAST-LAP TRACK SESSIONS / SHOW ’N’ SHINE / CLUB DISPLAYS / TRADERS / PARADE LAPS

Saturday 16th September

Castle Combe Circuit, Wiltshire

BOOK YOUR AUDI SOME TRACKTIME NOW AND SAVE

www.audidriverinternational.co.uk
T&Cs - Book online at www.audidriverinternational.co.uk. Discounted tracktime offer for EVO readers is a limited time offer and may be withdrawn.
Spectator entry tickets £10 online* and on the gate. *Booking fee applies. All Volkswagen Audi Group cars welcome. Children under 16 free. Warning motorsport can be dangerous.
FINAL FRAME

T H E N Ü R B U R G R I N G AT 9 0
A key contributor to our 90th anniversary celebration for the iconic German track, evo’s Richard Meaden has raced at the Nürburgring on several occasions, experiencing
ecstatic highs and distressing lows. Here he is in an Aston Martin V8 Vantage at the 2014 Nürburgring 24 Hours, heading towards a second-in-class podium finish.