Car Dealer road test of the year 2015 by James Baggott

Business Publication of the Year

Issue 91 | October 2015 | CarDealerMag.co.uk | Â£3.50

The Class of 2015 HONDA CIVIC TYPE R JAGUAR F-TYPE R AWD MAZDA MX-5 LEXUS RC F BMW i8 MERCEDES AMG GT S McLAREN 650S SPIDER MSO

FEATURE.

Introduction: JAMES BAGGOTT Photography: JONATHAN FLEETWOOD Location: NORTH WALES

MERCEDES AMG GT S PAGE 66

McLAREN 650S SPIDER MSO PAGE 62

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JAGUAR F-TYPE R COUPE AWD PAGE 68

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BMW i8 PAGE 70

MAZDA MX-5 PAGE 64 HONDA CIVIC TYPE R PAGE 60

LEXUS RC F PAGE 58

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FEATURE.

Our Road Test of the Year collection brings together more than £600,000-worth of metal for an epic four days of testing in north Wales, but with such an interesting mix who will be crowned champion? James Baggott introduces our contenders

’ve been left behind. I’m waiting at the north Welsh B&B we call base for four days of Road Test of the Year goodness and I’m itching to get out like a four-year-old in Clarks. The rest of the team are long gone. By now they’ll be in fifth gear, all loud revs, angry exhausts and smiles. But here I am sat twiddling my thumbs, waiting for the final piece of our jigsaw puzzle to arrive. And I’m clucking like an addict. Luckily I don’t have to wait too long. A farmer arrives at the B&B – shouting Welsh and not a word of English – he’s waving his arms about like he’s lost his flock to wolves. It soon transpires it’s not sheep murder that’s got him flapping, but a Mercedes – the very GT S I’ve been waiting for, no less. I manage to work out, thanks to some impromptu sign language, that the delivery driver is stuck and the car we’ve been waiting for is wedged up the road. Brilliant. I thank Wavy Farmer Man and head around the corner, where a flustered truck driver is attempting to negotiate some very tight corners after releasing our last arrival for this year’s RTOTY. Thankfully, getting him out of Denbigh isn’t as hard as it was for him to get in and we’re soon on our way, sat low and comfortable in a car I’ve been waiting all year to get my hands on. The Mercedes GT S is still so in demand from the UK’s automotive press that the usual weeklong loans have been cut to just two days. Well, at least that’s what we were told. Still, you won’t hear us complaining – this is a special car and Mercedes has delivered it straight to the door of God’s own car testing playground. The GT S is in exalted company too. This year’s line-up is an eclectic mix of supercar and supersaloon with a pinch of sports car 52 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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The delivery driver is stuck and the car we’ve been waiting for is wedged up the road. Brilliant.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 53

FEATURE.

and hot hatch thrown in for seasoning. For the uninitiated, an invite to RTOTY is a simple one: Cars have to be newsworthy, fun and on sale in the past 12 months. The newer they are, the better. To find our winner we use a scientific matrix that scores our contenders in a variety of categories – placing fun, desirability and thrills at the top of our agenda. And let’s face it: fun, desirable cars sell, and that’s exactly what you want in your showrooms. This year’s line-up is led by the £215,250 McLaren 650S Spider. But this is no ordinary McLaren – as if there’s anything of the sort – this model is by McLaren Special Operations, or MSO for short. That means it’s been tinkered with by the Woking firm’s elite, clothed in even more carbon fibre and made even more exclusive and expensive. It’s a head-turner, that’s for sure. Joining the McLaren and Mercedes (strange seeing them in the same sentence now) is BMW’s hybrid supercar, the i8. We were lucky enough to spend a few days with one of these earlier this year, albeit it in Gosport, and even a little over a year since launch it still turns heads like something from outer space. But has it still got enough to impress in this tough company? Representing the stiff British upper lip is Jaguar’s F Type. This is the third year in a row we’ve had the pleasure of its company, but now it’s got all-wheel drive and is a lot more stickier. It’s no less enthralling and even more intoxicating in anti-social V8 spec. Lovely. We’ve got a trio from Japan. First up is the Honda Civic Type R, a car that has had a campaign period longer than a president of the United States. First mooted in what feels like 1979, it’s finally here – all flaps, slits and angry gills. Oh, and a spoiler so big you could picnic off it. But can it live up to that window dressing? Lexus has served up its RC F. This is the most powerful V8 road car Lexus has ever built with a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 producing 470bhp. Oh, and it’s orange, oh so very orange. Mazda, meanwhile, has been more conservative with its colour schemes, sending us an MX-5 in what can only be described as doom blue. We’ve got it in 2.0-litre trim – and we’ve been promised giant slaying things from those that have driven it. Could it throw a spanner in the works? My drive to our second RTOTY home, a gravel car park at the side of a windswept A543, is a brisk one in the GT S. The Mercedes feels unusual after my six-hour drive up the day before in the 650S. It’s longer, more nose-heavy, but brutally quick. And that noise – my God, the noise. I park up the GT S next to our hopefuls and smile. These are going to be an interesting few days. Better fire up the fuel card and crack on. 54 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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The Honda Civic Type R is finally here – all flaps, slits and angry gills. Oh, and a spoiler so big you could picnic off it.

