Autocar July/August 2011

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88 Cover story Jaguar XKR-S vs rivals | First Drives Mercedes C63 AMG Coupé | Road Tests BMW 1M vs Porsche Cayman R, Ferrari 458 Italia, Lexus IS F | Motorsport Motorcity 12-hour Kart Enduro

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THE MIDDLE EAST’S LEADING CAR MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2011

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BE MINI.

MINI-ME.COM

MINI Clubman Hampton has arrived.

The MINI Clubman Hampton gives you that smart, chic and spacious MINI feeling – with an extra shot of MINI! Tailored with features by “MINI Yours” – MINI’s new individual product line - like new exterior colour Reef Blue, special badging, black Lounge Leather seats edged in Damson Red piping and many more, is now coming to your MINI dealer’s showroom. Be fast to catch a glimpse of the limited edition MINI Clubman Hampton, available in both versions MINI Cooper Clubman and MINI Cooper S Clubman.

For more information, visit your nearest MINI dealer.

MINI Clubman Hampton featuring the MINI Cooper S Engine of the Year 2011.

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Cover story

THIS Month

06

38

hardened pros

The 542bhp XKR-S is the fastest, most potent production Jaguar to date. We find out if it's as much of a driver's car as an Aston Martin V8 Vantage S, BMW M3 GTS and Porsche 911 GT3

32

Coupe de grace

BMW's sublime M3 finally has a genuine rival as Mercedes rolls out its stonking new C63 AMG Coupe

plusher 1 series targets a-class BMW's baby car grows in size and quality to ensure it's not surpassed by Audi's A3 and Merc's A-Class

News

Plusher 1 Series targets Merc A-Class BMW takes its baby hatchback upmarket

New M-Class safer and greener

12

Renault reveals ultimate hot-hatch

12

Aston, Maybach to team up

14

Goodwood debut for new BMW M5

18

Mercedes SUV gets new engines and safety tech

26

Rapid Megane RS265 Trophy ups the ante

nissan juke

Luxo brands considering joint Frankfurt concept

Is it an oddball novelty or a practical baby crossover?

"The Nissan Juke is as understated as a bright orange three-piece suit with a squirting flower affixed to the lapel"

46

All-new supercar to star at British speed-fest

raw meet

Can BMW's new 1 Series Coupe really threaten a Porsche Cayman R? We put the pair toe-to-toe

Gautam Sharma

page 26

6

Drives/features

Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 first drive

20

Jaguar XKR-S first dRIVE

22

Nissan Juke first drive

26

Mercedes C350 Coupe first drive

30

Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe first drive

32

Hardened pros group test

38

Raw meet twin test

46

Hyperdrive road test

54

Hidden treasure road test

62

Belated blessing road test

66

One for the boys drive

70

If Q branched out new vs used

74

Final 911 variant sets a new benchmark

Leaping cat unleashes its fastest car to date Baby crossover will shake up small-car segment Three-pointed star rolls out stylish two-door Life just got difficult for BMW's M3 Coupe

Jaguar's XKR-S meets its toughest opposition

Can BMW's 1 Series M match a Porsche Cayman R? Blasting across the UAE in Ferrari's 458 Italia Bentley's subtly refined Conti GT hits the mark Brawny V8-powered Lexus IS-F sedan impresses

Imminent Mini Coupe set to broaden demographic New Merc CL63 AMG or used Aston Martin DBS?

Sport

MotorCity 12-hour kart race

54

Dubai Falcons soar in all-night karting enduro

80

hyperdrive

Ferrari's 458 Italia has been racking up the accolades since its launch, and now Damien Reid joins the chorus after a high-speed blast across the UAE

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EDITORIAL

Group Managing Editor – Sport and Automotive Damien Reid Managing Editor Gautam Sharma Senior Sub Editor Elizabeth McGlynn

Up front

Studio

Creative Director Aziz Kamel Art Director Janett Kheil Designer Samer Hamadeh

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MediaQuest corporation

Design dilemma HOW IMPORTANT is the styling of a car? Or to put it another way, how much is a consumer’s buying decision influenced by the way a car looks? The simple answer? It’s very important... critical, even. This is obviously why car companies invest vast chunks of their R&D budgets in their styling department, which has the task of conjuring up an attractive bodyshell – essentially a car’s attire – within the tight constraints imposed by packaging requirements, as well as

CO-CEO Alexandre Hawari CO-CEO Julien Hawari CFO Abdul Rahman Siddiqui Managing Director Ayman Haydar

aerodynamic and safety criteria. You may not always like the results they

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be assured that a lot of thought, planning and elbow grease has gone into the

Published by

visual persona of every car on the market.

Published by MediaquestCorp FZ Dubai Media City Al Thuraya Tower 2, 24th Floor UAE Tel: +971 4 391 0760 Fax: +971 4 390 8737 Printed at Emirates Printing Press, Dubai No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form except by permission. The publisher makes every effort to ensure contents are correct but cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Unsolicited material is submitted to Autocar entirely at the owner’s risk; the publisher accepts no responsibility for loss or damage. With regret, competitions and promotional offers, unless otherwise stated, are not available to readers outside the Middle East. Reproduction in whole or part of any photograph, text or illustration without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Due care is taken to ensure that the content of Autocar Middle East is fully accurate, but the publisher and printer cannot accept liability for errors and omissions. © Mediaquest Corp FZ 2011. ISSN 1990-827X

produce (I certainly have my own personal list of design duds), but always

The design process starts with fairly abstract sketches churned out by the team of crayon wielders, and the best candidate among these then makes the progression to three dimensions via 3D modelling software, followed by a clay model that’s wheeled out to the company’s top brass and marketeers for their approval. If they give it the green light, it’s further tweaked and refined and eventually ends up as the metal, plastic and glass reality you see in showrooms.

What made me think of the design process and its importance is the oddball Nissan Juke I first sampled a few weeks ago (see page 26). The baby crossover is hardly what you’d call conventional, and the design team responsible has obviously climbed way out on a limb to conjure up its weird-burger profile.

UK EDITORIAL

The car certainly attracted more than its fair share of attention as we trundled

Editor Chas Hallett Editor-in-chief Steve Cropley Managing editor Allan Muir Editor-at-large Steve Sutcliffe Associate editor Hilton Holloway Features editor Matt Saunders Chief road tester Matt Prior Senior road tester Jamie Corstorphine News editor John McIlroy News Reporter Mark Tisshaw Chief photographer Stan Papior Group publishing manager Darren Pitt

around the emirate of Fujairah during its regional media launch, but I wondered

management Publisher Alastair Lewis Publishing director Stuart Forrest Group director Patrick Fuller Licensing director Tim Bulley

wouldn’t want to be seen in something as mundane as a Tiida or Corolla, and

Autocar, Motor, Autocar & Motor are registered trademarks. Registered as a newspaper with the Royal Mail. Member of the ABC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form except by permission. The publisher makes every effort to ensure contents are correct but cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Unsolicited material is submitted to Autocar entirely at the owner’s risk; the publisher accepts no responsibility for loss or damage. With regret, competitions and promotional offers, unless otherwise stated, are not available to readers outside the UK and Eire. © Haymarket Magazines 2010.

Haymarket Group

Editorial director Mark Payton Art director Paul Harpin Managing director David Prasher Chief executive Kevin Costello Chairman Rupert Heseltine

how many of the curious rubberneckers ogling it would actually fork over their hard-earned moolah to have one in their driveway.

Nissan isn’t stupid, so it’s obviously conducted a host of clinics and focus groups to glean how the public responded to the jolly Juke’s visually challenging lines. Their target market for the vehicle are youthful, style-conscious types who hence its offbeat shape. The Juke’s sales results in Europe paint a pretty picture as buyers in that continent have been snapping them up in significant numbers. I’m curious to see whether the same trend will be replicated here when the car goes on sale in a couple of months.

On a slightly separate note, a friend of mine is currently shopping for a new car, and seems to think the Toyota Avalon is a great looking thing. Just goes to show there’s often no accounting for taste...

Gautam Sharma Managing Editor

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NEWS Cabin gets better materials and more standard kit

Plusher 1 Series t n BMW’s new 5dr hatch due in 4th quarter; 3dr to follow n Classier and roomier inside

A

roomier and higherquality BMW 1 Series will launch a stronger challenge to the Audi A3 and new Mercedes-Benz A-class when sales start in September.

Developed on the same platform architecture as the new 3 Series, the 1 Series will appear first as a five-door hatch. It will be followed by a new threedoor early next year, and will eventually spawn a new

generation of up to half a dozen model variants.

The most striking feature of the new 1 Series, codenamed F20, is its dramatic styling. It maintains the lineage of the outgoing model, which shocked the automotive world with its audacious look.

Significantly, that styling has proved to be a huge hit with customers. Production has stretched to more than a million units since 2004.

The new 1 Series was created under design chief Adrian van Hooydonk, since promoted to BMW Group design head, and takes advantage of the 1 Series’ rear-drive proportions to push the cabin further back over the rear axle and extend forward a dominant bonnet.

Most dramatic is the front-end styling, which adopts a flavour of the shark-nose treatment that has featured on recent concepts. The

reinterpreted kidney grille leans forward slightly, and next to it the large, angular headlamps are recessed under ‘eyebrows’ to add texture to the frontend styling.

Otherwise, the surface treatment is as taut as today’s model, beefed up by a more prominent shoulder and side swage line. And to provide the new 1 Series with a larger tailgate aperture than the old model,

the tail-lights are pushed to the extremities of the rear end.

To address the major criticism of today’s car — a tight rear cabin — the new 1 Series sits on a 30mm longer wheelbase, stretched to 2690mm, just 70mm shorter than today’s 3 Series. At least 21mm has been added to the rear legroom, while wider rear door apertures are said to ease access.

Overall, the new 1 Series is 85mm longer (at 4234mm) and

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New BMW 1 Series Dramatic front end features recessed lights

s targets A-class

e

n Three and four-pot engines n 2 Series coupé and cabrio due 2013 17mm wider (1765mm) than its predecessor, but has an identical height of 1421mm.

Under the skin, the car features aluminium-intensive suspension with tracks widened by 51mm up front (to 1535mm) and 72mm at the rear (to 1569mm), which liberates interior space and boosts high-speed stability.

Uniquely, however, the rangetopping 120d uses a slightly narrower 1556mm rear track.

As with the old 1 Sseries, the new model sits on a platform that shares many major parts, including its MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension, with the larger 3 Series. Both continue to be assembled at BMW’s Leipzig factory in Germany.

Unlike the car it replaces, the new 1 Series will be engineered with four-wheel drive, although that model is unlikely to be

imported to the Middle East.

These first official images of the new 1 Series also reveal its interior to be much more inviting than the sparse-looking cabin of the outgoing model, and in that sense the 1 Series moves closer to the X3 and 3-series in terms of plastics and materials quality.

There’s also been a conscious effort to improve everyday usability, with added oddment space up front, including a ◊

Five-door 1 Series will be the first to hit the showrooms JULY/AUGUST 2011 WWW.AUTOCAR.AE 7

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NEWS ∆ larger centre armrest and door bins that accept one-litre bottles.

Luggage capacity has also expanded by 30 litres to an impressive 360 litres. That’s 10 litres more than the Volkswagen Golf and 44 litres more than a Ford Focus, making for classleading luggage volume. With the 60/40 split rear seats folded down, carrying capacity extends to 1200 litres.

