Road Passion Magazine - May 2014 by Jake Alexander Groves

RPM

YOUR GUIDE TO FUN, LOW-COST MOTORING

ROAD PASSION MAGAZINE

May 2014

Issue 1

AA President: “Young drivers are the future”

£3.00

GENEVA MOTOR SHOW THE AWARDS 2014 HATCHBACK MEGA TEST What’s your best bet for a first car?

NEWS

REVIEWS

HELP & ADVICE

Hello there! Before we get started, I just wanted to welcome you to this new magazine. RPM is here to be all things motoring to the younger driver. Whether you have a flash motor, a cheap runabout or even no car at all, the mag will entertain, inform and excite! Our special issue this month comes with a massive slab of new metal from 2014’s Geneva Motor Show. A must for car fans, the show demonstrates every extreme of the motoring world, but if you want to know more, keep reading RPM this month in our massive award show feature. We provide a smorgasbord of car porn for you to drool over from the show too… just keep it off the pages! This fine magazine is not just about the dream stuff either. Oh yes, there’s sensibility too. Buying your first motor is not always the easiest experience; there’s a tonne of stuff to look out for when it comes to getting your own wheels. We pore over five possible candidates for what would be a top notch first car. Economy, practicality, looks, driving excitement and the big issue of how much it’ll cost you are all topics of vast scrutiny as RPM weeds out the clangers without you even getting off your seat. All of this plus handy tips to keep on top of your car for very little of your dosh, alternatives and more! Enjoy!

Jake Groves Editor-in-Chief

Welcome

Contents

MAY 2014 FIRST ISSUE

23 RPM

Outtakes

ROAD PASSION MAGAZINE

DriveTalk

Q&A

9 Jake Groves

21 Edmund King

What was the first thing you can remember about driving?

12 Peter McArdle

Your first car is a foundation for a love of motoring...

Headlines

13 New Car News 16 Motoring Facts

Reviews

17 Trials Fusion 19 Co-Wheels Car Club

Features

“I promise you, I’m not picking my nose!” Column Photoshoot

23 Multi Hatch Road Test

Five hatchbacks battle it out to be the best choice for your first car...

52 Geneva Motor Show Awards

“I am NEVER getting out of this seat...” Peter in an Evo X at Geneva

We seek out the best of the best at the motoring calendar’s jewel in the crown...

HelpCentre 72 Maintenance

“Oi! Get out of the shot!” Michelle, Josh and Lisa during the Road Test Group Shoot

DriveTalk Jake is donning his rose-tinted spectacles as he digs deep into his vault of motoring memories... What was your first driving memory as a kid?

hether it be a summer holiday trip with the sun beating down on your neck as you rest your head on the window, whiffs of your sibling’s barf attacking your nostrils, the first time you cheekily parked your bottom in the driver’s seat of someone’s car, getting a feel for how this chunk of metal and rubber could get you places, or something as simple as a school run, dreading another day of boredom and “learning”. Everyone seems to know where their motoring life started. My first memory was a trip down to my father’s in Norfolk. He borrowed his parent’s Nissan Sunny to pick me up some 215 miles away in Newcastle. It was hot, uncomfortable and the sunroof whistled more than the seven dwarves did cleaning their house. But the idea that this small, mid-nineties, block-red lump of Japanese banality was taking me somewhere different piqued my interest. The thought that pistons were moving, gears were turning and that movement was being made felt like a work of genius to seven-year-old me. The first time driving was at an earlier age then one might think. Yes, there may have been some times sitting on my dad’s lap doing the steering down an unused country back road, but the first time driving completely unassisted is something quite novel indeed. As a birthday gift from my wonderful mother, I was

given the amazing opportunity to drive a Ferrari 355 GTS at the acne-raddled age of fourteen. A squeaky-voiced 140lb sack of hormones was given the opportunity to drive a £80,000 Italian stallion. Personally, I’ve always had a passion for cars. Both of my parents profess of how during the cherub-era of my life I would point out and name cars with astonishing accuracy as they passed on the street. This grew to such an extent that something as minor as an engine note, alloy wheel style or a small clump of pixels within a photograph could almost always lead me to correctly identifying one, even sometimes

Driving makes me happy, as you can tell... including the trim level. Most of my friends think I’m weird. Maybe, just maybe, if you’ve picked up this magazine on a whim (thank you, by the way; every little helps and all…) you too might think I’m a freak of nature. Those of you who do love your cars, or at least want to know more about them may have different feelings. You might have respect or, at the very least, admiration for such technique. That is what makes you special. Welcome to RPM, my friends.

“A squeaky-voiced 140lb sack of hormones was given the opportunity to drive a £80,000 Italian stallion”

RPM

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Editor, Photographer, Copy Producer, Sub-Editor, Columnist, Road Tester, Designer Jake Groves

Assistant Photographer, Contributing Columnist & Agony Uncle Peter McArdle

Assistant Photographer and Design Consultant Lisa Groves

Road Test Participants

Joshua Laidler, Jade Carey, Zac Woodward, Michelle Collins & Yasmin Alaroush

This magazine would not have been possible without... The brilliant team at Evo Magazine Alistair Robinson, Carole Watson, Julie Bradford, Lee Hall and Jenny McKay for giving me all of the guidance I could ever ask for. Peter Sell and the team at the McLaren stand at the Geneva Motor Show. Edmund King for all his help on the Q&A.

RPM thanks you all for your kind support!

DriveTalk NEXT MONTH Insurance...

Jake Groves

“An insurer once asked me to cough up more than £10,000 to drive a dinky hatchback”

DriveTalk

Peter McArdle

What should you buy to start your love of motoring? Our grandad of driving weighs in...

You have your new car and you are immensely proud of it. Now let me ask, will you enjoy it?

t may be that you see your car as being merely a tool; a means of transporting yourself, family, friends and baggage to a destination of your choice. Of course it is, but it can be so much more. Learning to pass your driving test took time, effort and cash. Now it is time to get some experience under your belt. Experience brings the benefit (eventually) of making driving easier. When you feel ‘at one’ with your car then you instinctively relax. From that point on, savour the pleasure! In the past, Sunday Trading did not exist, so families might venture out by car on that day to visit local beauty spots, the beach and so on. When did you last hear of someone ‘motoring’? Rapidly increasing fuel prices mean that you must think carefully before driving for pleasure. But what of your everyday drive to work or college? Shouldn’t that be enjoyable too? Your choice of

car can make a big difference. Let’s look at some basic facts: Large cars are practical. They swallow more people, pets and parcels than lesser transport. However, they are often quite uninvolving to drive and use more fuel than smaller cars. Superminis are economical and usually quite fun to drive, but they can be quite restrictive when asked to carry four people plus suitcases to the Airport. Perhaps a compromise? Cars like the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra can be economical, fun to drive and have reasonable luggage space. Before making your choice, consider the feeling in your bottom (no, don’t feel your bottom). A ‘drivers’ car’ will communicate with you through the seat of your pants. You will feel the degree of slip as you power through that twisting corner. The steering will have ‘feel’ that helps you understand vehicle balance. Reviews give you the best advice, and at RPM they are no different. You will no doubt be aware that choosing a vehicle also

involves choosing a fuel (usually petrol or diesel). Unless you’re a hypermiler, though, diesel can be costly to buy in the long run. Diesels are usually heavier too (making the car nose-heavy and spoiling handling) and often slower than their petrol-driven counterparts. Have you thought about rearwheel-drive? Almost certainly you will have learned to pass your test in a front-wheel-drive car. Having the front wheels dispense the power is perfectly adequate. Rear-wheel-drive is infinitely more involving, and can be tremendous fun, even on that repetitive drive to the daily grind. If insurance costs permit, why not consider something like a BMW 316 Compact, or even an ancient Ford Capri? I guarantee that you will love every minute of driving it! Modern cars have anti-lock brakes and tractioncontrol. These safety devices are, like front-wheel-drive, brilliant for the average driver, but rob the truly talented driver of full control. Go on... Live a little... Make the choice to enjoy your daily drive.

“A drivers’ car will communicate through the seat of your pants”

Headlines

Box-fresh motors, new concepts and all the latest news...

Based on the Golf R, but... MORE

VW Press Images

Extreme Golfing This, ladies and gents, is the absolutely ludicrous Volkswagen Golf R400. Using the group’s ubiquitous 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder powerplant, this is the most extreme Golf yet. With a 0-62mph time clocking in at 3.9 seconds, and maxing out at a claimed 174mph, the R400 has made full use of the 400PS (394bhp) and 4MOTION four-wheeldrive system. To make it stand out, the monster hatch has been dressed up in a carbon

fibre frock, with front and rear splitters helping airflow and even a dinky spoiler to hunker the car down, along with massive vents to cool that enormous boosted engine. Splitting away from the GTi,

Shadow in the Notte

Despite the fact that the Punto is getting a little long in the tooth now, Fiat have created a new special edition Fiat Press Image

to breathe some life into the ageing hatchback with the Jet Black 2 edition. The three-door only model has a “high level of specification”, according to Fiat, as the hatch comes with 17” alloy wheels, a Blue&Me system, front fog lights and climate control.

the R400 also has hints of what VW call “lemon yellow” that can be found on the grille and the brake calipers. Sadly, though, the R400 is just a concept. Please VW, make this a real thing, it looks awesome.

Along with the interior niceties, the JB2 has a boot spoiler, colourful stripes along the beltline and sports suspension for the days when you fancy throwing it around a B road. Powered by a 1.4-litre engine that comes complete with 77bhp, it isn’t going to blow your socks off but remains a very economical little motor. On the road for £12k.

roadpassionmag.com

Quantum of Nippyness It seems to be the time of the special editions this month as Kia have updated their pretty cool little Picanto with a new trim called the Quantum. The new model has a veritable smorgasbord of extra kit on it to make the driver and passengers feel comfortable and at ease: parking sensors, a six-speaker audio system and

ambient LED lighting inside. Sara Drummond-Bell, Senior Press Officer at Kia said “we are finding more and more people are willing to spend more money on what is an entry-level car. It allows them the experience a spec level they might find on a higher car.” Power-wise, the Picanto comes with a very thrummy

Kia Press Image

14 1.25-litre putting out 84bhp and a quite sizable 88.5lb ft of torquey goodness. LEDs are everywhere on the Quantum, both inside and out, and those little pepperpot alloys go great with the mettalic grey paint seen on this press image. 0-60 comes in 11 seconds and that little motor only belches out 106g/km in CO2 emissions which will help keep your tax bill down. Priced at £11,895, the little Korean hatch arrives with Kia’s 7 year warranty.

In the Lap of Luxury Just like the Focus ST having a range of kit levels, the stonking Fiesta ST will now be separated into another level of specification, with the ST-3 becoming the new flagship model in the range. The Fiesta ST already hs a brilliant chassis and more than enough power so luxuries like rainsensing wipers, keyless entry and Ford’s DAB audio navigation system developed by Sony will be a welcome bonus. Ford say that more than 90% of sales have come from the

ST-2 edition and that creating this higher spec “responds to demand” for a more luxurious model. Speaking of demand, the ST has

sold 20% more than Ford had originally hoped for, at 6,250. Ford Press Image

Facts and Stats

World Affairs

people can fit in a Smart car

1/ 2

of UK speed cameras are off

80% of cars in Albania are Mercedes Benz

seconds to remove and replace an entire engine

90% of people admit to singing along to the radio in the car

weeks the average person spends at a red traffic light

Good Old Blighty...