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FEATURE.

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This year’s line-up is an eclectic mix of supercar and supersaloon with a pinch of sports car and hot hatch thrown in for seasoning.

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FEATURE.

“ Y

Talented it may be, but fun? I’m not so sure. The steering is way too light for my liking

ou’ve got to feel for Lexus really, haven’t you? Not only does the maker still have to play second fiddle to the famous trio of German rivals when it comes to sales, but there does seem to be a bit of a ‘cool’ deficiency across its entire range at the minute. It was as I was pondering this, cruising quietly through a sleepy Welsh town, that something strange happened – a group of ‘yoofs’ actually stopped in their tracks and pointed as I went by. Oh right... it’s bright orange, isn’t it? You do get the impression that Lexus really is trying to add some sparkle to showrooms with the RC F. Aside from dressing it in some of Ford’s leftover Mk2 Focus ST paint there’s plenty to make it stand out – muscular styling on the outside, carbon-fibre-look trim all over the inside, and a pair of surprisingly firm sports seats to park 58 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

your backside on. That’s before you start it up, too. Lexus hasn’t caught the engine downsizing bug, so there’s no teeny four-pot with a turbo here: the RC F is endowed with a hefty 5.0-litre V8, pumping out 471bhp. Don’t imagine that it’s made a crude bruiser of a machine, though – there’s a smorgasbord of clever technology under the skin, including an optional torque vectoring differential, something that Lexus boasts is a first on a front-engined rearwheel-drive car. Has any of it worked? Well, sort of. Let’s start with that engine: Yes it’s powerful, and yes it’s incredibly refined for a thumping

great V8, but it does seem to lack urgency lower down the rev range. Then there’s the gearbox. It’s an eightspeed automatic, which sounds space-age but feels anything but. Changes are jerky, often feel delayed, and when you’re stuck behind a lorry doing 50mph in eighth, that third gear overtaking-zone power band is a frustrating number of downshifts away. Get the RC F in the right gear, though, and it’s a real force to be reckoned with. Beyond 4,000rpm the V8 suddenly jumps into life – throwing you back into your seat with hilarious might. The torque vectoring diff does sanitise the RC F of any rear-end waywardness, but there’s no arguing with the way it helps eat up corners, even on the undulating Welsh tarmac we visited again and again. Talented it may be, but fun? I’m not so sure. The steering is way too light for my liking, while

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The knowledge:

Lexus RC F

Price (as tested): £65,120 Engine: 5.0-litre V8 petrol Power: 471bhp, 530Nm Top speed: 168mph (limited) 0-60: 4.5s Fuel economy: 26.2mpg (comb’d) Emission: 252g/km

the car as a whole feels too big and heavy. I suspect it’s not the most balanced bit of kit either – BMW this is not. Irritatingly, the RC F isn’t much good at being a Lexus either. I was hoping to waft home like a retired bank manager coming back from the golf club, but the sports suspension – about the only thing without nine different settings – is just a touch too jarring to be relaxing. It’s not perfect then, the RC F, but curiously I rather bonded with it after 600 miles of driving. Are there better all-rounders out there? Absolutely, but that’s not to say Lexus doesn’t deserve a bit of credit for what’s still a pretty appealing package.