In keeping with the trend for engine downsizing, the new 1 Series will be sold exclusively with four-cylinder engines. The launch line-up includes two petrol models, both of which use a longitudinally mounted version of the direct-injection 1.6-litre unit recently unveiled in the Mini Cooper. It produces 136bhp in the base 116i and 170bhp in the 118i.

There will also be a trio of diesel models from the outset of European sales. They all use the same basic 2.0-litre engine, which has been tuned to deliver 116bhp

in the 116d, 143bhp in the 118d and 184bhp in the 120d. BMW claims the 116d returns 65.7mpg and emits 114g/km of CO2.

Initially, the fastest model will be the 120d, which is claimed to hit 100km/h from a standstill in 7.2sec and go on to 230km/h.

BMW plans to introduce more powerful models in 2012, including a range-topping 128iS powered by the turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine unveiled in the X1 xDrive28i and Z4 earlier this year.

With 245bhp and 330Nm of torque, the Volkswagen Golf GTIrivalling hatchback is claimed to eclipse the performance of the outgoing naturally aspirated 3.0-litre, six-cylinder 130i, with 0-100km/h in under 6.0sec and a 250km/h top speed. However, the car’s future in the dieseldominated European market is still to be decided.

Also on the way is a frugal new 1.5-litre, three-cylinder

‘BMW also plans to introduce a range-topping 128iS, which will eclipse the 130i’ Early concept images previewed new 1 Series grille

turbocharged engine in both direct-injection petrol and common-rail diesel forms. Insiders suggest power of around 120bhp and, in diesel form, over 70mpg.

As with the first generation 1 Series on sale since 2004, all engines come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, but a welcome first is the option of a ZF eight-speed automatic ’box.

As part of BMW’s Efficient Dynamics initiative, the most affordable BMW model also receives automatic stopstart, low-resistance tyres, brake energy recuperation, automatically disconnecting ancillary components and, on manual versions, an optimal gearshift indicator.

Living up to its junior luxury tag, the entry-level BMW comes with a long list of optional features, many of which are unique in the hatchback class.

Among them are high beam assist, reversing camera, a lane departure warning system including collision warning, cruise control with brake function, speed limit sign recognition, internet connectivity and the latest in social networking functions, including Twitter and Facebook apps.

Price rises appear to have been kept in check, however. While the base 116i jumps by about $1500 in Europe, the 118d SE diesel drops in price. There’s also an increase in the levels of standard equipment, including iDrive and a display screen on all models.

In Europe there’s also a new mid-spec Urban trim level, which will be priced the same as Sport but will feature different combinations of interior trim and equipment.

Greg Kable

Urban and Sport models will come with 16-inch alloy wheels as standard.

The M Sport version, likely to follow later in 2012, will get 17-inch alloys.

The 1 Series will be equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, but an eightspeed auto will be offered on some models.

BMW unleashes ultra-cool Frozen Black Edition M3 Sinister low-volume M3 special edition adheres to the basic black formula

P

erhaps to take some of the sting out of the launch of the stonking new Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe (see page 32), BMW’s North American Division has announced a 20-unit model run of ‘Frozen Black Edition’ M3 Coupes for the US. Befitting its moniker, the limited-edition model is coated in BMW Individual Frozen Black exterior paint, which has a deep metallic lustre. In BMW’s words:

“Compared to conventional exterior colours with gloss finish, the sculpture-like character of Frozen Black paint highlights the athletic contours of the M3.”

The paint’s lustrous finish was allegedly achieved by applying a BMW-developed silk matte clear coat over the Black Metallic base coat. The company claims its Frozen paints meet or exceed all BMW standards for durability and longevity, and feature a full factory warranty.

That said, special care guidelines are provided to customers and authorized BMW centres to prevent the finish from becoming glossy. The Frozen Black Edition M3 Coupe isn’t merely about cosmetic upgrades, as the car comes with the Competition Package, which reduces vehicle ride height by 10mm and includes M3 GTS 19-inch wheels (in black for this Edition) with wider offset for enhanced stability.

Just 20 units of the Frozen Black Edition M3 to be sold in US

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New BMW 1 Series

Sport models will feature dark chrome interior trim, seen here on the instrument panel. Urban models get a distinctive alpine white trim.

Upmarket look is boosted by bespoke kick plates for each trim level. Pricing for each model is above that of the equivalent Audi A3.

The package also includes Electronic Damping Control with enhanced programming and higher-threshold programming for the M Dynamic Mode. Other goodies unique to the Frozen

Interior bedecked in Novillo leather trim with red stitching

Black Edition include red brake calipers, gloss-black exterior trim elements and ‘Novillo’ leather upholstery with unique redcontrast stitching.

As per the donor M3, propulsion comes from BMW M Division’s free-spinning 4.0-litre V8, which belts out 414bhp for a 0-100km/h split of 4.6sec when mated to the M-DCT dual-clutch transmission.

BMW North America put the first 19 cars up for grabs at a price of $US79,650 (quite good value compared to what an M3 costs here), with buyers staking their claim by ringing a toll-free number. The 20th car will be held

by BMW of North America and may be sold at a later date.

Frozen Black Edition M3 Coupe Special features MW Individual Frozen Black B Exterior Paint Black Extended Novillo leather with Red Contrast Stitching on seats, headrests, door inserts, armrests, middle console, and door pulls.

Black M3 GTS wheels, 19-inch diameter with high-performance summer tyres Red brake calipers Gloss black kidney grilles Gloss black side-gill elements Gloss black exhaust pipe tips

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NEWS official pictures

Plush cabin is all new, with roomy seating for five

New M-class safer and greener Mercedes SUV gets more efficient engines and new safety tech Mercedes HAS revealed the first images of its all-new M-class, which takes the razor to fuel consumption, but otherwise sticks with the existing formula.

Based on all-new architecture that just happens to share its wheelbase with the secondgeneration M-Class, its weights are claimed to be almost identical to the outgoing car, even with far more equipment and greater crash safety. Built in the United States, the new ML will offer more

elbow and shoulder room in the front and back, and more luggage capacity as well.

With seating for five and up to nine airbags, it’s also safer and more spacious with greater refinement, thanks to new isolating tricks to keep driveline vibrations away from the chassis.

The ML350 is also heavily revised, and although it keeps the same 3498cc capacity, the V6 has moved from a 90-degree vee to 60 degrees — as we reported this

time last year — to eliminate the balancing shafts and smooth out vibrations.

That hasn’t hurt its performance, though, because it generates 302bhp (up 34) and 370Nm (up 20) to push the big Benz to 100km/h in 7.6 seconds and a 235km/h top speed.

The third-generation M-class, which shares chassis components with Jeep’s new Grand Cherokee because development began before Daimler’s split from

Chrysler, will be topped by a replacement for the range-topping ML63 – powered by AMG’s new twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8.

Styling is evolutionary for X5 rival Also central is an upgraded seven-speed a two-speed automatic transmission transfer case, longitudinal across the all-4Matic permanent differential lock, underbody four-wheel drive M-class range. guard and enhanced Airmatic air An off-road package will again suspension functionality to raise be available – this time with six ground clearance to 285mm and driving modes for the upgraded fording depth to 600mm.

7G-Tronic auto – and comprises

Renault reveals ultimate Megane hot-hatch Sadly we don’t get it here, but the Renault Megane RS250 has been lauded by the European motoring press for its giantkilling performance, which comes at a price that doesn’t slay your wallet in the process.

Now the French brand’s go-faster division has upped the ante via the even more exclusive Renaultsport Megane 265 Trophy, of which just 500 units will be sold worldwide – but there are as yet no plans to sell it in the Middle East.

The flagship Megane cops a host of upgrades to ensure it retains the ascendancy over the VW Golf R and Scirocco R, and the on-paper stats suggest it should just about do that.

A hike in boost pressure and

a revised air intake combine to increase peak power from 247bhp to 262bhp, while torque rises from 340Nm to 360Nm. Renault quotes a 0-100km/h split of 6.0sec (a tenth quicker than the RS250), while top speed rises from 251km/h to 254km/h. As per the RS250, the new range-topper gets torquesteer-limiting front struts and a limited-slip differential, and drive is relayed to the tarmac via Bridgestone Potenza RE 050 rubber, wrapped around black 19-inch Speedline alloys.

The RS265 Trophy also scores LED daytime running lights and red Trophy decals on the doors and front air intake. Interior tweaks include Recaro bucket seats, yellow seatbelts and

stitching and the Renaultsport Monitor onboard computer for performance data. The Megane 265 Trophy will be offered in just two colours – yellow and black – and the sole option is a Diamond Black roof.

C’mon, Renault Middle East, how about offering a limited number for the growing number of hot-hatch enthusiasts in the region?

Squat stance is distinctive

Limited-edition Megane RS 265 Trophy is Renaultsport’s fastest offering to date

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When you take the road, we let you take charge.

The new ContiSportContact 5P is geared towards high performance. While you enjoy the rush of the road you can rest assured that you are riding on 140 years of German engineering.

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NEWS

Aston, Maybach ‘to team up’ Luxury brands are considering joint Frankfurt show concept Aston Martin and Maybach are discussing building a concept car together, possibly for the Frankfurt show in September — and the move could signal an impending partnership between Aston and Mercedes-Benz.

Little is known about the concept, except that it is likely to be a luxury car, with a highquality interior finished to the hand-crafted standards of a British luxury saloon.

Aston is understood to have approached Mercedes with an idea for at least one concept,

der Lagonda concept revealed Aston’s broa

although a source suggests that two are being discussed.

Neither Aston Martin or Mercedes would comment.

But Mercedes is understood to be close to selecting a partner to co-develop future Maybach models.

In an interview in Germany, Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche recently put a date of “the end of June” for a decision, which is pressing because Maybach needs to finalise replacements for its ageing 57 and 62 saloons.

The Mercedes design studio has been working on designs for these replacements for some

time, which leaves Aston’s role in the project unclear.

Aston is most likely to bring its skills to the interior Aston interiors could influence Mayb ach’s design, particularly the use of traditional It also has good experience of materials in conjunction with hi-tech features, such as saddle small production runs of luxury cars and specialist marketing leather and carbonfibre. to high net worth individuals.

Aston has developed unique In return, Aston could construction methods by get access to Mercedes’ new adapting traditional stitching and leatherwork for the One-77, alloy body technology and engines for third-generation skills that would help Maybach Vantage and DB9 models. lift the sense of occasion of its interiors to equal Rolls-Royce’s. Greg Kable

ambitions

Maybach’s last concept was the 2005 Exelero

Rapide production cut back

Rapide output is being reduced to around 25 cars per week

Aston Martin is planning to produce fewer Rapide saloons in order to match output to sales.

Production is scheduled to drop to around 25 cars per week — around 1250 a year. That’s just over half of the 2000 cars originally envisaged in 2007/08.

Some sources even suggest that production is about to fall to 10 per week as Aston adjusts output, although the company is adamant it won’t drop that far.

Production of the Rapide was halted in May. Immediately after the weekend of the British Royal

Wedding, an email was circulated to contractors that no more components would be needed for the month. “There was little production because the factory was on shutdown,” said Aston.