4th

biggest manufacturer by country in Europe

88%

of vehicles on UK roads are cars

Slough

is the most fuelefficient city in the UK

Ipswich

is where you’re most likely to see a pink car

Ford Fiesta

is the biggest selling car in the UK

38,500

UK people are working in motorsport *Society of Motor Manufacturers - Motoring Industry Facts 2014

Steve Jobs used to lease a new Mercedes every six months. Due to Californian license laws, he always had a blank number plate... The car is the most recycled product in the world...

The McLaren F1 has a gold-lined engine cover. It’s used as a heat shield against the exhausts... The Tumbler, Batman’s car in the Dark Night series has a Vauxhall engine in it... 16

Reviews

Next Month...

Assetto Corsa

Can a simulation be any fun? Put your own stamp on your rides!

Trials Fusion

Platforms: -Xbox One -Xbox 360 -PC -PS4 Price: - £15.99 (Xbox 360: Xbox Store)

- £28.99 (XO, PS4: Amazon) - £29.99 (PC: Amazon)

Rating “Extreme stunts are great fun when beautiful scenery passes you by. It really isn’t a game to chill out to though...”

Some of the maps are beautifully presented, ‘Track Central’ a boon for the creative minds

“If there ever was a perfect test for gauging someone’s patience, Trials would be it”

All this biker has to do is land it... Harder than you think!

et’s be honest here; motorbikes and stunt driving won’t appeal to everyone. I mean, who wants to see explosions, backflips from tall buildings, full on gymkhana-esque stunts and crashing a lot? I mean, who? Trials Fusion, the motocross-style stresstester, is a game out for PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC that encompasses the wild world of stunt jumps, time trials and a vast array of tracks to crash on like you’ve just been handed an entrant’s ticket to the Red Bull X-Games. The idea is that you get from one end of the track to the other in the quickest time you can while avoiding any bone-crushing injuries to the sack of leather-suited flesh weighing your bike down. The career starts off nice and easy, giving you tutorials and relaxed tracks to whet your appetite and apply a false sense of security to your steadily inflating ego. For every track completed, a medal is awarded, your wallet surges in size and experience is gained towards your overall level. That gives you more personalisation models for your “character” and a new bike of some description to use and customise. Then the real games begin. Progressing through the career levels throws more expectations at you, while you’re busy trying to navigate through more obstacles on the actual tracks. Your personal objectives go from getting a gold medal and beating your friends’ times on the leaderboards to just getting to the other end without throwing your controller (or 17 indeed keyboard) at your screen. I once

racked up 84 faults on one run. If there ever was a perfect test for gauging someone’s patience, Trials Fusion would be it. This is not a bad thing, though. Trials might infuriate or be obstinate with you but that sense of achievement you from doing well at a particular level feels so much rewarding if you’ve worked hard for it. Plus you can be smug around your friends if you obliterate their times, which is a nice touch. Friends will also come into play in greater detail later in the year when TF gets updated, as the fully-fledged multiplayer will open up for four-way duels and even more opportunities for bragging rights. Add this to the ever growing bulk of user-created runs in Track Central and the opportunity to make your own adds a community element to it. Trials seems to get the sense of gravity about right. It’s not too heavy where all your stunts fall flat, but not too light that you unrealistically fly for a mile ahead on big

jumps. The real accomplishment is the feeling of landing properly: Do it wrong and you have to reset to the last checkpoint as you hear sounds of wrangled metal and a cracking skeleton, do it right and the flow of the track turns up a couple of notches. It’s also essential to land your tricks, poses and flips right on the Skill Games otherwise you won’t get scored and your seemingly invulnerable character has to restart to get a “clean run”. Trials isn’t perfect though as, although the game makes full use of the PS4’s graphics engines, cheesy blockbuster-movie effects are everywhere. Sound effects and music can get a little irksome too. Trials Fusion, then, is not a game you can relax to. It’s one you have to work hard on to do well in, but that feeling of positive reinforcement really does mess with your psyche and constantly prods at your addiction centre like a child with a “Do Not Touch” button. B.F. Skinner would be proud.

Reviews

Co-Wheels Car Club Y

ou see? We aren’t all about buying cars or running them at RPM. That might be the case for a lot of our content, but let’s be honest here: not every young person can drive or afford a car. That’s why what you see in front of you is an alternative to owning one. “Ugh, not rental cars. They’re too expensive and their age limits are almost always too high anyway”, I hear you say. Fair point. Rental cars can be cripplingly costly if you use them regularly enough, and the lowest rental age I could find was 18 “…with three years driving experience.” Co-Wheels, then, has to fill a significantly sized pair of boots to win us lot over, and does so pretty well. The scheme, set up in several major cities in the UK, is essentially a car sharing programme, where you pick up a car from its reserved parking space. But how does it work? Surely if you’re picking up a car quite literally off the street, you’ll need the key? Well… yes, but the key is located inside the glovebox. What you get instead is a card that you scan upon a sensor attached to the windscreen that unlocks the car for you (given you are the one who has the car reserved). All you have to do then is start her up and blast off into the sunset. The only thing

“I cannot count the impromptu trips I’ve been on in a Co-Wheels car on two hands”

You can’t really miss these, can you?

required of you is to return it to the allotted parking space once you’re done. If you take Newcastle as an example, there are no less than 12 cars parked in strategic places around the city. They are mainly parked next to Metro or train stations, but can be found in areas of high footfall, like the Quayside. The ideals behind the club are purely to lower CO2 emissions for those who commute to work, by giving them an alternative to their own car or other transport. Co-Wheels has partnered with Toyota, so as the models refresh, almost all of the cars available will be hybrids, meaning silent and clean battery power through towns and better fuel efficiency on longer stretches. There are still a couple of “old” cars dotted around, and I can profess to having driven six different models in the range as they have been replaced. The Fiat 500 is no longer available, but was a boon for tiny back street driving with its clever City Steering System. The Kia Rio, also not in circulation, impressed because it was so well made and its economy figures were brilliant. Moving on to the models available now: the Aygo was acceptable, and the Polo BlueMotion I drove in Norwich during a family visit clattered like a bag of nails but had that brilliantly robust VW feel you don’t get anywhere else.

CO-WHEELS

Rating “Provides a degree of freedom that only some can enjoy, but it can be irksome to get a hold of and is still a little pricey if used often...” A key in the glovebox? What is this madness?

“I, for one, welcome our new GPS overlords” The stars of the show in Newcastle in particular are the Ford Fiesta Econetic (above) and the Toyota Yaris Hybrid. If you’ve never driven an automatic or a hybrid before, the Toyota is a very alien car to get into at first. As soon as you let off the brake, the car lurches ahead, and the lack of engine noise inside the cabin is spooky. The only issue is that it’s agonisingly slow. I was overtaken by a lorry on a motorway simply because the battery-petrol engine combo simply didn’t have the guts to go anywhere. So, that’s why I love the Ford Fiesta so much. Sadly, as the cars get replaced with more Toyotas, the Fiesta is a dying breed in the range. That is a shame, as the torquey diesel engine, fantastic interior and sharp looks all try as hard as they can to put a smile on your face, even when you’re stuck in traffic. I’m also proud to be the person that ticked the

New cars mean classy interiors, just watch for muck: these are communal remember...

milometer over the 20,000 mark in the Fiesta parked at Jesmond Metro station. Are you interested yet? You should be. All that you need is to be 18 and have one year on your license. That doesn’t have to be driving time either. The first time I drove a car after I passed my test was in a Co-Wheels car. Whether I should really be admitting that or not, is a different case altogether. The scheme offers those a sense of freedom that they might not be able to afford yet. I cannot count the impromptu trips I have been on in a Co-Wheels car on two hands. Even having the ability to visit family so freely down in Norfolk was exhilarating enough. There are drawbacks, though. As these are communal cars, there’s always the risk of someone being late if you have a car booked right after them, which can muck up your timings if you’re in a hurry. Also, there’s the chance that the interior might be manky. Co-Wheels do have an army of cleaners to keep the cars ship-shape but there’s always the chance that you could get one that has been exposed to all sorts of elements. I once got in a car that looked like it had been dragged through the Sahara, as all of the creases and cubbyholes were lightly dressed with sand. Fuel is a bone of contention too. Granted you don’t pay for it as such, as you get a fuel card to pay with if needed and Co-Wheels always instructs its members to refuel after you hit quarter of a tank, but experience dictates otherwise. You really lose your tether when you’ve rented out a car that has five miles of range left in the tank. Not to mention the fact that if you aren’t already living or working close to a car, for some, it might be a trek to go and collect one from its space. So what about the costs? Well, Co-Wheels requires 25 of your finest Stirling to join, and you’ll be charged a fiver for every month if you don’t take a car out during. Vehicle size dictates the hourly rates, with the smallest hatches costing £3.75 and the largest people movers being £6.75 per hour. Rates become better value for money if you have a car overnight. Instead of paying for fuel, your mileage is racked up on the GPS tracker, at a flat rate of 14p per mile. There is of course the fine print to look at, which RPM recommend you do if you’re interested, as it explains penalty charges, insurance waivers and any other explanations you may need in their FAQ section at www. co-wheels.org.uk. So, in short, Co-Wheels is a real, if still a little pricey, alternative to owning a car. There’s no fuss and you can do whatever you like with the car (within reason, of course) when you have it. Just be mindful of safety, just like you would in your own car and enjoy the freedom. Also make sure to read all of the details before joining, otherwise there could be a sting in the tail that you might not be aware of.

Q&A

AA President Edmund King waxes lyrical about driving, safety and the role young drivers play on Britain’s roads... We all know who the AA are. They insure, they provide breakdown cover and a whole lot more. But you may be wondering what exactly do they do for the younger driver. It turns out to be quite a lot, as Edmund King explains... JG: I’ve spoken already in the magazine about driving memories. What was your first memory involving motoring? EK: As a boy I lived next door but one to Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Cars in Norwich. I used to see Lotus Elans and other great cars on a daily basis. I also met various Formula One drivers such as Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi. This gave me an early interest in motoring. I loved the cars that my dad had to take our big family on holiday. His favourite was the original Citroen DS21 - a classic car. JG: What was the first car you owned? EK: My first car was a Mini which I bought for £45 and sold for £120. A fantastic car and one of very few models that has been successfully rejuvenated. JG: What do you personally enjoy about driving? EK: 83% of AA members still enjoy motoring despite cones, chaos and congestion. Personally I like the freedom that the car gives in your life. You can be more spontaneous in where and when you want to go places. JG: I learned to drive with the AA Driving School and enjoyed my time greatly. What would you say the AA Driving School has over others out there? EK: The AA has been involved in road safety for more than 100 years and much of that experience is passed on to our driving

“Younger drivers are the future of the AA” instructors. We only used fully qualified driving instructors who have a range of great Ford vehicles. We have great instructors who all receive the very best training. JG: What do young drivers mean to the AA? EK: Younger drivers are the future of the AA. We have a sunrise to sunset philosophy which means we want to look after people in their transport needs throughout their life. At primary school age we offer a Children’s Traffic Club and have also started offering Bikeability (cycle proficiency training). We then teach people to drive through AA and BSM driving schools. We offer advanced driver training, training to fleets and speed awareness courses too. For older drivers, our AA Charitable Trust offers Drive Confident courses.

“We have some great instructors who all recieve the best training.”