Jon Reay Tech boy @JonReay CarDealerMag.co.uk | 59

FEATURE.

ou know the old Peperami ad – ‘it’s a bit of an animal’? Well, the Honda Civic Type R we took to north Wales falls into that category. Actually, scrub that – it’s a LOT of an animal. And if ever there was a car designed with the RTOTY gang in mind, this was it – displaying a combination of aggressive power, brute force and good old-fashioned driving thrills. And those looks! The stunning styling might be a bit Marmite to some but we were big fans of the two-tone blue and red trim on our car and the new-look rear wing for 2015, which helps to optimise downforce without increasing drag at higher speeds. In other words, this (not very subtle) spoiler helps to keep the monstrous Type R firmly planted on the road when you’re pushing the red needle to the limit. After grabbing the keys from video man Nigel, it was time to head up to the foothills of Snowdonia with the others, and I did so with a big stupid grin on my face. It was great fun, and keeping up with the leaders of the RTOTY pack was not an issue as our very expensive convoy snaked out into a bleak and barren landscape where we’d planned to base ourselves for a few days. Honda says the 2015 Civic Type R delivers one of the most immersive and rewarding driving experiences available in any sector – and it’s not wrong. With its aggressive aerodynamic styling and high-performance engine, plus its clever new chassis technologies and that downforce, RF15 VXP fitted the bill perfectly as we explored our favourite driving roads. Its blistering performance is unmatched in the front-wheel-drive hot-hatch segment. The 0-60mph sprint is covered in just 5.6 seconds, and its top speed is 167mph. It’s impossible not to feel good when you’re behind the wheel. I found its six-speed manual gearbox fabulously slick, the steering well weighted, and it holds the road superbly well in high-speed corners. The dashboard display is suitably in-your-face and you feel completely cocooned in the comfortable and supportive sports seats. Flick it into +R mode – designed for track days – and the dash becomes even more vivid, while the driving experience is intensified still further. Engine response is heightened, with torque mapping changed to a more aggressive, performance-focused setting. OK, I wasn’t on a track, but there was definitely the chance to have some fun, with the bends and bridges of the Snowdonia National Park refreshingly free of traffic when compared with our normal surroundings of crowded southern England. In short, it’s awesome. And as we 60 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

arrived at the Llyn Brenig visitor centre in the heart of the Denbigh Moors for a well-deserved coffee after a morning’s photography, video work and note-taking, the Type R certainly came in for its fair share of attention, despite not being the biggest or the most exclusive member of our RTOTY 2015 grouping. What is it they say about the best thing coming in small packages?

Dave Brown Production editor @CarDealerDave

The knowledge:

Honda Civic Type R Price: £29,995 Engine: 2.0-litre VTEC Power: 306bhp/400Nm Max speed: 167mph 0-60mph: 5.6 seconds MPG (comb’d): 38.7 Emissions: 170g/CO2

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The stunning styling might be a bit Marmite to some but we were big fans CarDealerMag.co.uk | 61

FEATURE.

hings are moving quickly. Probably a bit too quickly. Like the four fighter pilots dog-fighting above our heads, my brain is processing information faster than it should be, and as I watch the Mercedes GT S fall away into the distance behind me with snatched glimpses in the mirror, it’s abundantly clear there’s not much that’s going to catch this thing any time soon. At full chat and with Track mode selected on the McLaren’s prominent dash dials, the 650S and I are moving at internal-organ-rearranging speeds across the Welsh moors as it rifles through its ratios. The induction noise is furious, the sucking of the twin turbos gulping down air like a free diver. The roof is down and we’re open to the elements; the small, leather-and-carbon-clad cabin filled with a rush of oxygen and the heady smell of the outdoors. I’m happy. At least I am now, thinking back to that adrenaline rush of speed. In the driver’s seat the 650S demands chess player levels of concentration but my word is it good. McLaren’s supercar offerings have played second fiddle to the drama from Maranello since they arrived – somewhat overlooked by supercar buyers who deemed them ‘too clinical’ and ‘numb’. That’s a shame, because what the British firm has achieved in such a short space of time is to be applauded. The 650S is without doubt a match for any offering from Ferrari, but over four days with the car I can sort of see what they mean about the numbness. It’s hard to criticise a car for being too good, but this 650S really is. The stomach-churning acceleration – which will see it hit 124mph in just 8.6 seconds – is incredible, but it’s laid down in such a perfect manner that it feels like a computer game, not a heart-tugging machine. That said, it’s an absolute stunning car to look at. This is the MSO version of the 650S Spider, which means it’s even more exclusive than its brothers. The flippy paint, which shimmers beautifully from black to purple, is an £8,632 option, while it’s adorned with carbon-fibre extras such as mirror arms (£3,505), diffuser (£7,463) and even yellow seatbelts that customers will be charged £2,247 for the pleasure of changing the colour of. It’s amazing what people will pay when presented with an extensive options list, isn’t it? What they’re paying for really, of course, is the exclusivity that MSO offers. And supercar buyers like nothing more than exclusivity. That and how a car makes them feel. Fortunately, it ticks both boxes very well indeed. I spent a lot of time in the 650S and although over long distances found it a little uncomfortable – the seats don’t recline 62 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