In June the company said it would terminate an eight-year production deal with Magna Steyr in Austria in the middle of 2012, six years earlier than expected.

“We’ve served our notice period of one year, as per our contract,” said Aston.

Aston won’t comment on the terms of the contract, although

sources suggests that it might cost the company as much as $16 million to buy itself out of the Magna Steyr deal.

A number of factors have changed since Rapide assembly was contracted out, most notably the slowing of the luxury car market. Aston’s sales have just about halved since the financial crash in September 2008. But in 2007/08, when the Rapide was being planned, the Gaydon factory in Warwickshire was close to maximum capacity.

Julian Rendell

quick news

Impreza sets Isle of Man TT record

British rally driver Mark Higgins has smashed the Isle of Man TT circuit’s lap record for cars in a standard Subaru Impreza WRX STI saloon. His time of 19min 57.6sec was more than two minutes faster than Tony Pond’s old record, set in 1990.

GM upgrades Indiana plant

General Motors has invested $50 million in its Bedford plant in the US. The money will be used to ready the facility for production of a new eight-speed automatic gearbox and a range of downsized four-cylinder petrol engines.

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NEWS

BMW M5 to d Goodwood F All-new twin-turbo V8 super sedan to make its first public appearance at annual British speed-fest

BMW’S ALL-NEW F10 M5 will make an early appearance at this month’s Goodwood Festival of Speed ahead of its official world debut at September’s Frankfurt motor show.

Goodwood organisers have pulled off a coup in securing the new M5 for static display at Lord March’s Sussex estate, giving fans of the super sedan a chance to ogle it from up close.

Like all M5s the styling is subtle, but aggressive in its details, most notably the lower air intakes, three gaping ducts to flow cooling air into the radiator, oil cooler and turbochargers. Nineteen-inch alloy wheels are standard.

We already know the M5 will feature a twin-turbo 4.4 V8, because outline details were revealed at the Shanghai Show.

Now we have the confirmed engine output and performance: 552bhp and 680Nm; 0-100km/h in 4.4secs, 0-200km/h in 13secs; 9.9L/100km combined fuel economy and 232g/km of carbon.

Peak power is 10 per cent up and torque 30 per cent up on the outgoing V10-powered E60 M5,

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while fuel economy improves by a sizeable 30 per cent.

The new M5 will be available with a choice of top speeds – 250km/h limited on the standard car or 300km/h limited with an optional M Driver’s Package.

The transmission is a sevenspeed, dual-clutch unit with steering-wheel mounted paddleshifts driving through a new Active M differential with electronicallycontrolled multi-plate limited slip diff. Depending on the driving situation the diff can lock between zero and 100 per cent, says BMW. An M-specific chassis set-up includes M-tuned Servotronic steering, cockpit-adjustable dynamic damping and stability control with an M Dynamic setting.

Steering wheel buttons that can be programmed with chassis, engine and diff settings can now memorise two individual set-ups — whereas the outgoing M5 could only store a single setting on the M Drive button.

Prices for the all-new BMW M5 are expected to start around $130,000 when it goes on sale in the Middle East later this year. L

7/1/11 9:37 AM

o debut at Festival

Frontal tweaks are understated, as is the norm with stealthy M5

Derriere gets bespoke diffuser with four protruding tailpipes

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7/1/11 9:37 AM

QUICK FACTS Price $185,850 On sale Now

Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 The already brilliant GT3 RS hits new heights in 493bhp 4.0-litre form first verdict Even better than the 3.8-litre GT3 RS. The finest Porsche ever to wear a number plate

AAAAA Before we get into the nuts and bolts of this last and loudest laugh of the 996/997-series of Porsche 911s, you should know this: its run of 600 units is dictated not by demand but that thereafter its parts supplies will dry up – and at a price of $185,850, Porsche will make no money from any of them. Think about that. What you are looking at is the greatest version of the greatest sports car ever built.

Porsche knows it could have made thousands and charged half as much

again for each one. But it chose not to.

Instead, it is a ‘thank you’ to Porsche’s most loyal customers, the only people with a hope in hell of getting a sniff of one. Most will have already owned at least three GT3s.

What they will find is so much more than an RS with a bit more poke. It is a heady confection of Porsche’s most extreme road car, the GT2 RS, and its all-conquering racers, the GT3 R and RSR. The rose-jointed rear suspension with its helper springs is pure GT2 RS and the engine is courtesy of the race cars. Their long-throw crankshaft strokes the unit out to 3996cc, making this the largest engine ever to sit in the boot of a Porsche.

A new suspension tune has been

achieved thanks to bespoke spring rates, but much of the car – including the gearbox, its ratios, the steering, brakes and tyres – are carried over from the ‘normal’ GT3 RS. Myriad weight-saving measures include the carbonfibre bonnet and front bumper from the GT2 RS and mean a basespec car wearing optional carbonceramic brakes weighs just 1360kg, about 10kg less than a 3.8 RS. A new aero pack provides more downforce

TESTER’S NOTE

This is the eighth GT3 variant but the first to go without GT3 badging.

ANDREW FRANKEL

than any previous RS, those natty front winglets essential to balance the extra rear grip provided by a new rear wing with a 9deg angle.

The result? The car we named Britain’s best driver’s car of 2010, the 3.8 RS, has not been made to stand aside. It has been blown off the road.

Look at the stats, such as the 0.1sec knocked off the 0-100km/h time, and it’s hard to see why. But drive the 4.0 RS and it’s blindingly obvious. Despite its extra 50bhp, it’s not the power you notice, or even its additional 30Nm of torque. It’s where that torque is that makes all the difference.

One fault common to all GT3s is their unorthodox blend of a peaky engine and wide gear ratios. With the

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The

The 4.0 engine puts a lot more readily accessible torque at the driver’s disposal, so it’s a faster and easier car to drive

NEW TECH a stroke of genius The 4.0-litre engine derives its extra capacity entirely from an extension to its stroke, there being no further space between the cylinders for boring. Its compression ratio (12.4:1) is actually fractionally lower than the 3.8-litre engine’s but its specific output is far higher (123bhp per litre versus 117). The motor comes with the (titanium) conrods and heads of the GT3 R racer, while the crankshaft is the same as that used in the ultimate RSR engine.

Extra power is found through freer-flowing air filters, a new inlet manifold and a new exhaust.

The cabin has been shorn of unnecessary luxuries in the quest to save weight. Overall, the car tips the scales at 1360kg

So Good ■ Torque-laden engine ■ Incredible grip, steering

and traction ■ Surprisingly good value ■ Easier to drive than the

standard RS

No Good ■ Ceramic brakes don’t come

as standard ■ We can’t have one

Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0

rather than exemplary over the worst country roads.

But ask if there is a car on sale today I’d rather drive on a combination of road and track over the course of the next 20 years and I’ll tell you that if there is, I haven’t driven it.

Engine type 6 cyls horizontally opposed, 3996cc, petrol Power 493bhp at 8250rpm Torque 460Nm at 5750rpm Gearbox Six-spd manual Fuel tank 67 litres Boot 105 litres Wheels (f/r) 9Jx19in, 12Jx19in Tyres (f/r) 245/35 R19, 325/30 R19 0-100km/h 3.9sec Top speed 310km/h Economy 14.1L/100km (combined) 326g/km CO2 Kerb weight 1360kg Price From $185,850

ANDREW FRANKEL

Manufacturer’s claimed figures

possible The driver has to recalibrate what’s

new motor, those gears finally make sense. On the road, you can just park it in fourth gear and go anywhere from shopping to prison. On the track, you have to rewrite your mental circuit notes because almost every corner is now a gear higher.

It’s faster, yet easier. Its composure in fast corners is something you’d not credit a car with a tax disc, yet even if you turn off all the electronics it remains fundamentally forgiving, something you’d never say about the more expensive, flawed and less enjoyable GT2 RS. Is it perfect? That car has still yet to be built and you’ll find the 4.0 RS keen to understeer in slow corners and its ride merely impressive

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FIRST DRIVES

cat’s whiskers

QUICK FACTS Price From $158,000 On sale September

No more Mr Nice Guy, says Jaguar, as it unleashes its fastest, most potent car to date. Gautam Sharma savours its addictive charms

J

aguar’s XKR – a fantastic grand tourer that can lope across continents with ease, but hardly the weapon of choice with which to go hunting Porsche 911s, BMW M3s and Aston Martin Vantages.

Thing is, the basic ingredients of the car – supercharged V8 engine, lightweight aluminium architecture and well-sorted rear-wheel-drive chassis – have seemingly always lent themselves to a high-performance variant with which to take the fight to the Porsche/Aston brigade.

Better late than never, as they say, as the leaping cat has finally rolled

out the brutal XKR-S – a raucous, bodykit-festooned coupe flagship that dispenses with all aspirations of cultured refinement, instead embracing a hardcore formula conceived to whet the palates of diehard press-on drivers.

It’s the fastest, most powerful production car ever built by Jaguar and a 0-100km/h split of 4.4sec and top whack of 300km/h places it in serious performance-car (“subexotic”, in Jaguar’s words) echelons.

Yet the XKR-S was intended to retain the everyday driveability of the lesser XKR, and its sumptuous cabin has retained all the niceties of its more sedate sibling.

XK-RS is the most potent road car yet to wear the growler badge

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Jaguar XKR-S | First Drive

Carbon pattern soft-grain leather upholstery tastefully contrasted by piano-black trim on the centre console

Sixteen-way adjustable Performance seats do a great job of holding your innards in place in max-attack mode

factfile JAGUAR XKR-S Engine Power Torque Transmission Kerb weight Length Width Height Wheelbase 0-100km/h Top speed On sale Price

5.0-litre supercharged V8 542bhp at 6000rpm 680Nm from 2500-5500rpm Six-speed auto 1753kg 4794mm 1892mm 1312mm 2752mm 4.4sec 300km/h September From $158,000

Manufacturer’s claimed figures

punch merely requires you to extend your right ankle. It doesn’t matter what the road speed is or what gear the car is in, the XKR-S simply cannonballs towards the horizon when given free rein.

The powertrain is well rounded off by the ZF six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. This transmission is now getting long in the tooth, but clever calibration by the Jaguar boffins has yielded pleasingly quick shifts and delay-free response when manually stirred via the paddles.

There’s an auto-blip on downshifts, so it’s quite easy to find oneself flicking up and down through the gears just to hear the spine-tingling crackles and ◊

Vitals

The makeover starts under the bonnet, with a revised fuelling map and various calibration tweaks liberating a brawny 542bhp and 680Nm from the 5.0-litre supercharged V8. It doesn’t end there as a Performance active exhaust spits out a guttural roar that signals to all those within earshot (quite a long way in the case of the XKR-S) that this is more backroad blaster than boulevard bumbler.

Make no mistake, this is a genuinely fast car, with vast reserves of oomph that make a mockery of time and space. The 680Nm torque peak is on tap from 2500-5500rpm, so exploiting the blown V8’s thunderous

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Never has a Jaguar road car worn an angrier face than this

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Jaguar XKR-S | First Drive

∆ pops this elicits from the quartet of exhaust pipes.