JG: What does te AA do for young drivers? EK: We campaign with the government to improve safety for young drivers through better education, enforcement and engineering. Our AA Charity has also helped young people in care to learn to drive as well as giving free Drive Smart courses to new drivers at risk.

JG: If you were to give any tips for young drivers out on Britain’s roads, what would they be? EK: Young drivers need to remember that they are most at risk in their first year of driving, whilst driving at night with passengers on rural roads. Despite the fact that cars are much safer than they used to be most collisions involving young drivers are a result of driver error. Road collisions are still the biggest cause of accidental death for teenagers. Even if the fear of a collision doesn’t change your driver behaviour you should think about the costs - car repair and extortionate insurance costs. JG: What would you say is the best car for a young driver? EK: I have done a lot of work on crash testing of cars. I would recommend that young drivers choose the safest car that they can afford to drive and insure. A good starting point is the EuroNCAP crash test results. I would recommend that young drivers opt for a 5 star NCAP rating. It is also worth considering fuel efficiency and running costs. the Ford cars used by AA driving School are always a good bet.

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

HIGH FIVE Words: Jake Groves

Photography: Jake Groves and Lisa Groves 55.0717째 N, 1.4494째 W

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for your first car or a cheap runabout to keep moving, RPM take five serious hatchback contenders on a rainy trip to the seaside...

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

Engine Power Torque Top Speed Weight MPG Ins. Group Tax Band Price New Curr. Value

CITROEN C1 VTR

VAUXHALL Corsa Trip

RENAULT Clio Expression

VAUXHALL Corsa Design

NISSAN Micra S

1.0-litre, 3cyl, petrol 68bhp 93lb ft 98mph (claimed) 800 kg 62.8 (combined cycle) 1 B £9,245 £4,400 (estimate)

1.0-litre, 3cyl, petrol 54bhp 60.5lb ft 93mp (claimed) 857kg 49.6 (combined cycle) 2 E £6,675 £850 (estimate)

1.2-litre, 4cyl, petrol 75bhp 77.4lb ft 106mph (claimed) 945kg 47.9 (combined cycle) 3 F £8,326 £1,350 (estimate)

1.2-litre, 4cyl, petrol 78bhp 81lb ft 109mph (claimed) 1,024kg 48.7 (combined cycle) 4 F £10,594 £2,050

1.2-litre, 4cyl, petrol 80bhp 81.1lb ft 104mph (claimed) 975kg 47.9 (combined cycle) 2 F £8,130 £1,800

“Maybe we’ll have our picnic inside the car...”

ook, everyone knows buying a car, particularly your first, is not considered an easy task. Costs are always a major bug bear, with insurance premiums and fuel prices creeping up. Getting the most out of your money is priority numero uno, but lets not forget what you might end up driving. A clanger that will bleed your wallet dry or being behind the wheel of something embarrassing is never going to do wonders for your life, now is it? So lets get one thing straight before you read on: our cars on this road test are examples of compromise. Unless your pockets are lined with myrrh and you eat caviar for breakfast, these dinky hatches are some of the only options you might have. Don’t mistake that for being a bad thing: they provide cheap thrills, low insurance costs, are easy to park and practical enough to move lots of your stuff. You see before you five superminis that during their time on British roads have captured the essence of low-cost, low-fuss motoring in their own specific ways. They are sales giants among their respective makers. Why? What makes them so popular? Questions like this are endless. They all might look broadly the same on a plain data sheet, but the experiences you can get out of these little gems differs so much that it makes for very interesting reading. So sit back, relax and take in some healthy advice on what to look out for, as RPM now has the mammoth task of deciding which one is best. Corsa Trip: p. 27, Micra S: p. 31, C1 VTR: p. 34, Clio Expression: p. 37, Corsa Design: p. 40

“Five superminis that have captured the essence of low-cost, low-fuss motoring”

RPM’s Rating System Truly brilliant, nigh-on flawless Very good, hard to compete against Pretty average, nothing very noteworthy Poorly executed, not recommended Just plain awful, do not approach For more road tests and in-depth car specs, visit: rpmagazine.co.uk

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST “This Corsa wasn’t going to set anyone alight in the looks department when it rolled off the Y2K-free production line”

VAUXHALL Corsa Trip

mall Vauxhalls have been a staple of the British car industry since the early eighties. Back then we were spoonfed the rather dismal but admittedly quite modern Nova. GM hit it big with the Spanish built hatch, which was confusingly called the Corsa “A” in mainland Europe but not here in Blighty. It was used to fight the fierce hatch war of the 80’s. However, car people flinch whenever someone mentions a Nova for several good reasons. The car has become notorious due to the amount of younger drivers like us modifying them to such an extent where they’re no longer recognisable. The small hatch also gained quite a bad reputation because they were so easy to nick: during the late nineties and even maybe the early millennium years (no, I’m not calling the 2000 decade that word…) every ditch, lake, hedge or field had an upturned or burnt out Nova in it, simply because getting into one was so easy. If you want to find out how, a practical demonstration is available on the first episode of series 21 of everyone’s favourite car show.

But I digress. We start off this huge test with the cheapest car in the range. As the Nova faded, the Corsa brand was born in the UK. The Corsa “B” design started life in 1993 and rocked up right to 2000. The B was meant to be a refresh over the then-dated Nova and came along to the party looking shapelier and more voluptuous than its designed-by-a-ruler-only ancestor.

Design The model you see in front of you is a 2000-registered “Trip”, which is probably one of the most apt trim names for what we at RPM are doing with it and its counterparts. Also apt is the fact that, despite it being block blue, it has been nicknamed the “bumblebee” by owner Jade. Anyway, by the new millennium the B was looking a little tired itself, as the Ford Fiesta had recently gone through cosmetic surgery and the Gallic Clio which also features in this test had been updated two years previous.

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST Even more upmarket competitors were sticking their fingers in the hatchback pie, as Mercedes’ boxy A-Class was tempting more middle class customers away and Audi’s A2 was a technological marvel that had those party-piece futuristic looks. So, yes, this particular Corsa wasn’t really going to set anyone alight in the looks department when it rolled off the shockingly Y2K-free production line. But even now, after 14 years of solid use, faded bumpers and rusted wheels, the car doesn’t really look too bad. Granted the overall design is antiquated as two more editions of the Corsa have since come and gone, but the car remains remarkably intact: body rust, dents and scrapes are surprisingly hard to come by. There is of course the whole dilemma of whether you would be able to cope with living with one looking the way it is. The whole attitude of “surely if it works, nothing else matters” may only persuade a certain number of people. Others may want something a little more contemporary.

Optimus Prime going through an identity crisis maybe?

“The chassis still feels solid enough to handle a fair few extra knocks”

Door locks are quintessentially Vauxhall

Comfort and Equipment

Interior may be lacking equipment but feels solid

Admittedly then, with looks not being to everyone’s tastes, the Corsa B has a lot more to do to win someone over. One of the first area it does excel in is how it feels on the road. First impressions of how the car looks might lead you to believe that the car is anywhere between slightly rickety and borderline dangerous. But then of course, mother always told you to not judge a book by its cover, didn’t she? And, of course, mother is always right. Down the comfort section of our seaside test route, the Corsa behaved incredibly well. Bumps, dips and undulations in the road surface were all handled with ease. The bonus was no rattles or shakiness from any of the interior parts or dashboard plastics. The chassis still feels solid enough to handle a fair few extra knocks and body roll is kept to a minimum, meaning no expensive trips to the chiropractor, or indeed the mechanic. The interior fit and finish is, to put it lightly, spartan. There’s no rev counter, windows and mirrors are manual and there isn’t a single airbag to speak of. The only luxury provided on this particular model is an aftermarket CD player: a flashy red backlit model with the unique selling point of coming with an SD card reader for personal music storage, which is a nice bonus and one no other car has on this test. The only thing that might come close is the standard auxiliary port in the Citroen C1 that you’ll read about soon. The heating system worked well, with no faults to speak of too, and even the quality of the dashboard materials were of passable standard. Also, everything on the centre console is where you would expect it to be and easy to reach, meaning practicality knows no bounds in here. Legroom in the back is ample although it may be a stretch to fit five people in, and the boot can swallow up quite a lot of your stuff. It should be mentioned that the 1.0-litre

Think you can live with these? No rev-counter: not needed but feels weird without one

CD player as SD slot but isn’t standard

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST Trip was the lowest option on the trim list when this car was on sale. A higher spec car gets a 1.2-litre, usually more doors and more importantly, a better equipped interior including at least a driver’s airbag and a rev counter. The only real downfall of the interior is that of how grubby the seats were. Granted if you are going to buy a car that is more than 10 years old, wear and tear will not be hard to find. This car, though, seems to have gone through some tough times both in the front and back. The multi-coloured fabric has darkened somewhat and big dark splodges of unknown stains were spotted at least somewhere on every seat, like the markings on a dingy B&B bed sheet.

Dynamics You could be forgiven for mistaking that this Corsa is powered by a bunny rabbit called Humphrey on a treadmill trying to chase down a carrot tied to a fishing rod. There really is not much oomph that this car brings to the table, but then what do you expect from a 1.0-litre three cylinder? Nothing really will blow your socks off about the motor inside: providing just 54bhp means it has the lowest power rating in our group test, and the 60lb ft of torque isn’t much to shout about either. Handling-wise, the Corsa felt comfortable enough tackling the sharp bends and sudden dips of our cornering test section. Even with one phase of late braking into a 90 degree corner, the B fared well and came out the other side with little fuss. Changing direction felt like

a breeze behind the wheel, and made up for the asthmatic engine and the distinctly heavy clutch.

Technicolour fabric can’t hide ominous stains

Value So how much do you think all of this car costs then? £1,000? Nope. Despite our Confused. com valuation of around the £850 mark, Jade bought her motor for £295. Yes, you heard that right, meaning finding a Corsa of this type should be a breeze. Finding one that is a bargain should be even easier. Not to mention the fact that Humphrey under the bonnet won’t need feeding as often as some of those other engines, as the combined cycle mpg figure stands at 49.6. That and a figure of 137 CO2/km in emissions is pretty darn good for a car that was built back when EU emissions ratings were only in their second generation.

“Changing direction felt like a breeze it made up for the ashtmatic engine” In terms of insurance, the Corsa B is the second best to cover, with a rating of just 2. This means costs should be lower for getting one on the road, with a year’s tax being roughly the same (at £145 a year) alongside its counterparts in this test.

Bringing all of this information together then, the Corsa B is quite the quandary. If you are willing to look past the iffy looks and rather sparsely equipped interior, this car is an excellent stepping point for a first car or cheap set of wheels. It’s majorly comfortable, surprisingly well built, spacious and adept at even being a little fun when you want it to be. That price point is a real sticky subject, though. Under £300 for a car that works and is decent to drive is quite hard to come by but coming in at this rough price point will always be full of compromises. We enjoyed our time with the B, but will you?

“I Bought One!” Jade Carey, 21 “It’s tiny and loud, but other than that, it’s cute and drives around no bother!”