enough for my giraffe-like limbs – it was easy to ignore thanks to its astonishing performance and the glow it gives you every time you climb in through those dramatic doors. The steering has a crispness to it and feedback I’ve not experienced in a very long time, while it’s hard to imagine how anything could ever feel any quicker than this 641bhp supercar. God only knows how a P1 could offer an experience any more intense than this – even now I can’t fathom anything being any quicker. But to the ultimate question, one I was asked many times during our test: Would I buy one? As much as I love it, as good as it is and as beautiful as it looks, I’m afraid I just couldn’t. It doesn’t float my boat like a Ferrari 488 does, and I can’t help looking at the figures and thinking you could have the Mercedes, Civic Type R and Mazda from this test and some change for fuel for the same price. The McLaren is good, but not three cars good.

James Baggott Boss man @CarDealerEd

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The knowledge:

McLaren 650S Spider MSO Price: Â£215,250 Engine: 3.8-litre V8 twin turbo Power: 641bhp, 678Nm Max speed: 204mph 0-60mph: 3.0s MPG: 24.2 Emissions: 275g/km

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 63

FEATURE.

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Of all the cars I could chuck around the fantastic roads we had at our disposal, the MX-5 is easily the most rewarding.

f there’s a car in our line-up with a weight on its shoulders, it’s the MX-5. Hardcore Mazda fans have been (often scornfully) comparing new MX-5s to the 1989 original ever since the Mk2 appeared in 1998, so this new fourth-generation model isn’t going to have it easy. Personally, I don’t subscribe to that viewpoint – I couldn’t care less whether the new car ‘embodies the spirit of the Mk1’. This is 2015 after all – we don’t criticise chart music for not ‘embodying the spirit of Duran Duran’, do we now? The only thing I’m interested in is whether the world’s favourite roadster is still as well sorted and reasonably priced as it’s ever been. So where to start, then? From the outside, it’s clear to see that Mazda has got its priorities right. The rounded, slightly feminine lines of the previous car have been wiped from the drawing 64 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

board and replaced with a more aggressive, surprisingly muscular design. It’s smaller than the old car too, though thanks to some clever packaging it certainly doesn’t feel that way inside. The most incredible achievement has been the weight shedding, though. Opt for the basic 1.5-litre and amazingly this 2015 car, with its airbags, electric windows and air conditioning, actually weighs less than the original Mk1. And my word has it paid off. The previous generation was no fatty, even with the extra toys and metal roof that got piled on towards the

end of its life, but this Mk4 darts around like a springbok by comparison. Plenty of credit needs to go to the pair of new petrol engines as well. Our car had the top-end 2.0-litre option, and it’s an absolute peach. It’s torquey, revs sweetly and supplies a raspy exhaust note too – it really suits the car well. In typical Mazda fashion, the six-speed manual gearbox is crisp and direct too, the stubby gear lever a joy to throw back and forth. And the result of all this? It’s nothing short of brilliant. Of all the cars I could chuck around the fantastic roads we had at our disposal, the MX-5 is easily the most rewarding. It’s not the grippiest thing in the world, and on the comfort-biased suspension of our mid-range model there is a hint of body roll, but there’s great pleasure to be had in feeling exactly what the chassis is getting up to, all via the seat of your trousers.