The combination of massive torque and rear-wheel-drive always makes for a lively combo, and the Dynamic Stability Control system – with four modes: normal, Winter, TracDSC and DSC Off – is kept busy keeping traction and sideways motion under control. Even in normal mode you can feel the tail squirming slightly under anything more than half throttle, while TracDSC stretches the envelope to allow you a bit more sideways action. DSC Off is probably best left to highly skilled drivers, with even the instructors at Portugal’s Algarve circuit (where the media launch took place) conceding the XKR-S was a handful without the benefit of any electronic intervention.

That said, the big Jag proved a very capable device around the highly technical and constantly undulating Algarve track. Its big braking package provides strong stopping power, and body roll and understeer are both well controlled by the adaptive dampers, stiffer (by 28 per cent) front and rear spring rates and bespoke suspension geometry. Also due its fair share of credit is Active Differential Control, which uses a multi-plate clutch to vector torque to the rear wheel with the most grip, enabling the car to slingshot out of slow and mid-speed corners with surprising enthusiasm.

Grip from the chunky Pirelli rubber (wrapped around gorgeous 20-inch charcoal-hued alloys) is ample but, as mentioned earlier, the huge torque can easily overwhelm the rear gumballs if you get a little heavy on the throttle.

Go-faster models occasionally err towards understatement, but not in this case as the XKR-S fairly screams its intentions. The French Racing Blue paintwork unique to this model is eye-catching in itself, but it only serves as a sideshow to the cosmetic/ aero enhancements that include a bespoke beak with twin nostrils (‘nacelles’ in Jag-speak), side intakes and a carbonfibre splitter. Out back sits rear wing with carbonfibre centre

Fire-breathing 5.0-litre supercharged V8 serves up explosive performance

section, while lower down sits new rear apron with built-in carbonfibre diffuser. The car’s 10mm lower ride height is further emphasised by extended side sills.

Inside, you’ll find hip-hugging, 16-way adjustable Performance seats trimmed in carbon pattern soft-grain leather, while the roof is lined in Jet Poltrona Frau Italian leather. Offering welcome contrast to all the leatherlined surfaces is tasteful piano-black trim on the centre console.

So, does the XKR-S manage to nail the sweet spot? The answer is yes and no, and that’s partly because its explosive performance comes at the expense of a harsher ride that’s glaringly exposed on less-than-perfect road surfaces. Then there’s the walletcrunching price tag, which represents a premium of more than 30 per cent over the standard XKR. Its heavily bespoilered looks might also be a little over the top for some tastes. But if you can live with all this, you’re in for one heck of a driving experience. L JULY/AUGUST 2011 WWW.AUTOCAR.AE 25

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FIRST DRIVES

Jukebox jive

QUICK FACTS Price From $22,000 On sale September

Nissan throws a wild card into the mix with its baby-sized Juke crossover. A triumph of (dubious) style over substance?

Gautam Sharma decides

I

s this another one of those answers to a question nobody asked? A cursory glance is sufficient to glean that Nissan’s oddball-looking Juke is hardly the result of conventional thinking.

A curious mix of bulges, flares and multiple headlights, it’s about as understated as a bright orange three-piece suit with a squirting flower affixed to the lapel. Our first acquaintance with the offbeat Juke was during the regional media launch – the drive programme of which took place in and around the emirate of Fujairah, where the vehicle elicited no shortage of rubbernecking and double-takes from bystanders and

motorists as it jauntily drove into their field of vision.

What is the Juke and who is it aimed at? The simple answer is that it’s an entry-level front-wheel-drive crossover designed to slot in below the existing Qashqai and Murano.

Its styling clearly stretches the design envelope and it’s fair to say some people may warm to its eccentric visuals, while others might be inclined to reach for a bucket. As for me, I quite liked its individuality.

In terms of physical dimensions, the Juke isn’t that dissimilar to the Tiida hatchback, but its jacked-up stance and chop-top roofline stamp it as an altogether different entity.

Although positioned below the

Mould-breaking Juke is a fresh take on the crossover theme

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Nissan Juke 1.6 Turbo | First Drive

Interior design highlights include a bright red centre console inspired by a motorcycle fuel tank

The bright red shiny trim also extends to the door panels... but those with more subdued tastes can opt for silver trim

However, after subsequently trying the manual version, I immediately concluded the CVT is the better choice. Why? Simply because the 1.6 turbo motor is completely lacking in low and mid-range torque. There’s simply no urge below 3000rpm, which results in frustratingly slow progress until the turbo spools up.

There’s no getting around this unless you furiously work the gears to keep the thing on the boil. The CVT effectively masks the engine’s laggy nature by automatically maintaining optimal revs, so it’s clearly the right transmission for this application.

Truth be told, the Juke never feels quick, despite Nissan’s pretensions the turbo-propelled Juke is a sporty ◊

factfile NISSAN JUKE 1.6 TURBO Engine Power Torque

1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbo 188bhp at 5600rpm 240Nm from 24005200rpm Transmission CVT Kerb weight 1332kg Length 4135mm Width 1765mm Height 1570mm Wheelbase 2530mm 0-100km/h 8.0sec (claimed) Top speed 215km/h (claimed) On sale September Price From $22,000

Manufacturer’s claimed figures

Variable Transmission) that operates like an automatic as far as the end user is concerned, even though its internal workings are quite different.

We sampled the CVT first, and I have to point out right off the bat that I don’t particularly like these transmissions due to their tendency to keep the engine droning at fixed – albeit optimal – revs. It results in an annoying, incessant drone under acceleration. You can circumvent this by using the gearlever to shift manually through the six artificial ratios and thereby at least derive some sensation of revs rising and falling – as would be the case with a conventional manual or automatic transmission.

Vitals

Qashqai, there’s a sizeable overlap in pricing as the non-turbo base model starts at just over $18,000, while the full bells-and-whistles turbo flagship will cost you a whisker under $24k.

The entry-level Juke comes with a 115bhp/157Nm 1.6-litre atmo engine, but the only model available to drive at the media launch was the performance-oriented (at least in theory) turbo variant. The directinjection turbo powerplant ekes out 188bhp and 240Nm, which sounds impressive on paper, but its real-world performance hardly places the forcefed Juke in the fireball category.

Two transmissions are offered with the turbo Juke – a six-speed manual and a CVT (Continuously

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‘You may or may not like the Juke’s looks, but it’s a welcome change from the vanillaflavoured horde in the small-car segment’

∆ proposition. It’s not a particularly poised handler either, as a thrash across some twisty roads yielded ponderous body roll and armfuls of understeer. It’s best suited to leisurely touring, with its compliant suspension at least doing a good job of soaking up road-surface irregularities. It’s also a quiet and refined cruiser at highway speeds, making it a relaxed and agreeable long-distance companion.

The unorthodox design philosophy extends to the cabin, the highlight of which is arguably the red (or you can have it in metallic silver) centre console, which is profiled to resemble a motorcycle’s fuel tank.

Other novelties include the I-Con (Integrated Control) system, which offers Eco, Normal and Sport modes, with each successive stage sharpening up throttle mapping, steering response and shift points in the CVT. It’s more gimmickry than anything else, but PlayStation/Xbox junkies might find it entertaining.

In terms of packaging, the Juke scores quite well as the front bucket seats are comfortable and supportive and even the rear pews are perfectly adequate for anyone under 1.8m.

Despite the smallish side windows, there’s no feeling of claustrophobia, especially if you’ve ticked the box for the optional sunroof. Luggage space

measures a modest 251 litres, but this can be expanded to 830 litres by folding down the 60:40 split/fold rear seats.

The standard kit list in the entrylevel model includes dual airbags, aircon, CD player and ABS with brake force distribution and brake assist, while the higher-spec SL version adds cruise control, front fog lamps, suedetricot seat trim and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The Sunroof Pack supplements this with a powered sunroof, 17-inch alloys and pushbutton start/stop.

Those seeking to further customise their Juke can dip into the options list, which offers goodies such as under-

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Comparison | Jag XKR v BMW M6

Nissan Juke 1.6 Turbo | First Drive

Where else would you find a headlight arrangement like this?

Boomerang-shaped taillights mimic those of the Juke’s 370Z sibling

body protectors, exhaust finishers, roof spoilers and illuminated door sills. And in case you really feel the need to stand out, you can specify in-your-face roof stickers and stripes.

So, what to make of the Juke? It’s fair to say the driving experience and features it offers hardly set any new standards as it’s a competent, but by no means outstanding allround package. Where the car does deserve credit is in its completely fresh approach to interior and exterior styling. You may or may not like the way the Juke looks, but it’s a welcome change from the vanilla-flavoured horde that makes up the vast majority of the small-car segment. L

Compact footprint not too dissimilar to that of its Tiida stablemate

You’ll have no problems picking it out in a crowded car park...

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FIRST DRIVES

Vitamin C

QUICK FACTS Price From $58,900 On sale Now

Mercedes-Benz belatedly barges into the entry-level luxo coupÉ ranks with its two-door C-Class. Gautam Sharma samples the stylish new C350 CGI Coupe and finds it a compelling proposition

M

ercedes already has a bewildering array of models in its sprawling line-up but, heck, that’s no reason to not add yet another variant to the range. Enter the new C-Class Coupe – a compact twodoor spun off from Merc’s entry-level sedan, and conceived to slot in below the larger E-Class Coupe.

The newbie adopts much of the same design language as the E Coupe, but thankfully loses some of the awkward creases and tucks that make the latter a less elegant package than it could have been. The C Coupe, on the

other hand, has a well-resolved profile that stands up well in comparison to its archrival – BMW’s 3 Series Coupe.

The coupé is actually marginally longer than the four-door C-Class, but it sits 41mm lower, which is largely why it looks more lithe and athletic.

The C350 variant we tested is propelled by the familiar 3.5-litre CGI (Merc-speak for direct injection) V6, which produces healthy outputs of 302bhp and 370Nm – enough to make it a lively, if not electrifying, performer. With drive channelled to the rear wheels via a seven-speed auto, it dispatches the 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 6.0sec, which isn’t far shy of the turbocharged BMW

335i, and slightly quicker than the Audi A5 3.2 FSI. The C350 Coupe goes on sale this month in the Middle East, with prices starting at $58,900, which isn’t bad value for a luxo two-door with genuine four-seater capability. But those on a tighter budget can opt for the C180 CGI Coupe ($37,900) and C250 CGI Coupe ($49,600).

We drove the C350 at the international media launch in Seville, Spain, and our first impressions were positive. Anyone who’s driven a C-Class sedan will feel immediately at home, but the two-door feels a fraction tauter and nimbler than its taller, less rigid stablemate.

C-Class Coupe sits 41mm lower than its four-door sibling, lending it a distinctly more rakish stance

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Mercedes C350 CGI Coupe | First Drive

Pleasing profile far better resolved than that of larger E-Class Coupe

Interior trim quality much better than outgoing C-Class

sports suspension option that lowers ride height by 15mm and introduces firmer shocks, springs and torsion bars to the mix.

The powertrain is willing enough, with a fat band of torque in the mid-range, but it has to be said the V6 isn’t the most sonorous engine around, with a workmanlike exhaust note that’s far removed from the refined thrum of a BeeEm straightsix. The seven-speed auto is a slick device, but it’s best exploited with the optional AMG Sports package, which includes steering wheel-mounted shift paddles, in addition to stainless steel pedals, seven-spoke alloys and a subtle body kit.