A decent little motor for how much it was, but investing more in a car may prove it to be quickly outshone

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

apan’s answer to the small car can’t really be anything else other than the Nissan Micra. Built since 1982, Nissans hatchback has become a worldwide success story for the brand, and is sold all over the world. It’s not really hard to see why; the nippy little motor has been favoured for its value for money and that quintessential Japanese reliability. From 1992, UK buyers (and indeed the economy as a whole) felt the benefits of the car’s newfound Britishness, as Nissan’s behemoth manufacturing plant in Sunderland built more than two million examples. Sadly production of the Micra in the UK stopped in 2010, but that didn’t stop the Mackem manufacturing centre producing more cars than the whole of Italy at the time of writing. First and second generation Micras may have been a little on the drab side and usually were just bought as learner cars during the nineties, but those aforementioned other benefits cemented the Micra’s popularity and gave Nissan the opportunity to make a more visually striking model for its third iteration. The one you see here is a 2003 “S” model with a 1.2-litre petrol under the bonnet.

Design The “K12” Micra fires up the overusedmetaphor alarm for having looks comparative to comments made about a jar of yeast extract. The overall aesthetic appeal of the Micra is a real sticking point for a lot of owners and it is pretty easy to see why. From the front end, the bug-eye headlamps and that split grille give it the impression of Kermit with a handlebar and the overall silhouette sparks images of the Notre Dame’s famous resident; more hunchback than hatchback. Still though, there are some neat little touches. The lack of sudden or sharp edges around the windows and curvy rear end seems to give it a sense of fluidity from front to back. Even the door handles, boot lid and number plate light are worked into the bodywork, so nothing on the Micra’s shell looks out of place, despite the “S” having plain black plastic door handles. The K12 Micra is a confusing car on face value. So many of the design touches conflict each other – some clearly work and some don’t. It is obvious, though, that the 3rd gen Micra is a striking little car, even after more than 11 years on the road. One is so easy to spot driving though the streets, so this car will still appeal to those wanting to stand out from the rather plain-looking Euroboxes of similar age.

“The Micra fires up the overusedmetaphor alarm for having looks comparative to comments made about a jar of yeast extract” 31

Black plastic door handles denote trim level

Comfort and Equipment Hopping into a Micra does at least detract from looking at that eye-bashing interior, and the seats inside put you at ease instantly, simply for being so comfortable. Memory foam style padding hugs you well and the overall positioning is excellent for a small car. Headroom is ample too, as even someone with a post-6ft frame won’t clonk their head no matter where they happen to sit inside. Dashboard dials are chunky and solid, with very little in the car feeling tacky or cheap. The only thing that raises eyebrows is the door armrests – one on this example is coming away from its setting. Other than that though, the overall design and feel of the interior is of some real benefit to the Micra’s overall appeal, as funky shapes and tactile switches improve the perceived quality. The kit level inside is pretty average. The “S” was a low-level trim on the options list but it still manages to come to the party with a CD player, electric windows and remote locking. A connector for plugging your phone or iPod has been bought for a direct connection to your own personal music library too. As was apparent when the windows kept steaming up every five seconds, the glaring omission on the checklist is air-conditioning. If you would like to ignore the lack of air-con, try not to stare directly at the black button with no labelling on it.

Curvy rear end is very hunched, but shows features like the boot handle can be worked in seamlessly

Surely we aren’t the only ones who imagine a moustachioed frog when looking at this?

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

NISSAN Micra S Dynamics Having the most horsepower out of any other car here, at a truly brain-melting 80bhp, the Micra never fails to be effervescent while on the road. The engine is full of pep and willing to be caned for all it has to give, which admittedly isn’t loads, but enough to make you giggle. Torque hits the buffers at around 81lb ft, which is the second highest on the test. It gives you that confidence to overtake on the motorway or get up to speed quickly on a slip road without feeling you’re a danger to everyone else. City driving is done with relaxing ease and even a quick blast on our handling stage saw the Micra grip like those vice clamps you get in Design and Technology class. The steering rack provides the right balance of responsiveness through urban areas and then a weightier feel on a straight-line motorway cruise. Road noise is surprisingly minor, meaning the cabin is well insulated enough for the driver and passengers to not want to kill each other whenever they happen to reach their chosen destination. What might want you to see red, though, is the damping and suspension. It isn’t crashy or agitated, but it is stupidly firm. Potholes and uneven roads quickly become irksome, no matter how spongy the seats are or how quiet it can be in the cabin. Gear spacing is set just right for national speed limit areas too; the Micra’s 1.2-litre petrol

“It grips like those vice clamps in D&T class”

Interior is full of design focused touches

1.2-litre four pot most powerful here

Boot biggest on test: perfect for all your “stuff and thangs”

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

doesn’t feel strained or overworked whenever its asked to comply with pushing the speedo towards the latter half of the semi-circle.

Value The Nissan sits almost bang in the middle of the price bracket for this test, so more people than not will be able to afford one. Michelle, the owner of this particular model, paid £2,000. With estimated values (for a good one at least) being around the same, the Micra is competitively priced to make many young drivers happy. If you happen to have an extra grand burning away in your pocket, there’s always the tin-top C+C convertible. The added benefit of having a million miles of headroom is sure to put a smile on your face but be prepared for a massive downfall on overall dynamics, since convertibles are heavier and lose so much of their structural rigidity with the roof being down. Insurance should be easier to get sorted, as the baby Nissan scores just group 2; meaning lower premiums are more likely to come your way when it comes to getting one covered. Road tax is broadly the same as the others in this test, though, so it will cost you £145 for the year. Economy is a steady 47.9mpg.

Headlamps are prone to discolouration

“I Bought One!” Michelle Collins, 21 “The sound system on it is great and the seats are really comfy. I just wish it was faster”

The Micra, then, is broadly one of the better choices in this argument. It offers very good value for money, a comfortable, funky and well-built interior; it’s spacious and comes with a decent level of kit inside. What must be decided now is what those looks mean to you: RPM is a little sceptical of the overall aesthetics, despite the far-eastern car having some clever features. If the front end is a little too “bug-eye”, it might be an idea to look for something else instead.

“What might make you want to see red is the suspension. It isn’t crashy or agitated but it’s stupidly firm.” Dashboard is funky, but try to ignore the black button where the air-con should be

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

irst of the Frenchies in this test is this Citroen C1 VTR. Built as part of a joint venture between Toyota and PSA Peugeot-Citroen, this eeny-weeny little supermini has become a boon for those looking for new but cheap wheels. The three-way venture was all about costeffectiveness. When it came to design the originals back in 2005, the cars were designed to be cheap to repair, contain as little excess as possible and provide as much space as the small frame would allow. Nothing in these cars was to be wasted. This attitude to austerity motoring proved to be a massive hit as the C1 and its Peugeot and Toyota counterparts even being built in the same factory in the Czech Republic. The move, though, was criticised by then-President of France Nicolas Sarcozy who said: “It is justifiable if a factory of Renault is built in India so that Renault cars may be

sold to the Indians. But it is not justifiable if a factory ... is built in the Czech Republic and its cars are sold in France”. He obviously didn’t like the fact that it wasn’t going to affect France’s ailing economy that much. If you want to read more on the history (and indeed future) of the partnership, the C1 has a small part to play in our Geneva feature on p. #.

Design The VTR is kind of like a mid-range model in the family, and this 2009-registered example is the first of the two facelifts that cleaned up the front end, removing the enormous black plastic bumper and swapping out some wheel designs. Designed with the young driver in mind, the deep well of potential shapes to use has been pumped almost dry, with circular headlights, half-moon door handles, a trapezoidal grille

and triangular tail lights all featuring on the C1’s eye-catching aesthetics. Comparing this to the 107 and Aygo, the C1 is clearly the more attractive car to bat your eyelids over, with even the black plastic parts matching the glass pane bootlid and door mirrors rather well. The “bug-eye” disease seems to be spreading, as the C1 seems to be chasing the Micra’s shadow with that headlight arrangement. At least they’re less bulbous and frog-like than the little Nissan’s efforts, though. Also, the little Citroen really does broadcast its size (or lack thereof) with incredible precision. That might sound like a weird comment, but a lot of small cars try to put on a show about being bigger than what they really are. Not the case with the C1. The attitude of it being a utilitarian car comes through too, as external parts like the bootlid hinges are on show,

Evidence of partnership isn’t hard to miss

Single gas strut and string show how deep cost-saving measures go

C1 has to be best designed of the joint venture

CITROEN C1 VTR “Designed with the young driver in mind, the deep well of potential shapes to use has been pumped almost dry”

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST rather than internally built. Despite the design mantra, then, the C1 still as a whiff of simplistic motoring to it, which is never a bad thing if it’s done well.

Comfort and Equipment It’s inside where the ideals of simplistic motoring are, shall we say, stretched a little beyond their means. It’s not a “spartan” cabin, like that of the Corsa Trip, but the joint venture really did try to skimp on any quality parts whenever it could when building the C1. Dashboard buttons and dials look and feel like failed Fisher Price toys, being built out of the certain types of plastic one might find holding a horse-contaminated ready meal. “At least there’s a CD player!” I hear you say. Well, yes there is and that is still deemed a luxury in this price bracket which is a nice

plus. However, there are two compromises to this: One, pressing any form of button on it sends shivers down your spine like someone scratching a chalkboard or (for me, at least) rubbing velvet the wrong way because of the ear-piercing creaks you get from those awful plastics. Two, the speakers are so tinny whatever’s left of your eardrums can barely hear the music you wanted to listen to in the first place. The fact that this is the only car - and indeed the first car ever along with its brothers from other mothers - to have an auxiliary port as standard is admittedly slightly dulled by the terrible audio system it comes complete with. Seating positioning is decent and the dials are clear enough to read, and the car is a breeze to get in and out of despite its relative size. Not so much can be said for those in the back though; legroom is tight, headroom is seriously lacking and getting in and out of the back means having to forgo any scrap of dignity you might

Creaky plastics and awkward dials don’t make for an enjoyable experience

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST Even a budget airline gives you more space than that...

have cobbled together over the years. Travelling even further back and we get to the boot. One appreciates the fact that the C1 is a city car and not really designed for carrying many occupants or even that much luggage, but even EasyJet have more lax dimension allowances than what you can fit in the trunk of this thing.

Dynamics

Aux port as standard; shame about the weak stereo connected to it

The C1 tries its best to win you over in the driving experience after being resorted to that interior but it even does that half-heartedly. The microscopic 1.0-litre three-cylinder provides a not-too-shabby 68bhp and the highest torque figure out of this quintuplet of hatches, at 93lb ft. Perfect for a city fling through traffic, as that with its dinky size give it the edge it was intended for. The distinctive lack of real beefy power, though, makes the engine feel a bit gutless on longer patches of road. Motorway cruises, although comfortable enough on a suspension and damping front, can become tiring simply due to the lack of proper grunt and the distinct amount of road noise. Indeed, in any situation the three cylinder seems to make a meal of it, as the noise coming through the cabin again seems to be proof of the “cost saving” measures implicated to keep this car cheap. Handling is particularly where the C1 shines. Being so small and the lightest car here at a flyweight 800kg, the C1 is seriously nippy despite having small, thin tires. Steering is direct and crisp and the car will be eager to comply no matter how much you throw it around a bend. The handling course of our test route was particularly entertaining. This is not a car that will soothe your fevered brow, but it will be one that makes you giggle like a schoolgirl now and again.

“I Bought One!”