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The knowledge:

Mazda MX-5 2.0 SE-L Nav Price: £20,695 Engine: 2.0-litre petrol Power: 158bhp, 200Nm Top speed: 133mph 0-60: 7.2s Fuel economy: 40.9mpg (comb’d) Emissions: 161g/km

Having drawn the ‘short straw’ to drive it all the way to Wales, I can happily say it’s not even that unrefined, either. On motorways quite a bit of road noise seeps in through the roof, but it rides superbly and assuredly, while the 2.0-litre is happy cruising well into naughty speeds. The best way I can sum up the MX-5? It comes courtesy of a passer-by I got chatting with while Baggo was buying his daily Euro Pallet of Red Bull. ‘So it’s £100,000 for that Jaguar and £20,000 for the Mazda?’ he asked. ‘I bet that F-Type’s not five times better...’ Do you know what, sir? You’re absolutely right.

Jon Reay Tech boy @JonReay CarDealerMag.co.uk | 65

FEATURE.

ook back at Mercedes’ history books and they’re littered with the bold and beautiful, with its 300SL one of the most coveted cars ever. The Mercedes AMG GT is the follow-up act to the SLS, and while it’s not a direct replacement, it does resemble much of the styling, with the long bonnet, gaping grille and swooping, curvaceous lines. Its smaller dimensions are not only designed to help when it comes to agility and the allimportant price tag, but they’re also aimed to make it more of a rival to the Porsche 911, Audi R8 and Jaguar F-Type. While the GT styling has a real sense of occasion, it’s more elegant and svelte rather than brutish and aggressive. And although it has a whiff of the SLS about it, Mercedes has favoured traditional side-hinged doors rather than the gullwing style. Shame, we liked them. That makes the whole process of getting in and out much simpler, especially in tight parking spaces, albeit without the same sense of Hollywood. Once inside, the dash layout is everything you’d expect for a premium performance coupe, the materials and attention to detail are first class and the seats are supportive and comfortable. However, you can’t help feeling a tad claustrophobic behind the wheel. The central transmission tunnel, which is home to all manner of buttons and controls such as the COMAND control, start button, radio and more, looks fantastic but is quite raised up, making you feel lower in the car. Now, while that’s something you want in a sports car, on several occasions trying to find the right controls while on the move wasn’t very intuitive. The GT is going up against some pretty wellestablished competition in the performance car category – winners such as the 911 and R8 – so to compete, not only does it have to look the part but it has to be backed up by an excellent drive. And thankfully it doesn’t disappoint. Power comes from a twin turbo 4.0-litre V8, which makes the S the fastest Mercedes in the line-up. It pumps out more than 500bhp and will reach 0-60mph in under four seconds with a top speed of 193mph. Much like the F-Type the GT has a real split personality. Drive it normally and it’s comfortable and relatively tame, but turn on the sports exhaust, flick it into ‘Sport’ mode and all hell breaks loose. While that strong V8 note that comes out of the tailpipes becomes more vocal, it somehow feels more demonic than the Jag, especially when revving over 3,000rpm. Drive it hard and there’s a pleasing blip on the downshift, causing the exhaust to pop and 66 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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Drive it hard and there’s a pleasing blip on the downshift, causing the exhaust to pop and crackle

crackle, and there’s virtually instant throttle response. The steering doesn’t offer the same feel as the F-Type but it does feel sharp. However, it is a little too sensitive. The ride is a little too firm at low speeds too, which makes it harder to live with day-to-day than some of its rivals, but on open roads it all begins to make sense. On a personal level, the Jaguar and the Mercedes are the two standout cars of the group, and while the others are very capable, most excel

in one area but are let down in another. The Jaguar and Mercedes, though, are just that bit better across the board. It’s a tough choice between them and one I’ll leave to the science of numbers…

Nigel Swan Head of video @motoringnut

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The knowledge:

Mercedes AMG GT S Price as tested: Â£122,750 Engine: 4.0-litre twin turbo Power: 510bhp Max speed: 193mph 0-60 mph: 3.8secs MPG: 30.1mpg Emissions: 219 g/km

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 67

FEATURE.