Settling into the C Coupe’s cabin, immediately evident is the trim quality improvement versus the outgoing C-Class sedan. There’s better plastic throughout and the revamped layout has a smarter, more contemporary look. Practicality is also a strong suit, thanks to a 450-litre boot and individual rear seats that can prop up two adults in decent comfort.

All in all, the C350 Coupe represents a polished package that finally provides BMW’s ubiquitous 3 Series Coupe with worthwhile competition. The BeeEm is still the more involving car to drive, but as an everyday all-rounder the refined, sharp-looking Merc edges ahead. L

factfile Mercedes C350 CGI Coupe Engine Power Torque Transmission Kerb weight Length Width Height Wheelbase 0-100km/h Top speed On sale Price

3.5-litre V6 302bhp at 6500rpm 370Nm at 3500rpm Seven-speed auto 1615kg 4590mm 1770mm 1406mm 2760mm 6.0sec 250km/h Now From $58,900

Manufacturer’s claimed figures

Trundling over the cobbled streets of downtown Seville and out onto some flowing country roads, the compliance of the multi-link front and rear suspension is notable, serving up a more cosseting ride than you’d get in a 3 Series. But the real good news is that’s not a dynamic marshmallow – anything but. The steering is brilliantly communicative and direct, seemingly hardwiring your fingertips to the front wheels and encouraging you to make the most of the chassis’ grip. And there’s a leechlike tenacity to the way the Benz clings to the tarmac. Unlike Merc coupes of yesteryear, the C Coupe is an agile package, particularly with the

Rear-seat passengers get individual buckets

Vitals

CGI engine is punchy and frugal, but lacks charisma

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FIRST DRIVES

Coupé de grace

QUICK FACTS Price From $83,850 On sale August

Mercedes-Benz belatedly creates a legitimate rival for BMW’s all-conquering M3.

Gautam Sharma found the muscle-bound V8 coupé a compelling proposition

T

hink hardcore Mercedes coupé and what comes to mind?

Chances are it’s the ballistic gullwinged SLS, conjured up by the AMG go-faster division to have an uninhibited crack at the Lambo/Ferrari/Porsche/Aston Martin brigade.

The SLS does very nicely at what it’s meant to do, thank you very much, but what about lower in the Benz pecking order? Where’s the logical rival to BMW’s M3, which has romped off with just about every sub-$100k performance coupé accolade up for grabs?

Granted, Merc has in the past given us the CLK 63 AMG, which was quick

in a straight line, but truth be told it was no dynamic match for the beautifully tactile BMW. The CLK was discontinued in 2009, and in a sense superseded by the larger, more luxo-oriented E-Class Coupe, but now comes the final piece in Merc’s high-po two-door arsenal – the C63 AMG Coupe.

Here’s the basic recipe: drape suave coupé bodyshell over the existing C63 AMG sedan’s underpinnings and slot in the Speedshift MCT seven-speed auto – formerly reserved for the SL63 and E63 – which substitutes a conventional torque converter with a wet start-up clutch for less frictional losses and sharper launch capabilities.

The coupé’s body is marginally more rigid than the sedan – although

Merc hasn’t divulged to what degree – and it’s also shorter (by 19mm) and lower (by 47mm), and the obvious assumption is that this should yield sharper dynamics. This may well be the case, but only a back-to-back test would provide conclusive results.

But here’s my preliminary verdict: this thing is an absolute firecracker. The drive programme at the international launch in Seville, Spain, had two elements – a spirited cross-country thrash across a variety of roads, and a balls-out track-attack session at the challenging and highly technical Monteblanco circuit.

Merely rousing the C63 into life within the confined surrounds of downtown Sevilla gets the palate salivating as the throbbing beat of

the 6.2-litre V8 reverberates across the plaza. In fact, the brawny powerplant provides constant aural accompaniment during the drive – it’s subdued when you’re pottering along, but positively spine-tingling when you open the taps.

In standard form there’s a quota of 450bhp and 600Nm at the behest of your right loafer, but the test car we drove had the optional Performance Package, which boosts peak power to a barrel-chested 480bhp – well beyond the reach of the 414bhp M3 and 444bhp Audi RS5, in other words.

The extra 30 horses for the Performance Package version were liberated via the same forged pistons, connecting rods and lightweight pistons used in the free-revving SLS.

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Cabin has much greater sense of occasion than that of M3, thanks to AMG-specfic steering, pedals and trim

No shortage of upholstery colour combinations, and there’s choice of carbonfibre, piano black or wood trim

factfile Vitals

AMG sports steering with a sharper 13.5:1 ratio and three-stage ESP with On, Off and Sport Handling Modes.

The seven-speed transmission also offers four modes – C (“Controlled Efficiency”) shifts up early and softly for added refinement and reduced fuel consumption, but for more spirited driving there’s S (Sport), S+ (Sport Plus) and M (Manual), with the latter two modes dispatching shifts in 100 milliseconds. And in case an impromptu traffic-light grand prix is on the cards (not that we’re condoning such behaviour), you can activate Race Start launch control for a precise, blisteringly rapid getaway.

But the C63’s real forte is in the nonchalant way it simply annihilates sinuous country roads. ◊

Mercedes C63 AMG CoupÉ Engine Power

Torque Transmission Kerb weight Length Width Height Wheelbase 0-100km/h Top speed On sale Price

6.2-litre V8 450bhp at 6800rpm; (Performance Package 480bhp at 6800rpm) 600Nm at 5000rpm Seven-speed auto 1730kg 4707mm 1795mm 1391mm 2765mm 4.4sec 250km/h August From $83,850

Manufacturer’s claimed figures

19-inch multi-spoke alloys optional

The straight-line punch of the car is simply gobsmacking, with Merc’s claim of a 4.4sec 0-100km/h split failing to do full justice to its spinecompressing oomph. If anything, it’s the effortless reserves of midrange torque that comprehensively separates it from its Munich and Ingolstadt rivals. In the real world, it means the task of overtaking four or five cars in one fell swoop is easily accomplished.

It’s not just a case of shoehorning a big motor into a small coupé either, as the C63 scores bespoke AMGdesigned three-link front suspension, a reinforced multilink rear end and wider front and rear tracks. There’s also selective damping with stiffer spring and damper rates along with

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First Drive | Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Fat stance and quad tailpipes distinguish the AMG sledgehamer from its lesser C-Class Coupe siblings

∆ The grip served up by the chunky rubber (235/40R18 at the front and 255/35R18 at the rear) is a genuine eye-opener and it takes a committed effort to even begin to approach the limits of adhesion. What makes it a particularly enjoyable device to pedal at pace is the precise and beautifully weighted steering and inherent balance of the car. It instils a lot of confidence, enabling you to make the most of its dynamic capabilities.

The oversize brakes are also up to the task, withstanding sustained punishment at the Monteblanco circuit. The track session also served to highlight the C63 AMG Coupe’s mid-corner adjustability and its willingness to indulge in throttleinduced tail-out antics. House rules meant we weren’t allowed to switch ESP off, but in Sport Handling mode the electronic nannies allow you at least some latitude for oversteering

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It’s been a long time coming, but Merc finally has an answer to the benchmark-setting BMW M3

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Vast reserves of grunt and grippy, poised handling enable the C63 AMG to make mincemeat of roads like this

hoolaganism. We were only too happy to indulge.

An M3 might be a marginally sharper track weapon, but it’s fair to say the C63 AMG is probably the better everyday car. Its vast reservoir of torque, compliant ride and feedback-rich steering make it an effortless and enjoyable companion – whether you’re merely schlepping across town or covering a few hundred cross-country kilometres.

The Merc’s cabin also feels more special with its flat-topped-andbottomed AMG steering wheel, chrome-ringed dials, piano-black trim and aluminium highlights.

There’s also the option of specifying carbonfibre or wood trim, and there’s a veritable smorgasbord of trim colour combinations. The wellbolstered AMG seats also look great, while providing good lumbar and lateral support, even when the car ◊ JULY/AUGUST 2011 WWW.AUTOCAR.AE 35

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First Drive | Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe

C63 AMG Coupe feels that little bit sharper and tauter than its sedan sibling. Looks more striking, too

∆ is being flung around a racetrack.

The rear seats, too, offer reasonable comfort and space for their occupants.

Luggage capacity is an area often overlooked when shopping for a performance car, but it’s worth noting that the Merc has a 450-litre boot, so it’s ideal transport for an extended cross-continent trip.

SLS apart, AMG cars have traditionally been understated in their styling, but the C63 AMG Coupe has a decent dose of bad-boy about it, thanks to its hunkered-down stance, aggressive face with LED daytimerunning lights and quad exhausts protruding from the rear diffuser. The look is rounded off by a subtle bootlid spoiler and titanium-grey 18-inch alloys. It oozes menace, and this impression is only reinforced when the thunderous V8 is fired up.

For me, Mercedes-Benz has pretty much nailed it. An M3 might be fractionally more nimble around a racetrack, but as an everyday super-coupé that’s dripping with desirability, the C63 AMG arguably sets a new benchmark. L

C63 AMG powered by handbuilt 6.2-litre atmo V8 rather than new twin-turbo 5.5 unit, as the latter doesn’t fit xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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6/24/11 10:21 AM

downpour has predictor in a spin Castrol EDGE Grand Prix Predictor thrown by torrential rain in Montreal Sebastian Vettel’s last-lap error under pressure from the chasing Jenson Button not only cost him victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, it also changed the course of the Castrol EDGE Grand Prix Predictor.

On the lowest-scoring week since Malaysia, the Castrol EDGE Grand Prix Predictor scored just 15 points after correctly placing Mark Webber in third and being one spot out in its prediction of Vettel for the win.

The expert panel also had a miserable time with former Grand Prix winner Johnny Herbert scoring a wooden-spoon winning total of 14 points. He had Vettel in second place, but gained just four additional points for getting Button and Webber two away from their final positions. Fellow panelist Darren Turner fared better, the Aston Martin sportscar ace’s

Free! Play Now

choice of Button, Vettel and Webber means he is the first expert to forecast the top three correctly this year.

steady eddie Top scorer in Montreal was ‘Stibbs F1’ with 80 points, courtesy of correctly identifying five of the top 10 finishers in the right places and scooping the podium bonus in the process. ‘Speedy Grecian’ and ‘JDK’ shared second place with 75 points, while ‘RenBull’ and ‘MetalHeads’ were tied for fourth with 74 points.

Despite scoring just 20 points in Montreal, ‘Eddie’ still leads the overall rankings with a 42-point advantage over ‘H&K Motorsport’ in second.

But things are tighter behind them – 42-points also covers everyone from second to 109th place!

Overall standings To see the full leaderboard and to get a rundown on the Predictor’s picks, visit: http://predictor. castroledgerankings.com

“The ExpERT panel also had a miserable time, with former F1 driver johnny herbert scoring just 14 points”

BEAT THE Grand Prix PREDICTOR Win Ultimate Motorsport Experiences worth up to £20,000 Castrol_Feature_230x300.indd 1

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13/06/2011 17:11

Hardene The 542bhp XKR-S is the fastest Jaguar since the XJ220. Andrew Frankel finds out if it’s PHOTOGRAPHY stan papior

Y

ou can tell a lot from the sound of a car, at least when that car is a 400bhp-plus coupé with its eyes fixed firmly on the provision of driving pleasure. If it thunders, it likely inclines more to the Grand Touring’s way of thinking; hear a snarl and the car’s probably got a bit of circuit in its blood. If it howls it’s going to have a race track as a second home, but if it screams it’ll feel as out of place on the road as the GT does on the circuit.