Value In terms of overall running costs, the C1 would be shining a beautiful red apple and placing it neatly on teacher’s desk. The efficiency of the 1.0-litre engine means an A* on fuel economy with a classmate-trumping figure of 62.8mpg. Doing the math that’s… er, give me a sec… 13.2mpg higher than the Corsa Trip in second place. Tax and insurance also mean top marks for the C1 too; a B tax band rating means £20 for a whole year and an insurance group of just one means there isn’t a single car on this test that can give you a better likelihood of cheap insurance premiums. There is a price to pay for all this efficiency though, and, ironically, that is buying one. Due to the car’s popularity, residual used values remain markedly high, with our valuation of this one coming it at around the £4,400 mark. For that money you could get two Micras, or countless Corsa Trips. There’s also the fact that Citroen can sell you a brand spanking new one for just £3,000 more, or even lease you one for £99 a month for four years. That kind of puts the final nail in the C1’s coffin: values are just too high when you could get a new one, a competitor at a much cheaper price, or even get one on finance. Just be careful with leasing it, make sure you can afford to pay that sum each month. It’s a shame, but in these specific test parameters, the C1 is just too expensive for what you’re really getting. In fairness, the package the C1 gives you is just as good as the others in this test. It’s nippy, good looking and stupidly economical. But, like a fat kid on a seesaw, the downsides are so drastic they don’t make it a fun experience. It’s too costly in the eyes of this test despite being so cheap to run, and that dashboard, despite its efforts to look appealing and funky, feels more cheap and nasty than an in-flight meal. Sorry C1, but you won’t be a winner in our book.

Zac Woodward, 30 “It’s unreal on fuel, tax and insurance, and its fun to drive but its horrific going up hills and its a bit basic inside”

Steering is light and direct, seating position is good; that rev counter? It’s an optional extra...

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

cheap runabout test cannot be complete without the addition of the infamous Renault Clio. Released in 1990 to replace the ageing and angular 5, the Clio was meant to refresh the French company’s take on style but still carry forward its values for affordability and ease of use. The Clio as a car in general is a common sight on today’s roads, no matter what the generation. This 2002 1.2 Expression is the everyman’s Clio, with a middle of the road trim level and the most popular of the Clio’s engines attached to what used to be one of the best selling cars on UK roads. Averagely average. A small latte. A tikka masala. A… you get the point. But does this apply to our test car? Plus, it may be easy to find a Clio on the second-hand market, but is it as painless to live with?

Design The ‘Clio II’, to give the car its full title, arrived in 1998 with a more rounded and chubby look to the exterior. This isn’t a completely bad thing though – funky touches like a contoured bonnet matching the shape of the black rimmed headlights and defined shoulders running right along the beltline add to the Clio’s ‘chic’ level. The only niggle is that the ‘chic’ maybe doesn’t go quite far enough if you’re wishing to make a statement with a small car like this. It’s not inoffensive or bland, but compare this to the Micra or even the C1 and seems to fall at the last hurdle. Like all others in this test, alloy wheels are not present, but the ones added to this example seem to have been bought from your local bargain shop despite what the logo on them might have you believe. The back end resembles the futuristic atomic era bubble cars with its curved glass bootlid pane and, like the C1, style cues are awash with different shapes. Plastics were used in a countless number of places when building this version of the Clio to keep repair costs down. These panels, that include the bumpers and side skirts, also helped keep the car light; at just 945kg. Despite the fact that they surround the car at about knee height, the body colour and hints of black found in the headlights mean that they don’t detract too much away from the overall look of the car.

Body colour and black plastics work well

“I Bought One!” Joshua Laider, 21 “The Clio doesn’t use much petrol, nor is it much to insure or tax. The only bad thing is how much I’ve spent on it in other ways like the sunroof refitting or £40 for an engine issue that turned out to be dirty spark plugs”

Simple but effective dash; two-tone colour a rare sight

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST Comfort and Equipment As you jump into the driver’s seat, the Clio’s overall positioning is a tick in its favour. Clear dials display everything you need and everything is within reach. The steering wheel, though, feels massive to hold, giving the impression that you’re helming an oil tanker rather than a three-door hatchback. Other than that, the seats are firm but supportive, if a little lacking in the lumbar department. With this being the Expression model of the Clio range, you get air conditioning and electric windows on both sides as standard. Even electric mirrors come along for the ride too: I mean what kind of peasant would want to turn them manually with a spindle? One even prepared a playlist on one’s iPod to connect to the car’s aux port. Oh, wait; this is 2002 so the iPod was merely a glint in Steve Job’s eye. Understandable, I guess. Back to the trusty CD then? Nope. The Expression listed the CD player as an option, and one that begrudgingly remained unticked when this car rolled off the production line. The sunroof is a nice touch, though, and one not seen on any other of our test cars; the only real issue being the common fault of it leaking, and one that the owner of

this model had to spend £150 repairing. Interior quality is passable, but bare screws and plastic moulding marks denote that this really is a budget car. The plastics don’t feel too cheap, though, and they certainly don’t creak like the C1’s CD player or come loose like the armrests in the Micra. The Clio is definitely not short of cubbyholes and storage bins to put all manner of stuff and things into. Each door comes complete with a generous amount of storage room and even the rear passengers have a cupholder that looks capable of holding a 2-litre bottle. However, that is probably the only real luxury those in the back actually get. In terms of overall space, one of Henry VIII’s beheaded wives or maybe a leprechaun might find it roomy in here but anyone with legs or a head will find it a struggle on long journeys. If you can find three people thin enough to occupy every seat in the back, the person in the middle does get a full inertia reel seatbelt instead of just a bare essential lap belt, which is a nod to the early days of Renault’s safety craze years that

Third inertia reel seatbelt a nod to Renault’s safetycrazed millenium years

Remote radio controls a nice touch

“In the back, one of Henry VIII’s beheaded wives or a leprechaun might find it roomy but anyone with legs or a head will struggle”

RENAULT Clio Expression

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST spawned the Euro NCAP five-star Megane and Laguna models. Boot is well sized and decently packaged, so there is a distinct lack of wheel arch intrusion or any extra panels that can do harm to overall space.

Dynamics The 1.2-litre four-cylinder present in this model delivers an ample amount of go to be competent enough in any real situation. Providing the driver with 75bhp and 77.4lb ft of torque, the Clio is no speed machine but delivers a decent 21bhp extra over the Corsa Trip. The torque pulls enough to get you up a motorway slip road without angering those behind you and the smooth 5-speed manual has brilliant gear spacing, meaning the engine doesn’t strain to keep up at national speed limits. Suspension damping is probably one of the best in the class. If you throw a Clio at a pothole (which, admittedly isn’t something we at RPM recommend you do), the shocks really do absorb most of the jolt. It’s no Rolls Royce, obviously,

Renault logo doesn’t fool us; these aren’t standard caps

but the Clio irons out most of Britain’s road craters with relative ease. The sharp corners and undulating surface of RPM’s handling test route did show up a slight resistance to sudden corners. Body roll isn’t overtly an issue, but a decent chunk of you does get flung about in your seat as the little hatch gets its knee down in a sharp bend. Steering is light and to the point – you do feel confident behind the wheel here – and doesn’t feel overly twitchy on motorway cruises, meaning a balanced fit and finish to the driving experience.

Renault’s F1 colours on show under bonnet

Value Currently valued at an estimated £1,350 if you bought one today, the Clio does make an appealing prospect to those in need of a first car or even a cheap replacement. Josh, the owner, paid £1,499 for his, but as an advantage, a new set of brakes and a recent clutch replacement was thrown in. Due to the not brilliantly ecofriendly engine (this was 2002 remember), the tax band stands at F. This means you’ll have to cough up £145 for a year’s tax. The fuel economy figure is, however, markedly high for an engine of its age at a very good 47.9 mpg on a combined urban and country drive. Taking all into account then, the Clio is a solid and dependable car for what is realistically not an awful lot of money. Being the second cheapest in our multi-test on valuation alone, the Clio provides ample space for four and enough room for many things. If you would be willing to overlook the slightly unenthusiastic handling traits and the lack of CD player - which can be easily remedied by purchasing a cassette-to-iPod connector - ten what you have here is a remarkably good little hatch to get you from A to B that won’t break the bank either.

No CD player? Come on Renault!

At least you get leccy windows...

“The Clio irons out most of Britain’s road craters with relative ease”

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST “The headlights and contoured grooves give a muscular vibe to the overall appearance”

VAUXHALL Corsa Design

fter the Corsa B had lived its long and fruitful life during GM Europe’s bountiful nineties era, came the Corsa C. A more modern car all around, the C arrived with a brand new platform, nicknamed the Gamma, which went on to furnish the Chevrolet Spark and Cobalt models in the US and the Montana Pickup in South America. Back in the UK, the C quickly became the biggest selling supermini on our little island, picking up accolades for ’02, ’03 and ’04. So the Corsa, then, became a black sheep within the GM group, as during this period in America sales numbers were haemorrhaging slowly, eventually leading to the infamous bailout during the latest recession. The Corsa C also remained a solid contender for best-selling car in the UK as a whole, right up until it’s elder years and its inevitable replacement in 2006. That model never really sparked as much inspiration as its ancestors and has since dropped off the top 10 list of best selling cars. Before we plod on, RPM does recognise the fact that there are two Corsas in this test. In any other circumstances this would be a little iffy, but considering the stark differences in kit, looks, comfort and value which you will see soon, we hope we argue our case well.

Design This Corsa C is a 1.2-litre Design, with… oh, look! Five doors! Hooray for practicality! This version also showcases the alterations the car received in 2003, with new headlight lenses and hardly any bare black plastic to speak of compared to the pre-facelift model, along with revised wheel designs and a general tidy up. The C portrays a more mature design mantra than some others in this test. Despite the oval door handles and smooth, curved A-pillars up the sides of the windscreen, the headlights and contoured grooves that run across the skirts give a muscular vibe to the overall appearance. This “maturity” also comes into play with the colour scheme: silver might be the most popular car colour in the UK, taking 29.4% of the overall share, but with popularity comes the humdrum of seeing one in four cars be that colour. It takes some shine (no pun intended) out of the car’s appealing design scheme, by making it more understated than the styling cues might lead you to believe. The Design was a fairly high trim level for the C, only being outdone by the SXi and Sri during 2004. This trim meant the added benefit of colour-coded bumper and side strips, rather

Black shaded brake clusters exclusive to higher end models

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

than plain black plastic ones, and black tinted rear light fixtures so you can tell it apart from the enormous bulk of Corsas on today’s roads. However, the Design did not come with alloy wheels. That is fine given the fact that every one of the competitors in this test doesn’t have them either, but it would have been a point in the Corsa’s favour if they were standard equipment.

Comfort and Equipment As mentioned previously about the Design being a fairly high trim level, kit options are pretty decent. Air Conditioning is the major plus here, putting the Micra and C1’s systems to shame for not having that option, and levelling the older Corsa for the sheer level of heat it offers up quickly. Obviously GM can do some things right…

The CD system works well and has clear audio levels. The options to change bass, treble and fade levels are easy to find and the whole button layout is clear and the plastic fascia may not be of the highest quality but at least it doesn’t squeak like the C1’s. A word of caution, though, as this particular Corsa does have a tendency to become unresponsive and click wildly for no reason. A good bash of the dash usually solves the problem, but that won’t do for long-term health. Remote central locking, one-touch electric windows and electrically operated mirrors all come along for the ride and added bonuses of steering wheel operated radio controls and a coin holder add to the overall appeal of the C’s cabin. Although, the coin holder can’t even fit a one pound coin in, which is a little detrimental the whole idea of one being there in the first place. Getting comfortable in one, however, is a different story entirely. The seats have

Coin holder won’t even take pound coins. What?