he Jaguar Land Rover brand has been going through something of a resurgence over the past few years, producing a new range of cars that are making its German counterparts really stand up and take notice. So, with that in mind, it seems that our Road Test of the Year wouldn’t be complete without some sort of offering from the classic British marque. This is the third year in a row that an F-Type has played a starring role in our halo review and it’s easy to see why. Put simply, we love it. In 2014, the rear-wheel-drive version of the Coupe R came a close second in the overall standings. But with 12 different versions of the F-Type now available, we’ve managed to get our hands on the latest and range-topping all-wheel-drive one, which Jaguar claims offers improved handling and grip, albeit with an increased price tag. But the important question is simple: Does it maintain the DNA of the old-school Jags or does it lack the personality that’s been missing from Jaguar for quite some time? Flick through the motoring history books and you have to go as far back as the early ’60s to find a Jaguar that really captured the imagination of car fans around the world. And the DNA from that E-Type is clearly evident in the ‘F’. Whichever angle you look at it, it truly is one of the most stylish performance coupes on the market. While many of its rivals produce cars that can match it pound for pound, few will turn quite as many heads. It’s much the same story when it comes to the interior: It’s compact but at no point does it feel claustrophobic. But as beautiful as the F-Type is, what’s really important is the feeling it gives you on the open road. It’s powered by the same supercharged 5.0-litre V8 that’s in the R, but the all-wheel-drive version features Torque Vectoring on demand and Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) as well as a new electric power-assisted steering system, borrowed from the new XE compact executive. While all of these technical advances are yet more terms to learn to try to impress your customers, in essence, what they do is make sure they’re able to have the confidence to drive it to the limits of their ability. Don’t worry, fans of rear-wheel drive are in luck as the AWD is set up to be more rear-biased. Under normal driving conditions, all the engine torque is sent to the rear, but when traction is lost, power is sent to assist the front wheels. The steering wheel gear-change paddles connected to the eight-speed gearbox make changing gears more fun too, especially when dropping a gear and flooring it. And when you lift off the gas, there’s a reassuring crackle from the exhaust. 68 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

While the main difference between last year’s entry and this year’s lies underneath the skin, there’s no question the F-Type Coupe still turns heads wherever it goes. While some cars may be technically more advanced, efficient or even more practical, it’s all about that feeling you get when you sit behind the wheel, and for me, the Jaguar is the pick of the bunch. Nigel Swan Head of video @motoringnut

The knowledge:

Jaguar F-Type R AWD Price as tested: £100,000 Engine: 5.0-litre Supercharged V8 Power: 542bhp, 678Nm Max speed: 186mph 0-60mph: 3.9secs MPG: 25mpg Emissions: 269 g/km

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While many of its rivals produce cars that can match it pound for pound, few will turn quite as many heads

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 69

FEATURE.

oad Test of the Year is moving towards its closing stages by the time it’s my turn to drive the BMW i8. In fact, our stay in north Wales is virtually over and most of the team are heading back to the south coast. Settling in behind the wheel, and never having driven an i8 before, it very quickly dawned on me that I was about to experience something very special indeed. For this is a supercar that’s simply a jaw-dropping piece of machinery whichever way you look at it. And after a few moments spent thinking mainly about not pranging it as I negotiated the narrow streets of Denbigh and began to make the long trip home, I started to enjoy myself. Although not the newest car we’d put to the test this week, the i8 was hailed as one of the most important arrivals of the past decade when it was launched last year. The scale of the achievement BMW made in terms of design, performance and efficiency certainly shouldn’t be underestimated. With its hybrid technology, strong performance figures and looks to die for, it’s certainly the real deal in the supercar stakes. But perhaps that means this BMW has a bit of a problem. Was I impressed? Certainly. But involved? Hmm, that’s a trickier one. The Germans have been so clinical and ruthless in pursuit of excellence here that I found myself weirdly unmoved by the driving experience – a little bit emotionally disconnected – especially when I thought back to the way that I had smiled to myself on firing up the Honda, thrilled to the growl of the Jag or felt annoyed by the less appealing feel of the Lexus. But it seems I may have been in the minority when you look at the voting… You see, I found the i8 to be so good, so firmly at the top of its game, that there was little to complain about. And as my RTOTY companions will tell you, I do like a bit of a moan. Of course, I’m being ridiculously picky – the journey home was an immense amount of fun in wonderful surroundings. You feel like you’re playing a compelling computer game, surrounded by space-age readout displays, electric blue mood lighting and oodles of lightweight carbon fibre. The only thing spoiling the ambience was the sound of Baggott snoring as he snoozed in the passenger seat. That at least gave me some (sort of) quiet time to work out what’s under the bonnet. I deduced that the i8 is equipped with a 1.5-litre, threecylinder petrol engine – the unit found in the Mini Cooper – combined with a 129bhp electric motor. And while that might not sound like the kind of powertrain able to make the hairs on the 70 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