You’d be forgiven for thinking we’d brought these four cars together to prove this very point, as each subscribes very precisely to one of the characters outlined.

The thunderer is Jaguar’s new XKR-S, with its 542bhp supercharged V8 motor and $158,000 list price, while snarling alongside comes Aston’s V8 Vantage in rejuvenated, 430bhp, $150,800 ‘S’ specification.

Next comes a car so old you’ll struggle to buy one. But how could we leave out the howl of the 429bhp Porsche 911 GT3, especially as, technically at least, it ◊

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as

ned PROS

it’s

as much of a driver’s car as an Aston V8 Vantage S, BMW M3 GTS or Porsche 911 GT3

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∆ is still on sale for $118,960? After all, it’s a car unbeaten in any group test it has contested on these pages. The screaming is left to the $170,000, 444bhp M3 GTS, a car so extreme that even BMW describes it as “the ultimate track day car, with on-road capability”. You can’t buy one of these, either, because all of the 150 examples built are already sold, despite costing substantially more than the car upon which it is based.

But the real point of this gathering is that while the BMW is optimised for the track and the Jag for the road, with the Porsche and Aston somewhere between, all four have to be able to survive in both environments to command credibility in the marketplace. Which is why, to one extent or another, all of these cars are compromised.

Question is, whose works best?

We’ll look at the Jaguar first, not least because it is the newest. This is the firm’s most hardcore product since the XJ220, a car whose power output it matches. Its specification alone throws up all sorts of curiosities. Not content with having the biggest motor of the bunch, the addition of a supercharger leads to a power advantage of nigh on 100bhp over the next strongest car, and its surfeit of torque is more extreme still. Yet it’s also carrying 143kg more than the next heaviest here and is alone in being equipped with a torque converter automatic ’box. So you’d not expect it to have the best fuel consumption of the bunch, any more than you’d expect the M3 to match its acceleration or the

Porsche to beat it. Except it does and they do. In fact, the 315kg lighter Porsche all but matches the Jag’s power-to-weight ratio.

Not that it feels that way. With all that torque, a responsive transmission and a throttle map we’d mark as a fraction too aggressive, the Jaguar feels immediately and explosively quick in a way no other car here can match. If it had the traction of the 911 and the shift speed of the M3, it would be the fastest. In a straight line.

But its weight and GT brief mean the XKR-S is a little less sure of itself through the corners, at least by the white-hot standards of those gathered around it today. It is a comparatively heavy, quiet and practical car and the only one with any provision for more than two occupants. But as Jaguar itself describes it as “the ultimate expression of Jaguar’s sports car strategy”, it seems not only fair but essential to subject it to such scrutiny.

Over the regular XKR, beyond the extra poke and almost embarrassingly loud active exhaust, what you notice next is the turn-in. Not so much because it is quicker, but because it instils more confidence.

The steering provides not only more feel, but also more weight, and gives its driver something to work against.

While this makes the XKR-S more capable on track, where it performs surprisingly well for its size and weight, it also brings benefits on the road. Overall the XKR-S is at its best through long, quick corners where the suspension can settle and the car’s fundamentally fine balance makes

BMW’s dash is basic and not far removed from a standard 3 Series’

Aston’s cabin is familiar, but it’s by far the most luxurious here

XKR-S is in its element on the open road; M3 GTS is a fish out of water

itself felt. Through slower corners, in this company, it feels a touch soft and short of traction and, if the road undulates, less able to check the vertical movements of its body.

Payback comes on long journeys, at least in part. No doubt it is the quietest of the four, but its ride quality is rivalled by not only the Aston but, impressively, the Porsche too.

But it is to the BMW we’ll turn next for this, because you could scarcely conceive a more different approach to the challenge ◊

Sporting seats aside, Jag is largely unchanged from a standard XKR

Porsche is the most driver-focused, and with the best control feel

911 GT3 is sublime but the V8 Vantage S runs it surprisingly close

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Jaguar XKR-S vs rivals | Comparison

BMW’s most extreme M3 is at its best on track, and on the limit

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Comparison | Jaguar XKR-S vs rivals ∆ of producing a driver-focused coupé. It has but one problem: if you are to enjoy it, you have to drive it as fast as it will go.

On the track it is brilliant. Over a lap it’s not as brutally quick as the GT3, but it’s substantially better balanced and, like most track-honed versions of normal street cars, actually easier to drive on the limit. A standard M3 is quite a difficult car to drive flat out, electronics off, but the GTS, on its adjustable suspension and track day tyres, feels born for it – largely because it was.

Its engine is magnificent, too, never happier than when shrieking through its titanium exhausts at 8300rpm, but actually more effective than the more highly tuned standard M3 unit thanks to its longer stroke and stronger torque. And if you’re going to get a paddle-shift transmission, it would be hard to think of one better than this. On the track it shifts seamlessly and instantly on each tug of the paddle, but let it change itself and it does so like a conventional auto.

That is its only concession to civility.

While the GTS is electrifying to drive on the track, on the road, where simple sanity says you cannot be at ten-tenths even some of the time, it is the drawbacks and not the benefits of its no-nonsense design that are more apparent. Unlike the Porsche, which offers its driver selectable damper options, the M3’s suspension is utterly merciless.

Predictably, its ride is poor, which we think forgiveable, but if you drive it fast on a fun back road, its constant fidgeting and

Confidence-inspiring steering helps offset the XKR-S’s weight disadvantage on track. Raucous exhaust adds drama

skipping is less easy to accept. You find yourself scanning the road for things to avoid that you’d happily drive straight over in any of the other three. In short, it gets in the way of the fun and slows you down.

Keen steering is insufficient recompense.

To prove this is not necessary, jump into the GT3. It is true that at track speeds the M3 understeers less, but in any conditions, road or track, the Porsche will drive straight away from it. Its 215kg weight advantage is

insuperable and, coupled with the traction granted by its rear-engined configuration and the wizardry of the Porsche Motorsport department that developed it, the 911 easily has the M3 covered.

We’re not going to dwell for long on the GT3 because it’s all been said before, but it does bear repeating that the genius of its design is not its performance or handling, nor even the blend of the two; it is the way it provides a level of driver involvement ◊

‘ The Jaguar’s ride quality is rivalled by not only the Aston but, impressively, the Porsche, too’

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∆ that almost no other car at any price can match, yet it does so in a package so compact, comfortable and easy to operate that you could use one every day. And many do. With the best will in the world, you’d never say that about the M3.

You’d use the Aston every minute of every day, though, and be delighted to do so. In many ways the Vantage S is the surprise of the four. Aston Martin has become so adept at sweating its ranges, squeezing every last derivation from every model, that you don’t necessarily expect each new one to be that different from the last. But this one is. To make the Vantage S, Aston has visited its every area of endeavour, providing more power, less weight, sharper suspension, quicker steering and better brakes. Moreover, it now has a seven-speed robotised manual gearbox between its rear wheels, meaning every transmission configuration from fully manual to fully automatic is represented here.

Actually, the new gearbox is probably the

Aston’s weakest attribute. It’s not bad unless you ask it to change for you, when it swiftly becomes pretty terrible, but other solutions – notably the manual in the GT3 and the GTS’s dual-clutch auto – are simply better.

So it’s just as well the rest of the car is sensationally good. It feels a little slower than the others, but it more than makes up for that in the enthusiasm of its engine and an inspired choice of chassis settings.

Indeed, while it’s slower and a little less involving on the track than the GT3, over the tough B-road route we tackled in each car it was arguably the best. It didn’t float like the Jaguar or hop like the BMW, it was more progressive than the GT3 and blessed with steering nearly as good, too. Yet you could flog it around the track all day and it would feel entirely at home.

I hate ‘horses for courses’ verdicts. I’ve never given one and I’m not going to start now. Even so, you have to accept that the XKR-S and M3 GTS are very different cars likely to appeal to very different punters.

But after hundreds of miles on B-roads, motorways and around a race circuit, we are in a position to say that they are the most flawed cars here. Simply put, the BMW is too narrowly focused, the Jaguar too broadly defined. The GTS really only works

well on the track, and when you drive the Jaguar you think not so much about what an undoubtedly good car it is, but how little you’d lose in driving pleasure and how much you’d save (almost $30k) by having a standard XKR, which, six years on, remains one of the great GTs. And no, hugely amused by the GTS though we were, no way in the world is it worth two standard M3s.

Those who have one of the 150 are paying for exclusivity.

Which leaves the Aston and the Porsche, and it’ll surprise no one to know the 911 wins. It’s not just the best car here; it is one of the best driver’s cars ever produced.

Words like ‘genius’ are bandied about far too much by the motoring press, but in the case of the GT3 it is deserved.

But the real news here is that the Aston takes second place with ease. It’s expensive and fractionally the slowest car here, but drive it and you’ll know its ability to engage, enthuse and amuse its driver, regardless of whether you’re on a bumpy B-road, open A-road or flat chat around the track, is rare indeed. It is a fabulous all-rounder and rivals the V12 Vantage as the best Aston Martin yet to emerge from Gaydon. Now the GT3 is no longer around, it’s going to take something quite extraordinary to beat it. L

Stripped-out M3 is a suitably no-frills affair

Jaguar’s cabin fits the long-distance GT brief

Aston’s interior is of the highest quality

911 gets manual ’box and body-colour trim

‘The XKR-S and M3 GTS are very different cars likely to appeal to very different punters’

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Jaguar XKR-S vs rivals | Comparison

The 911 GT3 will do this all day, then not bat an eyelid on the drive home

Vantage S impresses on track thanks to its well sorted chassis

M3 GTS requires total commitment on track, preferably a little bit more…

Jaguar XKR-S From $158,000 4.4sec 300km/h 12.3L/100km (combined) 292g/km 1753kg

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S From $150,800 4.5sec 304km/h 12.9L/100km (combined) 299g/km 1610kg

engine

Engine layout

V8, 4361cc, petrol

V8, 4735cc, petrol

Front, longitudinal, rear-wheel drive Power 444bhp at 8300rpm Torque 440Nm at 3750rpm Power to weight 277bhp per tonne Specific output 102bhp per litre Compression ratio 12.0:1 Gearbox Seven-spd dual-clutch auto

V8, 5000cc, supercharged, petrol Front, longitudinal, rear-wheel drive 542bhp at 6000-6500rpm 680Nm at 2500-5500rpm 309bhp per tonne 108bhp per litre 9.5:1 Six-spd automatic

dimensions

Length Width Height Wheelbase Fuel tank Real world range Boot

4794mm 1892mm 1312mm 2752mm 74 litres 515km 330 litres

4385mm 1865mm 1260mm 2600mm 80 litres 530km 300 litres

4465mm 1808mm 1280mm 2355mm 67 litres 445km 105 litres

Front suspension MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar Rear Suspension Multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar Brakes 378mm ventilated discs (f), Wheels 380mm ventilated discs (r) 9Jx19in (f), 10Jx19in (r) Tyres 255/35 ZR19 (f), 285/35 ZR19 (r)

Double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar Multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar 380mm ventilated discs (f), 376mm ventilated discs (r) 10Jx20in (f), 10.5Jx20in (r) 255/35 ZR20 (f), 295/35 ZR20 (r)

Double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar Double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar 380mm ventilated discs (f), 330mm ventilated discs (r) 8.5Jx19in (f), 10Jx19in (r) 245/40 ZR19 (f), 285/35 ZR19 (r)

MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar Multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar 380mm ventilated discs (f), 350mm ventilated discs (r) 8.5Jx19in (f), 12Jx19in (r) 235/35 ZR19 (f), 305/30 ZR19 (r)

Horses for courses?