Simple, easy button layout impresses

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

Interior feels a bit naff and its gloomy inside too

“I Bought One!”

Jake Groves, 21 “It rolls around like a beached whale but I love the kit on it and it’s got a pretty eager engine!” one that straps over your lap, and the seat backs can be set in two positions. Boot space is healthy and only a pinch smaller than the Micra’s offerings.

Dynamics

absolutely no padding in them, and the side bolsters are practically non-existent, so any form of corner or bump is directed straight through your backside. Turn a corner or go around a roundabout and that lack of side padding means you’re hurled around, even if you’re only going speeds that haven’t reached double figures yet. You might as well be sitting on a church pew; at least that will help your posture. Add this to the agitated suspension and the whole experience of being in one isn’t overly enjoyable. The coils are too soft and the shock absorbers are absolutely solid, so there really is no Goldilocks moment when driving the C. This translates horribly, as the levels of body roll make the car feel more wobbly than a Crème Caramel, while a bump of any kind can quickly become bone-shattering. The back is spacious enough for four easily and five at a push. Like the Clio, the middle passenger gets a full sized seatbelt rather than

Engine-wise, the 1.2-litre Ecotec is perky and delivers decent grunt. Second only to the Micra in terms of outright horsepower, at 78bhp, the Corsa’s power delivery remains strong among its competitors, and the 81lb ft of torque gives you enough pulling power to get a good start at a set of traffic lights and ample go at the higher end of the speed limit set. Overtaking is a breeze in the Corsa on a motorway stint, but the gear spacing is a smidge short, so the four-banger under the bonnet can sound a little overworked at speed. Cornering suffers when you take into account the fussy ride. The steering is weighted well and feels substantial in your hands but any driving sensation is quickly quashed thanks to that crashy ride and level of body roll. Many profess of how it is better to feel as much as you can through the wheel when you’re on a spirited drive, but most of the sensation you get with the C is the g-forces pulling you clean out of your seat.

The Corsa C, then, is hugely different to the B a few pages back. Indeed, quite the opposite: The B is comfortable, if a little lacking in equipment or aesthetic appeal, while the C is agitated on the road but comes with plenty of toys, two extra doors and a more well-rounded design. We told you they would be different! The choice, then, now is yours. Turn to page ## for our verdict.

Thrummy engine can feel strangled at speed

Steering wheel

beset with buttons

Value Being positioned towards the top half of the pricing bracket in this test, you may be forgiven for thinking the Corsa might be a little costly. It sort of is. The Confused.com valuation of around the £2,000 mark means getting one might be a little harder for some. The benefits of the Corsa are pretty obvious though: five doors, a big boot and a healthy list of options make the C an appealing option. Running costs are broadly the same as most on this test, as the F tax band and mpg figure of 48.7 will tell you. The only slight disadvantage is the fact that it has the highest insurance group of the lot, at group 4.

Hubcaps are decent enough

“The Corsa’s power delivery remains strong among its competitors” 42

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

THE DATA

All the facts and figures you could ever ask for...

THE KIT

From the table below, age seems to be the primary reason for individual equiment levels. The youngest car here, the C1, is the most generous at providing interior luxuries, including the only car with a standard auxiliary port for your music. In contrast, the 2000 Corsa has the least amount of kit on it, as the only bonus it has to its name (i.e.: the CD player) is still an aftermarket part. No alloy wheels in sight across the board on our test cars: ‘04 Corsa’s hubcaps look most design-oriented.

THE SPECS

Bare specifications are roughly the same to the naked eye: 1.2-litre or less, front-engined and front-drive. ‘00 Corsa shows its price advantage, while C1 is most expensive on our Confused.com-sourced valuation. ‘03 Micra most powerful in bhp, while ‘04 Corsa has highest top speed. Clio’s value for money shines through with good compromise. ‘00 Corsa

‘03 Micra

‘09 C1

‘02 Clio

‘04 Corsa

Trim

Trip

VTR

Expression

Design

Price When New

£6,675

£8,130

£9,245

£8,326

£10,954

Current Value

£850

£1,800

£4,400

£1,350

£2,050

Engine Size

1.0

1.2

1.0

1.2

F/F

80bhp

68bhp

75bhp

78bhp

‘00 Corsa

‘03 Micra

‘09 C1

‘02 Clio

‘04 Corsa

Trip Comp.

Remote Lock

YES

Central Lock

YES

Engine/ Drive

E. Windows

FRONT

H/Power

54bhp

CD Player

A/MARKET

YES

Torque

60.5lb ft

81.1lb ft

93lb ft

77.4lb ft

81lb ft

Cassette

YES

Top Spd.

93mph

104mph

98mph

106mph

109mph

Aux Port

A/MARKET

YES

A/MARKET

Doors

SD Card

A/MARKET

Ins Gp.

Air Con.

YES

Fuel

Petrol

Cupholders

Economy

49.6mpg

47.9mpg

62.8mpg

47.9mpg

48.7mpg

Sunroof

YES

CO2

137

143

103

142

139

Wheel Type

STEEL

ST/CAP

Tax Band

Wheel Size

13”

14”

15”

Weight

857kg

975kg

800kg

945kg

1024kg

THE ROUTE Acceleration & Braking This test includes an up and downhill motorway sliproad to get a feel for each car’s power bands and braking strength.

Handling The undulating road surface and sharp 90° bends on this country road can embarrass or celebrate any car for their cornering ability.

Comfort This pothole-ridden coastal route stress tests the suspension in each car at low speeds and points out any potential backache scenarios early on.

Usability Including narrow streets, stop-start traffic, roundabouts and all manner of obstacles, this part can help define how the hatchbacks cope with day-to-day life.

RPM TEST ROUTE #1 North East England

Cruise

A chilled out motorway drive can show up all manner of issues with a small car. This test points out how comfortable the engine and gears are at A-Road cruising.

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

RENAULT CLIO 1st 1.2 Expression

Clio is praised for its comfort level, ease of use and stellar value for money...

enault’s little Clio has clinched victory for simply being very good, if not top notch in every single one of our categories. If you avoid the glaring omission of a CD player on this model, it offers solid levels of kit, a comfortable and spacious interior and very reasonable running costs. Hatchbacks, to some at least, are merely a compromise, but the Clio takes expectations head on and comes on top victorious, even throwing in some cheeky driving thrills and looks that are still chic more than 12 years on. Clio, we salute you.

The Clio can easily throw in some smiles on the road

On the market...

£2,000 ‘02 1.5 DCi Expression - Same trim as our test car - More economical diesel - Clean interior

£1,500 ‘05 1.2 Extreme 3dr

- Look! Alloy wheels! - Look! A CD Player! - Look! It’s three years newer!

MULTI-HATCH ROAD TEST

THE VERDICT 3rd Vauxhall Corsa Design

2nd Nissan Micra S

+ - Comfortable seats - Funky Interior - Enormous boot - - Stiff suspension - Love or hate looks - Average kit levels

+ - Lots of kit - Practical; only car with 5 doors - Willing engine - - Crashy ride - Naff interior feel - Uncomfortable seats

4th Vauxhall Corsa Trip

5th Citroen C1 VTR

+ - Cheap to buy and insure - Comfortable ride - Did we mention it was cheap? - - Spartan interior - No airbags - It’s no looker

+ - Peppy, eager handling - Most economical - Only car here with an aux port - - Most expensive in the group - Coarse engine - Really bad interior quality

What else is out there?

£1,000 ‘00 Peugeot 206 1.6 XS - Radical colour - Eye-catching design - Insurance risky motor

£1,495 ‘04 Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi Zetec - Well looked after - Torquey diesel - A bit plain to look at

£1,995 ‘07 Hyundai Getz 1.4 GSI - Nippy handling - Easy to park - Dull inside 46

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Geneva Motor Show 2014 The Award Show D o you smell that? New car smell, industrial air-conditioning units and palpable excitement assault the nostrils as you ride the excalators up to the main floors of Palexpo. As you slowly rise, floodlights come into view, car company signs creep over the horizon then the sheer size of the building hits you. The expo centre, practically attached by the hip to Geneva International Airport, is truly awe inspiring as it is without the several thousand tonnes of new metal, people, light arrays and heavily tanned multi-lingual reps littering the floor space. For those not quite in the know, the Geneva Motor Show is like Mecca for any car fan. There may be other shows on the calendar but Geneva is famous for being the oldest and the place where most marques make their world debuts. RPM pored over every stand at this year’s show to give you the best of the best in each car category, from the very small to the very big. Plus, our Best in Show award, may surprise you. Best Hatchback

Best Coupe

Best Estate

Best Crossover/SUV

Best Supercar

Best Concept Car

Best in Show

Best of the Rest

Photography Jake Groves & Peter McArdle Words Jake Groves Palexpo, Geneva 46.2350° N, 6.1180° E

Best Hatchback

Striking supermini sets out to build on former successes...

long with being our first award of the show, this one was probably one of the more important motors on the stands at Palexpo. Toyota, along with their business partners PSA Peugeot Citroen (no prizes for guessing what cars that group makeâ&#x20AC;Ś) revolutionised the small car market with their Aygo, 107 and C1 superminis back in 2005. Instead of the cars being designed and built with cheap materials, they were designed to be inexpensive to build from the off. Simple glass panel bootlids, Meccano style body panels that can be repaired or replaced with ease and no special parts that require extra effort at the manufacturing plant were all built-in. This means the dinky hatches could be sold for a relatively low price in the showroom. The second generation supermini pack seen at Geneva set out to build on the successes of their ancestors by providing more outlandish designs and a modernised interior. The Aygo wins our award for the best overall package, linking bombproof Japanese reliability, value for money and (using the previous generation as an example) strong resale values. Not to mention that outrageous x-shaped front end that gives the impression of two crossed samurai swords and crisp brake light housings at the rear that look like fangs of a sabre-toothed tiger. The Aygo is all about its edgy looks, with that brilliant front end and muscular shape. Toyota chose the right colour to show off the car in too â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the blood orange paintjob is a real winner.

However, if you were to be the proud owner of a new Aygo, the colour would be just one minor choice within a mass of possible personalisation options that open up. The X-panel can accent the body colour, with black (seen here), white, red and navy blue having been shown off to the public. Alloy wheel options are plentiful along with graphic stickers and interior panel colours. This car really does beg the question: would you ever see two the same? The Aygo shares the same platform as its counterparts, remaining the same overall wheelbase as the first generation. This means nippy handling will be a dead cert and perfect for city dwellers that have to manage one way streets, 90 degree corners and small parking spaces. No change to overall dimensions does

TOYOTA Aygo

“

That outrageous front end gives the impression of two crossed samurai swords

”

not mean that Toyota has left the structure the same, though, as the interior is better packaged, meaning the Aygo feels light and airy inside. The three-pot 1.0 engine has been redeveloped too for better efficiency, meaning a claimed higher mpg figure of 68.8 and CO2 emissions of just 95g/km. All in all, the Aygo is a well thought out package that looks set to be just as successful as its forebear. There is only one car in the eyes of RPM that pipped it to the Best in Show award, and if you want to find out, keep those blinkers glued on the pages to come… JG Nominees: Dacia Sandero, Vauxhall Adam S, Renault Twingo, Peugeot 108, Citroen C1

Partners in Crime...