The knowledge:

BMW i8

Price: £105,840 (as tested) Engine: Plug-in hybrid with 1.5 litre, three-cylinder petrol engine Power: 228bhp petrol engine; 129bhp electric motor 320Nm (petrol engine), 250Nm (electric motor) Max speed: 155mph (limited) 0-60mph: 4.3 secs MPG (comb’d): 134.5mpg

back of your neck stand on end, the i8 is certainly no slouch. It’s able to sprint from 0-60mph in just 4.3 seconds and it can go on to a (limited) top speed of 155mph. Another characteristic that marks me out from at least some of my RTOTY pals is that I’m not keen on being the centre of attention. Heading down the M6, the car was papped on countless occasions. And you know what? For once I actually loved it.

Dave Brown Production editor @CarDealerDave

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“

This is a supercar that’s simply a jaw-dropping piece of machinery whichever way you look at it

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FEATURE. IT WAS impossible to call. Sat around the B&B cottage kitchen table we’ve been using as a desk-cum-beer store for the week, discussions turn heated. We’re not normally known James for our peace-treaty levels of Baggott agreement, but not one of us can settle on the same winner. So we left it to science. Or maths. Or whatever the table below is. Simple, unbiased and fair, four testers would mark each of this year’s Road Test of the Year contenders in nine categories. Alone with just their thoughts to confuse matters. So now the votes are in and even I couldn’t see what unfolded happen. But it did. So here’s how

this year’s line-up stacks up. At the bottom of the pile is the Lexus RC F. Sadly, it didn’t excite our testers quite as much as we’d hoped. A place at RTOTY is an achievement in itself, so residing at the bottom isn’t anything to be ashamed of, but our testers felt the RC F lacked style, wasn’t as fun as the collective and missed out in the desirability stakes. No one can deny the points though, and the stats below show the Lexus was

OL OG Y

MO N

TE CH N

TO TA L

293

290

288

286

2. Jaguar F-Type R AWD

3. Mercedes AMG GT S

4. Mazda MX-5

5. McLaren 650S Spider MSO

269

6. Honda Civic Type R

264

7. Lexus RC F

224

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1. BMW i8

VA LU E

FO R

IC AL IT Y

33 34

PR AC T

CO MF O

G LIN

33 34

RF OR MA N

G ST YL IN

RA BI LI

And the winner is...

a long way off the pace in this test. The Honda takes sixth place. It was met with a mixed reaction in Wales. Some loved its looks, other hated them. Some loved its raucous performance, others felt it wasn’t raucous enough. It was this dichotomy of opinion that saw it fall down the chart. Our testers marked it down in the comfort stakes – but then customers don’t buy one of these for comfort – but it was the low scores in desirability and styling that saw it fall down. That said, it scored brilliantly in handling and value for money. In a strange fifth place is the McLaren. It was a car I was convinced was set for a win at the outset, but despite breathtaking performance and top scores in desirability it was low marks

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in comfort (and it really isn’t that comfortable), practicality (but then it is a supercar) and value for money that saw it finish mid-table. Don’t get us wrong, the 650S is an incredible car, but on this criteria and in this company it didn’t stack up. And so to my second favourite for honours in this test (lucky I’m no betting man) and it’s the Mazda MX-5. The £20k roadster was up against stiff competition here, and the fact it places higher than a car costing 10 times as much is a real achievement. Brilliant handling and value-for-money scores saw it move up the chart, while solid fun factor marks added to its tally. Mazda really has managed to pull it out of the bag with this replacement for an icon. In third place is the Mercedes AMG GT S. It’s an incredible car that not only has dramatic looks and a soundtrack to wake the gods, but the performance and handling to match. The fact just five points separated it from first place shows how close it came to the crown. When you look at our scoring chart on the left you can actually see just how close this year’s test was. Despite a collective 360 points available for each car, first and second were split by just