‘Not on my watch,’ says Andrew Frankel

Installation

4645mm 1804mm 1387mm 2760mm 63 litres 420km 430 litres

Porsche 911 GT3 From $118,960 4.1sec 312km/h 12.8L/100km (combined) 303g/km 1395kg

6 cyls horizontally opposed, 3797cc, petrol Front, longitudinal, Rear, longitudinal, rear-wheel drive rear-wheel drive 430bhp at 7300rpm 429bhp at 7600rpm 490Nm at 5000rpm 430Nm at 6250rpm 267bhp per tonne 308bhp per tonne 91bhp per litre 112bhp per litre 11.0:1 12.0:1 Seven-spd robotised manual Six-spd manual

Manufacturers’ claimed figures

Vitals

Price 0-100km/h Top Speed Economy CO2 emissions Kerb weight

BMW M3 GTS $170,000 (sold out) 4.4sec 306km/h 12.7L/100km (combined) 295g/km 1605kg

at each corner

changing focus

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Raw meet Can BMW’s new 1 Series M Coupé really threaten a Porsche Cayman R? Let’s see, says Steve Sutcliffe PHOTOGRAPHY stuart price

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BMW 1M Coupé vs Porsche Cayman R | Comparison

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Comparison | BMW 1M Coupé vs Porsche Cayman R

T

he thing you need to remember about the muscular-looking and mostly wonderful-to-drive new BMW 1 Series M Coupé is this: unlike just about every other car that has emerged from BMW’s M division in the past 10 years, its production numbers have been severely limited. For the ME market – which is one of the biggest for BMW’s M-cars outside of the United States – there will be a limited allocation of cars, with a number of these already spoken for.

Which means what, precisely? That on the one hand BMW is probably kicking itself right now for not displaying the confidence, post-recession, to churn out a few more 1Ms at about $75k a pop. But on the other, the very fact Munich did decide to limit this car’s production is what allowed it to go the extra mile in the first place.

Put a ceiling on your production numbers and you remove the need to make a car that’s appealing to (read compromised for) the wider market. It means you can create a car that pushes the boundaries far harder in terms of its dynamic edge. You could even argue that this has enabled BMW to build the car it has been longing to since the original E30 M3 was replaced by the more appealing but less ‘focused’ E36 M3 of 1994.

Which is some wait. But now it’s over – and now that it is, the excuses go right out of the window. So if the 1M doesn’t deliver, one could rightly accuse the M division of losing its way.

Thankfully, though, it does. There will be some purists who will claim the 1M’s twin-

Cayman R is hardly slow, but you have to dial up high revs before it gives its best and then its flat six sounds superb

turbo 3.0-litre engine isn’t a true M unit because it’s turbocharged. Others may accuse it of being little more than a 135i that’s had an M3’s parts bin upended all over it (not that there would be an awful lot wrong with that). The bottom line, however, is that the 1M is an absolute scream to drive, featuring a delicious surfeit of power over grip that, in the wet at least, requires real skill to keep in check. In a good way.

It also handles, steers and rides in a style that will not appeal to all tastes – with a whiff of the wild side to its nature. Yet for those at whom it is aimed, the 1M will ◊

There will be just 450 1M Coupés for the UK

‘The 1M is an absolute scream to drive, featuring a delicious surfeit of power over grip’

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Comparison | BMW 1M Coupé vs Porsche Cayman R

The Cayman R has wonderful steering and displays real poise If you want it, there’s plenty of tail-out fun on offer in the BMW

∆ provide a rare and cherished balance between comfort and control, excitement and usability, thrills and spills – assuming, that is, you like watching the world go by out of the side window every once in a while.

It’s a proper, hardcore driver’s car, in other words, but at the same time it’s a car that can also slide effortlessly into the role of a refined, surprisingly comfortable cruiser, pretty much any time you want it to. But how good is it compared with the very best cars that money can buy at this level?

Good enough to deal with a Porsche Cayman R, which costs less and is probably the sweetest-handling sports car that we’ve driven this year?

It’s a huge ask of the BMW but, for us, it’s the question that needs answering – more so than the one that involves the Audi RS3. Yet it’s also a contest that, on the surface, the 1M seems entirely capable of handling.

To begin with, in fact, the whole thing looks slanted in favour of the BMW. The 1M has a touch more power (340bhp versus

326bhp), a lot more torque (450Nm, rising to 500Nm on overboost, to the Porsche’s 370Nm) and a fair bit more real-world performance as a result – despite weighing some 200kg more than the Cayman. What the Porsche counters with, of course, is a bespoke mid-engined chassis and a set of carbon-ceramic brakes as standard, but the BMW M is rarely to be outdone on the handling front, especially when it throws the kitchen sink at a project, as it has quite clearly done here.

The Porsche is not as well equipped as the BMW but it feels classier Which is why the 1M not only has vast ventilated steel discs (360mm front and 350mm rear) but also much wider tracks, much lower ride height and, thus, a much more aggressive chassis set-up than the already tasty 135i on which it’s based. Even so, when you see these two cars together for the first time, it’s the BMW’s vaguely comical He-Man styling additions that grab your attention most.

Beside the pretty and beautifully proportioned, but also disturbingly green, Cayman, the 1M looks like a proper thug. Its ◊

The BMW cabin is accomplished yet decidedly lacking in wow factor

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Comparison | BMW 1M Coupé vs Porsche Cayman R On any straight, the 1M can drop the Cayman any time you want it to

‘R’ is no marketing-led gesture here

This car is worthy of the iconic badge

∆ wheel arches only just manage to contain the giant 19in wheels that nestle within, and there are so many scoops and blisters around its flanks that you can’t help but be drawn in by its presence. And when you fire it up, the Charles Atlas theme continues, a rich, deep warble emanating from its four exhausts that completely drowns the Cayman’s less thrusting, more subtle flat six purr.

The interior of the 1M is an intriguing place, if only because it contains a curious mixture of good, excellent and not so excellent features. The good bits are the seats, the chunky leather steering wheel, some lovely little flashes of suede that give the centre console a visual lift, and the fact there is a pair of usable seats in the rear.

The less good bits are the instruments, which look strangely plain within the context of the rest of the car, and the driving position, which for me is still a couple of inches too high, even with the sports seat wound down to its lowest setting. Overall, though, this is not a cabin that you climb into and think, “Wow, this is a special place.”

Despite some nice touches (and a very welcome but optional sat-nav system up on the dashboard) you get the impression that the budget was spent elsewhere within the car. Which, of course, is more or less true, according to BMW.

EXOTIC ATMOSPHERE

The problem, though, is that when you jump from the 1M into the Cayman, there’s an instant and very obvious sense of being inside a more exotic machine. The Cayman’s cabin may not be the last word in design cohesion and, in this case, it’s also comically under-equipped, with no air conditioning and not even a stereo as standard (which takes the less-is-more theme to a ridiculous

The BMW’s driving position is slightly too high for some tastes

extreme). But it also has an atmosphere, the Porsche, which makes the BMW seem a trifle plain inside. It feels, indeed, like the real thing – whereas the 1M has the whiff of a bitsa car inside, even though it’s far better equipped.

And yet the moment you start to drive them in anger against each other, the BMW’s appeal comes thundering right back into perspective. For starters, it feels massively fast, even beside the not entirely slow Cayman R. The biggest difference between them is the amount of low- and mid-range torque on offer. In the Cayman, it’s all about how rapidly you can get the engine spinning beyond 5000rpm, because that’s where the flat six does its best work.

Below that, certainly in this context, it actually feels a bit flat, to be honest.

The 1M, on the other hand, pulls like a wild dog from pretty much any engine speed, and in pretty much any gear you choose to select within its reasonably crisp six-speed ’box. And between 3000rpm and 6000rpm, it tears the Cayman to shreds.

In an impromptu side-by-side third-

gear comparison, starting from 1500rpm, it left the Porsche for dead. By the time the BMW’s limiter arrived, just before 7000rpm, it had opened up a gap of 70, perhaps 80 metres. And when we tried the same thing in fourth, fifth and sixth, the gap grew wider still. Bottom line: the BMW is easily the faster of the two in a straight line, even if its throttle response isn’t as crisp as the Cayman’s and its gearchange isn’t as satisfying to use.

The only real weapon the Porsche has up its sleeve – in a straight line – is the extra sweetness of its flat six engine at high revs. Beyond 6000rpm the 1M starts to feel a bit breathless, as if it would benefit from a higher gear, whereas the Cayman is only just starting to sing by that point – and the tune it makes is more delightful to listen to.

What separates them even more than they way they perform, of course, is the way they ride, steer, stop and handle. The mid-engined Cayman is a more pure, precise kind of car to thread across an open stretch of Scottish Highlands road. Its

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‘It can live with the Porsche because it handles, rides, stops and steers like an M-car should’

control freaks

Engine layout

Porsche Cayman R From $63,625 5.0sec 282km/h 9.7L/100km (combined) 228g/km 1295kg

6 cyls in line, 2979cc, twin-turbo, petrol Installation Front, longitudinal, RWD Power 335bhp at 5900rpm Torque 450Nm at 1500-4500rpm (500Nm on overboost) Power to weight 224bhp per tonne Specific output 112bhp per litre Compression ratio 10.2:1 Gearbox Six-speed manual

6 cyls horizontally opposed, 3463cc, petrol Mid, longitudinal, RWD 326bhp at 7400rpm 370Nm at 4750rpm

Length Width Height Wheelbase Fuel tank Real-world range Boot

4347mm 1801mm 1306mm 2415mm 54 litres 557km 150 litres

Front suspension MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar Rear suspension Multi-link, coil springs. anti-roll bar Brakes 360mm ventilated discs (f), 350mm ventilated discs (r) Wheels 9Jx19in (f), 10Jx19in (r) Tyres 245/35 R19 (f), 265/35 R19 (r)

4380mm 1803mm 1420mm 2660mm 53 litres 552km 370 litres

252bhp per tonne 95bhp per litre 12.5:1 Six-speed manual

MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar Carbon-ceramic discs, 318mm (f), 299mm (r) 8Jx19in (f), 9Jx19in (r) 235/40 R19 (f), 265/40 R19 (r)

Manufacturers’ claimed figures

Yet the level of grip and pure speed generated by the BMW are easily a match for anything the Porsche can deliver. Far more important than that, even, is the fun factor the 1M serves up while doing so – because be in no doubt, BMW has built a car that is downright hilarious to drive. On any road, and in any conditions. Turn the traction control off when it’s wet and, as long as you know what you’re doing, you might have even more fun (sort of ) driving this car than you would the Cayman.

So how come the Porsche still wins?