We can’t really give an auspicious nod to the Aygo without at least mentioning its Gallic brothers. The Japanese portion of the trio wins for providing the best design and overall package but that is not to say Citroen’s C1 and Peugeot’s 108 are without their fair share of successes. Take a look... Citroen’s new C1 appeals because of its more cutesy design and a fabric roll-back roof. Higher level of personalisation options available. Peugeot’s 108 has more of the ‘fashion statement’ look about it. It too comes with a fabric roll-top roof and its USP is an optional two-tone paint scheme.

Multi-Touch

Super Simple

Start/Stop

Customise!

Touchy Feely

Docking Port

Steering wheel controls add to overall refinement; interior feels more upmarket

One-dial dashboard remains from original Aygo shows heritage and simplicity

Higher-spec Aygos get start button here; key becomes an ornament for the glovebox

Gloss black panel shown here can be swapped out for more colourful variants

Centerpiece 7in X-Touch multimedia system comes with rear parking camera

Usual auxiliary and USB ports come as standard for easy connection to your phone

Best Coupe

udi unveiled version three of their highly popular coupe, the TT, at Geneva. It might not be as radical to look at as its ancestor – the Bauhaus inspired MkI – but the technological advancements and crisp, masculine looks are what make the TT a winner in our books. Arriving in the UK in autumn, the new coupe is on a lower and wider chassis and will come with either front-wheel-drive or Audi’s famous Quattro four-wheel-drive system. The TT and TTS models (from £25k and £37k respectively) will feature different variants of the 2.0-litre turbo TFSI unit that is spread across the VW Group and the TTRS has a circa 300bhp five-

RIGHT: Audi has also teased the Clubsport. A rip-snorting, stripped out, track day-ready version of the TT you see above, this model comes with the most powerful production 2.0-litre turbo ever produced, providing 414bhp of physics-bashing power. Quattro 4WD system and a 0-62 time of 3.7 seconds on the cards too.

Nominees: Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Jaguar F-Type Coupe

AUDI TT

cylinder shoehorned into the car’s light frame. Inside, the cockpit is minimalist but high-tech. The dials behind the wheel have been replaced with a massive high-definition screen, showing different strands of information depending on the driving mode currently selected. There are three turbine style central air vents that are reminiscent of the original, so retro touches are present but no overbearing. Outside, the highend models get “matrix” LED headlights that, when on high beam, block out certain patches of light so you don’t blind oncoming drivers. Audi hopes the TT will become a bonafide sports car instead of nothing more than a fashion statement in the coming years, so the image-conscious need not apply. JG

Audi Official Picture

Best Estate

Nominees: Ford Focus ST Estate, Dacia Logan MCV

JAGUAR XFR-S Sportbrake

state cars always seem to have a whiff of utilitarianism to them. Adding a massive engine to create a sports estate doesn’t do anything other than add to the overall appeal, as we already know from cars like the Audi RS6 Avant. Jaguar, it seems, want to get in on the action too. Hence the new Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake, that takes our crown for the best estate car at Palexpo. Complete with the outrageous 5.0-litre V8 seen in so many other Jags (including the phenomenal F-Type), this load-lugger can absorb more than 1650 litres of stuff and things while still managing a blistering 0-60mph time of 4.6 seconds. The angry face of the saloon version remains, with carbon fibre vents slapped upon the long contoured bonnet, a carbon fibre chin spoiler and a black mesh grille. At the back, the massive load space is covered by a sloping roofline, carbon splitter and wrap-around pillars. Probably the

most understated part of the design is the small curved rear wing, which attempts (and happily fails) to offset the almost neon blue paintjob and steroid-special bodyshell. The ‘Sportbrake’ namesake comes from the 19th century term “shooting brake” which is meant to describe a vehicle that can carry a whole hunting party and the game they collect. If someone was only allowed one car, or – more realistically – could only afford one car, the Jag Sportbrake is probably one of the best allrounders. It delivers huge load space and more power than one could ever need wrapped in a high-quality product. JG RIGHT: Carbon fibre bonnet vents do little to disguise the fury that lives within... 56

Best Crossover/SUV

CITROEN C4 Cactus

Funky crossover proves austerity can still be interesting...

ne of the busiest stands at the Geneva show was that of Citroen. With two new interesting models (one of which being the C1 supermini), loud blasting music and even Zumba classes taking place on a regular basis, the French car maker was making one hell of a concerted effort to get noticed. There wasn’t really much need for all of the extra fluff, though, as one of the show stars was this, the C4 Cactus. As mentioned previously with the Aygo, the Cactus has been designed with low cost materials and building methods, but without sacrificing design or dynamics. Getting that balance right is an awful lot to manage, but Citroen seem to have pulled it off with this unusual, yet appealing soft-roader. The Cactus is Citroen’s attempt to break into the booming crossover market, started by Nissan’s Qashquai model several years back, but the

Cost-saving touches obvious

Just fancy bubble wrap?

company is making every effort to ensure their car is as unique as possible. The high-riding hatch comes with a minimalist dashboard, with most controls being put upon a large protruding touchscreen. This frees up the cabin from oodles of buttons, meaning the only ones visible were that of the gear selector on the automatic version and the electric window switches on the armrests. Another plus point of the cabin is the original glovebox design, which is made to look like a picnic basket with a leather strap instead of a “costly” latch. Door pulls are simple fabric handles and the rear windows are limited to simple clickbacks. On the exterior, one of the most visible touches is Citroen’s Airbump system. It might look like bubble wrap glued to the sides, but the novel panel cushions are there to reduce costly repairs to metal work on key areas where bumps and scrapes are most likely to happen. The C4 Cactus, then, is a very funky looking thing. It also proves that cost-saving doesn’t have to be boring, and for that reason alone, it wins our award. JG Nominees: BMW 2-Series Active Tourer, VW Tiguan, Nissan Qashqai MkII

McLaren redefines supercar standards...

or technical innovation and all out thrills, the Best Supercar award winner simply had to be McLaren’s new 650S. It might look 12C shaped with the face of the omnipotent P1 hypercar, but the 650S is more than just a mid-sales facelift. McLaren decided to show off both the Coupe and Spider versions at the show, which is quite rare for a car company to do. “We predict that 80 per cent of all 650S models will be the Spider,” says product analyst Peter Sell, “so we thought it would be a good idea to get interest in early for both versions.” What does this mean for owners then? Usually with the convertible version of a sports car, handling and rigidity usually suffer due to the lack of a roof. McLaren deals with that using an adapted version of the carbon-fibre “tub” seen in the P1, “meaning there’s no structural weakness between the hardtop and spider versions,” says Sell. McLaren’s original hydraulic anti-roll system works in tandem with the composite structure to make a car that is stable, grippy and comfortable. A very rare sight to see all three together, but in fairness, who else could do it other than McLaren? Power is delivered to the rear wheels via the same 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 seen in the 12C, but

M C L A R E N 6 5 0 S Nominees: Koenigsegg One:1, Lamborghini Huracan, Pagani Zonda Revolucione

CLOCKWISE: 12C airbrake remains, carbon fibre vents maximise cooling, 650S comes with full Alcantara interior 59

with uprated parts to deliver a max power output of 641bhp. 0-62mph takes just an eye-watering 3 seconds, with the 650S maxing out at 207mph. The 7-speed lightning fast dual-clutch gearbox from the 12C remains too. From an aerodynamics stand point, the 650S blends the 12C’s party piece airbrake with the P1’s slippery front and side vents to create seamless airflow, meaning cooling and downforce are at their best, with drag remaining low. These

“

There’s no style for style’s sake with the 650S - it proves aerodynamics and aesthetic design can easily go hand in hand with little compromise on either.

”

Best Supercar features, though, also look absolutely beautiful. There’s no style for style’s sake with the 650S, but this car puts the Gumpert Apollo to shame, proving aerodynamics and aesthetic design can easily go hand in hand with little compromise on either. The added bonus of the hardtop is the fantastic winged doors, sure to provide more looks of astonishment pointing your way when you pull up in a car park. Speaking of parking your car, no matter what

technological achievements the 650S can boast about, the car can still be used for everyday tasks. McLaren know that too: Sell points that only 10 per cent of 650S models will ever grace the tarmac of a track. From one perspective, that might sound a little depressing, but from RPM’s point of view, this usability opens up so many possibilities of road thrills that it’s making our heads spin. We might need to sit down a minute. Normal service will resume shortly. JG

Best Concept Car

‘R’ clearly stands for ‘Raving Lunatic’ in latest evolution...

is fair to say that Japan seems to have gotten their design mojo back after years of inoffensive tedium. Honda, culprits of the drab CR-V, blue-rinsebrigade Jazz and indifferent Accord saloon have gone berserk with this, their latest Civic Type R. The car was a star at the Geneva show, grabbing attention that most manufacturers could only dream of. I’m not surprised either: this is a stunning piece of machinery. From every angle, the car is aggressive, edgy or just plain evil. The lowered stance, angry face and devil-horn rear lights give the Civic masses of

road presence. However, all of these muscular details are not just for show. Huge front vents help engine and brake cooling, a matte grey splitter is seen from front to back for added stability and massive black alloy wheels are home to drilled Brembo brake discs the size of vinyl records and super-low profile tires. Honda themselves say that the visual changes to the previous model “offer real function, rather than just aesthetics, as confirmed by feedback from prototype testing”. The one real aesthetic-only feature on this pocket rocket is the metallic red paint, as flecks of gold leaf are added to bring

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R more depth to the colour. At the show, I had to take a step back and breathe it all in. I mean, come on… have you ever seen something this compact look so menacing? There’s also the good news that most of the design you see here will end up on the actual production version that lands in 2015. The powerplant is a revised and updated 2-litre, four-cylinder VTEC, meaning the redline will be so high it’ll probably burst your eardrums. The new addition to the spicy mix is a turbocharger – something not yet heard of on a Type R model – helping to provide “around” 280bhp worth of grunt going direct to the front wheels. That might seem like a recipe for disaster, but we at RPM have better faith in Honda to get the configuration just right. Let’s not forget the previous (and brilliant) versions of the Civic Type R (particularly the EK9 and EP3), the Integra coupe and the burly V6 NSX sports car.

“

Have you ever seen something this compact look so menacing?