three marks. And it’s the Jaguar that’s edged into second. This is the third year we’ve had an F-Type along for the ride and the third year in a row it’s narrowly missed out on a win. There’s no doubt it’s a fabulous car; the noise is intoxicating, the performance incredible and the way it drives simply gets under your skin. But once again it gets edged off the top spot. That place is this year secured by the BMW i8. Yes, we know it’s a bit older than the other cars here, but it’s still the biggest news story going for the supercar market. A performance hybrid that’s both affordable and from a mainstream manufacturer that has stuck its neck well and truly on the line. The i8 is to be applauded in so many ways. It is fantastic to drive, stop-traffic gorgeous and so packed full of tech we probably used less computing power to get man on the moon. It wins here because it’s a landmark car, a car of the moment and one we’ll look back at in years to come as the beginning of change and the start of acceptance for new technology. Bravo BMW, bravo. [CD] Baggott’s scoring: 1. Mercedes AMG GT S 2. BMW i8 3. Mazda MX-5 4. McLaren 650S Spider MSO 5. Jaguar F-Type R AWD R 6. Honda Civic Type R 7. Lexus RC F

Testers' verdicts

Jon Reay

Jon: Because I like to be difficult, I’m going to be the one standing up for the underdogs here. Admittedly the i8, my number one, doesn’t need much help – just look at the thing. It’s an incredible bit of design and engineering before you even consider how it drives. My silver medallist might have a few other fans – the Mazda MX-5. This Mk4 model can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned. Not only is it one of the better cars I’ve driven this year but it’s £20k and can be used every day. That just leaves me with the Civic, a car that’s definitely been overshadowed in our line-up. I think Honda deserves a round of applause, frankly: it eats up tarmac, is brilliant fun and (as someone of the PlayStation generation) I think it looks fantastic too.

Jon’s scoring: 1. BMW i8 2. Mazda MX-5 3. Honda Civic Type R 4. Jaguar F-Type R AWD R 5. Mercedes AMG GT S 6. McLaren 650S Spider MSO 7. Lexus RC F

Dave Brown

Dave: Top of the heap for me was the BMW i8. The fundamental reason? Many manufacturers (BMW included, to be fair) trade on their past glories, their heritage. But the i8, although not brand spanking new, is firmly about the future – and I love it for that. Space-age design, a futuristic driving experience and supercar performance from uber-clever hybrid technology means it more than deserves its top spot. Second for me was the little MX-5. Everything a rear-wheel-drive two-seater sports car should be and more. Launched at the end of August in the UK, it looks set to be as successful – if not more so – than its predecessors. And taking third place in my list was the Jaguar F-Type. Combining thrilling performance, instant response and superb levels of refinement, who could resist that guttural growl of the engine and the way it demands attention?

Dave’s scoring: 1. BMW i8 2. Mazda MX-5 3. Jaguar F-Type R AWD 4. McLaren 650S Spider MSO 5. Mercedes AMG GT S 6. Honda Civic Type R 7. Lexus RC F

Nigel Swan

Nigel: With such a glamorous line-up you might think it’s pretty hard to pick a winner. In reality though, for me it’s been easier than I thought. These are cars that are all about the feeling you get not just behind the wheel but when you look at it on your driveway. They generate emotion and the car that stands out head and shoulders for me is the F-Type R. Its blend of looks, performance, handling and the pleasing noise from the exhaust would really have you looking no further. Not far behind is the Mercedes AMG GT S. While it too looks like a showpiece it just feels bigger to drive, but you can’t question its ferocity. Bronze goes to BMW and the i8 for its sheer technical innovation. How can a performance car capable of 0-60mph in 4.3 secs still manage to return over 130mpg? Must be magic.

Nige’s scoring: 1. Jaguar F-Type R AWD 2. Mercedes AMG GT S 3. BMW i8 4. McLaren 650S Spider MSO 5. Mazda MX-5 6. Honda Civic Type R 7. Lexus RC F

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