ABOVE: Horn rear lights show Type R is devil’s work BELOW: Quad exhausts and defined splitter: this car means business

”

Plus, the aerodynamic tweaks, addition of a limited-slip differential to enhance cornering abilities and an ‘R’ button to turn everything up to 11 should help the Civic to blast into the stratosphere. Now, this banzai beast may look like something you’d see on a lad’s bedroom wall, but Honda is serious about building the Type R’s performance credentials. The company has their sights firmly set upon breaking the lap record at the Nurburgring for a production hot hatchback. After that record was recently smashed by the rather terrific Seat Leon Cupra, pushing it under the 8-minute marker, Honda have their work cut out. It seems convenient, though, to know that Honda have been testing prototypes at the infamous German track. We might have a new record holder on our hands people… JG Nominees: Opel Monza, Volvo Estate Concept, Cadillac Elmiraj, Mini Clubman, Nissan BladeGlider, Gumpert Explosion, Volkswagen XL1

Nominees: Citroen C4 Cactus, Koenigsegg One:1, McLaren 650S, Lamborghini Huracan, Audi TT, Toyota Aygo, Ferrari California T, Jaguar F-Type, Ford Mustang, Honda Civic Type R

Best in Show RENAULT TWINGO Unique supermini wins our most coveted prize...

aybe there is some benefit to a world financial crisis. As many decide the need to keep costs down is a number one priority, the motoring market responds year-on-year with more economical models. “Economical”, though, does not usually spell fun in the eyes of the consumer. I mean, look at the Prius or VW’s BlueMotion range; they can save mother earth and keep you healthily in the black due to fuel savings, but who wants anything with a whiny electric motor or a crude clattering diesel? It’s uninspiring to say the least. The attitude to this, though, is changing. We already have the Fiat 500, the retro rebirth that blends a fun drive, great looks and, if you go for the TwinAir engine, a car that prefers to sip fuel rather than glug it. Now, this year’s Geneva show is an opportunity for other marques to have their take on the funky, fresh and fun supermini. Toyota’s Aygo may have won our award for Best Hatchback at the show, but the

third generation of Renault’s Twingo wins our coveted Best In Show award, because it delivers everything the Aygo does, but with a lot more in tow too. After the original was a massive hit in mainland Europe due to its low cost and cutesy looks and the second generation graced UK shores with a fantastic RenaultSport version, this new model has a bit of a twist. The new Twingo comes with a rear-engine, rear-drive layout. Odd, I know, but this should send the driving excitement klaxon into overdrive. Other than the Smart city car (with the new version running on the same platform), this setup in a small supermini is practically unheard of these days. In fact, the last time the layout was used in Europe was 1976, as the last Hillman Imp rolled off the production line. This configuration with a light frame and 50/50 weight distribution means the Twingo should be great fun to throw about at any speed and in any situation. Not having a heavy front end and

front-wheel drive like most other superminis means there is little to scupper the handling dynamics; the Twingo should be free of killjoy understeer. Two variants of Renault’s compact 0.9-litre engine will be available. The triple-pot can be

“ Roll-top roof adds miles of headroom

Glass bootlid keeps Twingo light

Funky interior looks inviting

Unleash your creative side with tonnes of stickers to choose from

The Twingo should be free of killjoy understeer

”

chosen as a vanilla ‘SCe 70’ non-turbo motor that offers 69bhp and 67lb ft or the more flavourful boosted ‘TCe 90’ with a meatier 89bhp and, crucially, a substantial 100lb ft of torque which should make light work of city streets and even a quick B-Road hoon. The choice of a manual or a DSG paddleshifter is available from launch too. To look at, the Twingo retains some of the original’s quirks, with curvy cheekbones, large round headlights and wheels that stretch as far as possible to each of the four corners, meaning little overhangs. Retro features are intertwined with modern innovation, as the dinky Renault will come complete with a glass panel bootlid to save weight, separate LED foglights on the front bumper and a fabric retractable roof as an option which adds the benefit of a million miles of headroom. A choice of four colours is available: white, yellow, red and baby blue can then be accented by a range of stickers that can be attached along the beltline. A RenaultSport version to replace the MkII’s 133 and a Gordini special edition are very likely to follow suit later in the year, meaning even more powerful and exclusive versions are surely still to come. In 2014, we are edging closer and closer to the perfect small car, and the new Twingo is the closest we’ve gotten yet. JG

For more on the 2014 Geneva Motor Show... /RPMagazine

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The Best of the Rest

These motors still deserve a special mention in our books...

The ‘Heritage’ Award Lambo Huracan The ‘Cool Name’ Award Gumpert Explosion The Huracan shows that Lamborghini is as stubborn as the bull that emblazons their logo when it comes to their cars. Despite competitors downsizing and adding forced induction (like the Ferrari California T), Italy’s most crazed car manufacturer does not want to budge on their engine layouts, with the Huracan coming with a 5.2-litre V10 like the one in the outgoing Gallardo. It’s a thing of absolute beauty, too...

The ‘Shocked to Be Here’ Award Mini Cooper MkIII

Gumpert is well known for the hideously ugly but technically brilliant Apollo. Since then, though, the company went bust, but was revived late last year. Creating what many would call an “entry-level” car, given the company’s habit for lunatic V8 racers, this two-door coupe has a humble 2-litre under its nose. Sadly, it’s just a concept, but the main thing we were bothered about were its brilliant looks and the single most cool name to ever be given to a car. Like ever...

The ‘Smug’ Award Bentley Mulsanne BMW’s “new” Mini has now reached its third generation, with LED halo-esque headlights, more flashing lights inside than a council house at Christmas, Germany’s weird take on the British sense of humour (i.e.: when you engage sport mode little animations of go karts and rocket ships buzz about) and a new, cleaner range of engines. If cars ever had facial expressions, surely we’re all in agreement here that the Mini looks absolutely horrified with that headlight/grille combo... 67

Facial expressions seemed to be the order of the day as this Mulsanne felt rather imperious due to all of the attention it was getting from the commoners sauntering around the expo centre...

The ‘Where did that come from?!’ Award Kia GT4 Stinger

Yes, you did read that right. That two-door, low-slung, futuristic Toyota GT86 baiter wears a Kia badge with pride. Designed in the Korean company’s Californian studio, the Stinger gets transparent A-pillars, sculpted wheel arches and a 315bhp turbo four under the bonnet. It isn’t just a concept either, Kia wants to put this into production in 2016. RPM will be crossing our respective fingers in unison...

The ‘We Promise This is It’ Award Pagani Zonda Revolucion

Pagani seem to have short-term memory whenever they tell the world they aren’t making the Zonda anymore. “Revolucion” is Pagani trying to tell us they’re going around in circles. Conveniently, that’s what the driver will be doing behind the wheel of this utterly psychotic carbon-fibre basket case too.

The ‘Hipster’ Award BMW 2-Series Active Tourer

The ‘Destroyer of Worlds’ Award Koenigsegg One:1

Now we all know how mad this Swedish company is at making cars. Nothing can possibly beat this new model on paper. The name hints at having one horsepower to one kilo of weight, so weighing in at 1,360kg might give you an idea of how quick it will be. It is the only car to produce a whole megawatt of power. Absolute lunacy! Plus you can use an app to open the doors. Odd.

“Ugh, rear-wheel-drive is so mainstream. Plus, all these saloons are, like, everywhere. I mean, where is the individuality? I’m going to become the first MPV in the BMW range, and I’m, like, totally not stealing the idea from every other car company, because I’m calling myself an Active Tourer. Screw you establishment!” You get the picture. Fleshing out the new 2-Series line-up with a new front-wheel-drive, people mover is rather left field for the Bavarian Motor Works but times are changing and this is probably the one niche the German company haven’t exploited yet. It will end up using the range of engines from the “new” Mini seen on the opposite page and will become an instant hit with the school-run jetset.

HelpCentre RPM’s resident Agony Uncle Peter McArdle has five tips to get the most out of your car for pennies...

o you have the car of your choice. You like it a lot, perhaps even love it. It would be nice to think that your new purchase will always gleam and will never let you down. Life’s rarely like that and reality is sometimes very

different. There are ways of preventing life and your vehicle from letting you down. Your new vehicle needs looking after. Imagine that you have been given a new-born puppy as a present. You cannot play games with it without feeding

1. Overheating An internal combustion engine (petrol or diesel) will usually settle to a running temperature of around 85° Celsius. The coolant temperature gauge will show this. The fortunate owner will see figures on the gauge but most will simply see ‘C’ for ‘cold’ and ‘H’ for ‘hot’. The correct running temperature will be approximately midway between the two letters. Loss of coolant (usually accompanied by a distinctive smell and perhaps visible steam) is the most common cause of overheating, but did you

“Check for signs of leakage” Being in too low of a gear, “blipping” the throttle and stop-start traffic will mean less of this...

and generally caring for its wellbeing. Your car is similar as it needs care beyond feeding it with fuel. Let’s take a look at common problems affecting the older motor...

“Coolant is more than just tap water”

realise that a less obvious but equally serious cause is lack of lubricant (‘engine oil’)? Check both levels frequently. Look for ‘white sludge’ forming on the dipstick. This indicates that oil and coolant are co-habiting in your engine - a sure recipe for expensive engine failure. Note that ‘coolant’ is more than just tap water. Anti-freeze or Summer Coolant are not just expensive options. In a modern engine they are essential in order to prevent metal corrosion.

Always keep the coolant level above the Min/Max lines, just like your instructor taught you!

2. Fuel Consmption Every unnecessary use of the accelerator or the brakes wastes fuel, and so smooth driving is a way of saving money. You may enjoy the sound of that sporty exhaust but ‘blipping’ the throttle will cost you at the pump. A blocked air-filter will increase your fuel consumption too and less power will be available from the engine. Cost of a replacement filter - less than ten pounds. Cost of not replacing the filter - a lot more than that! Check for signs of fuel leakage (smell of fuel, stains on the ground) and rectify immediately. Leaks never get better without attention.

...and seeing more of this

3.Tyres Check your tyre pressures regularly, and keep an eye on their general condition. Under-inflated tyres cause drag and increase fuel consumption. Check for sufficient tread depth (‘slicks’ are for racing cars) and look for cuts or bulges in the sidewall. Damaged tyres can cost lives, yours included.

MAINTENANCE TIPS “Under inflated tyres cause drag and increase fuel consumption” Avoid “kerbing”; it scuffs your rims and damages the tyre walls

Minimum tread depth is 1.6mm but it should really be higher than 3mm to be safe

“It is useful to have a spare bulb kit handy”

4. Lighting

Make sure not to touch bulbs with bare fingers; oil on your skin can make condensation appear inside the lens

5. MOT Time!

“Did you know you may take your car in from one month before it expires?”

The Law demands that certain lights be fitted to a car, and if fitted, must be working correctly at all times (not just at night). Should PC Plod take an interest in your lighting, it is useful to have a spare bulb kit handy. This shows your intent to take the Law seriously, and might help you avoid a fine. Cost of a bulb-kit - around five pounds. Cost of a fine - forty pounds or more.

Probably the greatest financial pressures of owning an older car arise at MOT time. Did you realise that you may take your car for it’s annual inspection at any time from one month before the current certificate is due to expire? Should any items need attention then this gives you time to consider your options. A vehicle should of course be roadworthy whenever it is used on the highway.

Don’t forget... When your car needs a replacement part, what should you do? Any safety-related item (brake pads and linings, steering and suspension parts, etc. should ideally be replaced with new items. Other parts may be sourced from a breakers yard if necessary. If the idea of visiting such an establishment seems daunting

then relax. The people there tend to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of cars and their workings, particularly as regards which parts are interchangeable. They are invariably polite and helpful. Don’t be afraid to haggle over the price of an item - it adds to the fun! When you acquire your new

car, allow a few pounds to buy a workshop manual. Time spent browsing it’s pages will be time well spent since you will be less scared of tackling those jobs that arise. Mending an older vehicle is usually more common sense than rocketscience!

Next Month

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Images from myfrozenlife on Flickr

B Plus... “F1 - Has Mercedes’ gamble

eing Europe’s largest Japanese car meet, Japfest is a haven for fans of cars of an Asian persuasion. Supras, Z-Cars, Civics and more are always part of the show and the unbridled spirit of the enthusiasts is on show at all times. Based at Castle Combe, next month’s RPM will give you a backstage pass to the cars, the drifts and the atmosphere.

paid off?” “Are trackers really worth the lower insurance premium?” “Hybrid, Plug-In or Hydrogen; what does the future hold?”

News 75

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