Because although the 1M represents a very warm and welcome return to form for BMW’s M division, the Cayman R is something else again. The way this car communicates its intentions to whoever is behind the wheel, on any road and at any speed, is a rare, if not unique thing to experience. And it’s enough, just, to elevate the Cayman R above the excellent BMW in this instance.

Even so, it’s a heck of a lot of car for the money, the 1M. Of that there can be no doubt whatsoever. L

engine

steering, in particular, is quite delicious in the level of information it provides about what’s going on at the front tyres. And the balance the chassis displays, especially once you’ve got it loaded into a high-speed corner, is good enough to take your breath away. It stops and turns in rather well, too.

The amazing thing, though, is that the BMW can stay with it across that Scottish Highlands road, and not merely because it has a whopping extra chunk of torque to rely upon. It can live with the Porsche because it handles, rides, steers and stops just how an M-car should – with a decent amount of precision to its front end and a huge level of adjustability available via the throttle if you press the button and let the M-diff do its thing.

Inevitably, the way the 1M goes about tackling that same piece of road couldn’t be more opposite to the Cayman. Its ride is firmer, the body control more taut and its steering accurate, but muted beside that of the Porsche, especially when you turn in on a damp surface. That’s when the 1M feels most exposed beside the more incisive Cayman.

BMW 1M CoupÉ $75,000 (est) 4.9sec 250km/h 9.6L/100km (combined) 224g/km 1495kg

dimensions

The 1M’s He-Man looks contrast with the more sleekly styled Cayman

Price 0-100km/h Top speed Economy CO2 emissions Kerb weight

at each corner

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Road Test | Ferrari 458 Italia

d r e p y H QUICK FACTS Price Est $250,000 On sale Now

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e v i r d r The hype and superlatives garnered by the Ferrari 458 Italia since its launch have been nothing short of stupendous, and now Damien Reid joins the chorus after a high-velocity blast across the UAE

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or a brief moment I thought I was in trouble.

The serious looking military man at the border gate wanted to ask questions. I had my I.D. card, licence and registration, but as I edged the glistening red Ferrari 458 Italia at walking pace, straddling the huge speed hump one wheel at a time to avoid gouging its F1-style flat floor or rear diffuser, he was signaling through the windscreen that he wanted a chat.

You know the feeling; you’ve got nothing to hide and you have all the documents, yet you still carry a twinge of fear for no reason. The only thing I could be accused of was some rapidfire driving, minutes earlier in the hills behind Hatta on the glorious road which snakes over the Hajar mountains to Fujairah on the east coast of the UAE. Getting there, however, means a quick dip through Oman which normally includes a cursory glance and a gentle wave of the hand by the forces that patrol the border into and out of the country. ◊

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Road Test | Ferrari 458 Italia

‘A Ferrari is like that. It conjures emotions even from hardened professionals who have been trained not to show any’

Its beauty lies in what’s not there such as flares, wings or spoilers. Its purity is stunning

Everything literally at your fingertips

Signature rotary vent dials have gone

∆ However this time I noticed the gates had been tightened with fresh razor wire on shiny new chain fences ensuring it was one lane in, one lane out, and on either side, armed vehicles were parked under fresh camouflage.

With a large firearm casually slung over his shoulder, the border soldier peered into the car, his head fully extended through the driver’s window, possibly trying to get a waft of the chilled air from the Ferrari’s air-con system, as the dash readout suggested it was 50 degrees Celcius outside.

He said nothing for a good 15 seconds then asked about its entertainment system, LCD dash, top speed and price. Then he asked for a drive.

How do you tell an armed member of the law enforcement who has the right to deny you permission back into your own country that he’s not allowed to drive this car?

With a nervous laugh and a shake of the head.

“So it’s fast huh?” he said as he eased his hefty frame out of the window.

“Umm, yes it is” “Ok, I’ve held you back so you have some nice clear road. Now GO, GO, GO, GO,” his hands flailing wildly as his fellow soldiers stood in excited anticipation.

That was about as good an indication as I’ve ever had, so I dialled the manettino switch on the steering wheel around to the “Track” setting,

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factfile FERRARI 458 ITALIA Engine Power Torque Transmission Kerb weight Length Width Height Wheelbase 0-100km/h 0-160km/h 0-400m Top speed On sale Price

4499cc V8 562bhp at 9000rpm 540Nm at 6000rpm 7-speed sequential 1485kg 4527mm 1937mm 1213mm 2650mm 3.4sec 6.9sec 11.3sec 325km/h Now Est $250,000

Manufacturer’s claimed figures

Didn’t even look, but thanks to the 398mm-sized carbon ceramic brakes up front and 360mm units on the back, we had washed off more than enough to be back to a normal highway cruising altitude in no time.

A Ferrari is like that. It conjures up emotions even from hardened professionals who have been trained not to show any and it puts a smile on their faces. No other car I have driven has the ability to do that.

However, perhaps the biggest difference you notice with the 458 compared to its F430 predecessor is how docile and easy it is to trundle around town. Truly eye-opening at how this car could dawdle with no lumpy camshafts or heavy clutches of supercars gone by. The steering was ◊

Vitals

built the revs up and with full consent of the law, nailed it.

It was like I had permission from above to give the 458 Italia some real welly, and before I knew it, the 562bhp, 4.5-litre V8 strapped inches behind my head was wailing at its full 9000rpm redline.

When the string of red LEDs embedded in the steering wheel were ablaze, my fingers gave a tap of the right paddle behind the steering wheel and like a gunshot it smacked into second gear and continued its rapid rate of acceleration until the border post was out of sight and I was closing in on the cars in front that left the control point a good minute or so earlier.

Phew, that was enough. Speed?

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Road Test | Ferrari 458 Italia

‘When in “race” mode where the shifts happen in less than 50 milliseconds it was an absolute hoon of a thing’

∆ light and precise, its cold start-up as easy as any passenger car.

You could almost get away with the 458 Italia as being your only car, but I’d like to find the one-car family which has this beast as their only transport. And that’s the thing.

After driving the Lamborghini Aventador or even the Gallardo which is a closer competitor to the 458, both are more brutal and less forgiving than the Ferrari.

For a supercar used only occasionally, I find it an endearing quality to be a little cantankerous and if there is a negative to be placed against the 458 Italia, I found it to be too compliant, too easy and

therefore – around town at least – less rewarding at the end of the drive. The open road is a very different story, but we’ll get to that later.

This is due largely to its doubleclutch transmission (Lambo sticks to a single clutch unit that’s nothing short of violent in its changes) as well as a much quieter engine when it’s doddling around town.

In fact, when you’re cruising at normal speeds and hold a light touch on the throttle, the engine sounds more like a regular fourcylinder than a barking Maranello V8. It always starts in auto mode and fires up smoothly. Compare that to the deliberate over rev from

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Lamborghini’s V10 and V12 on start up, plus its generally noisier boom and the Ferrari offers less of a supercar experience at anything other than what I‘d call spirited driving.

But that’s what the little dials on the steering wheel are all about. Each click on the manettino represents a change in character.

The “sport” mode is the default setting for the city, but once you leave, “race” becomes the mandatory mode for a bit of fun, while the other two which cut out traction control and all electronic stability settings are left for the track only. Its bottom setting for slippery conditions is intended for snow and ice so it’s of little to no use in this part of the world.

Ferrari has done a great job with the interior of the Italia to simplify things yet not leave anything out. There’s a distinct lack of dials and switches on the dash or centre console because most of them are mounted on the steering wheel.

Aside from the paddle shift gears and sports settings, the wheel houses an engine start button, ride height adjustment to raise the car for curbs and speed humps, wipers, headlight flasher and the indicators.

This means there are no stalks hanging off the steering column to bump when you’re flapping between the gears, and while I was expecting it to take time to adapt, it was surprisingly intuitive.

With no clutter behind the steering wheel you could keep your fingers resting on the paddle shifts when it came to the twisties and in “race” mode where the gearshifts happen in less than 50 milliseconds, it was nothing but an absolute hoon of a thing.

All non-essential buttons for things like the sat nav and stereo, which are not directly associated to driving are kept further away on to the dash.

Although the outside temp touched 50C, I had to wind the windows down and revel in the sound of that banshee-like V8 as it squealed into the higher revs and stayed there as I flicked through the gears from corner to corner. ◊

◊

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Road Test | Ferrari 458 Italia In the faster corners there was never a feeling of the car being unweighted or light. It stayed planted all the way, yet even as it dipped through wadis, its suspension soaked up the bumps beautifully, never hitting the bumpstops.

Of course a lot of its roadholding is also due to the clever use of air which passes through the car at speed as there’s a noticeable lack of wings and flares on the 458.

The front splitter has moveable veins which flex at speed to provide more downforce when it’s needed and maximum cooling when it’s not, while slashes around the headlights lets air through for traction then exits before the front wheel arches to avoid turbulence around the front wheels.

Finally, the flat floor and rear diffuser all work to ensure a smooth flow of air underneath which creates a ground effects system that sucks the car to the road.

Moveable front wings, rear diffusers, flat floors and ground effects all sound a bit Formula One, and combined they generate 140kg of downforce at 200km/h, but like F1, these innovations will be copied by other manufacturers and passed on to more affordable sports cars and eventually family cars in the future.

If you want to see how motorsport improves the breed there’s no greater example than the absolutely stunning Ferrari 458 Italia. L ∆ It’s steering is pinpoint accurate and looking out through the windscreen across two massive front wheel arches plus its feeling through the wheel and pedals and that low-slung view almost verged on something like an open-wheeler.

Okay, that’s a bit of a stretch, but its nimble, precise feeling with a jewel-like engine singing away behind, made me appreciate the qualities of the 458 Italia over the likes of the Lamborghini Gallardo in this environment.

Whereas the Lambo has a more brutish feel around town, out here, the tables had turned as my memory of the weight of the Lambo’s V10, especially on tight switchbacks roads lacked the finesse and Swiss watchlike delicacy of the Ferrari.

Its Bridgestone Potenza-shod 20-inch wheels and Brembos did a sterling job to keep its feet pinned to the road, kissing each apex through the mountain range.

When you tie that in with the fact that holding down the shift lever as you stomp on the brakes automatically shifts it as quickly as possible down to the right gear as well as brake pistons that automatically pre-arm as soon as you lift off the throttle and the braking performance was out of this world and fade free.

There’s something special about seeing an engine in your rear view mirror

‘A flat floor, rear diffuser and ground effects all sounds a bit Formula One and combined they generate 140kg of downforce at 200km/h’

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Progressive Publishing in Action The marketing and advertising resource

.ae Al Tasweeq Al Arabi

500 million impressions

MARKETING TO WOMEN

CONFERENCE

Watch this space C o nsumer Publishing Contract Publishing B2B Publishin g L i c e n s e Publishing Yearbooks Awards Conferences Digital Media Representation

QUICK FACTS Price From $245,000 On sale Now

Hidden Treasure Look closely‌ this is the new Bentley Continental GT. Although it looks much the same at first glance, Damien Reid found he liked the subtle styling revisions and myriad improvements that distinguish the newbie from the superseded model

I

t must be tough for a car designer at times. By their very nature they are artistic and are always looking to create a perfectly sculptured masterpiece on wheels.

At the same time they have to think of the commercial reality and that their masterpiece has a limited shelf life, which needs to be updated then replaced.

Yet, occasionally, some car designers create something so unique and stunning that it could easily survive the passage of time if it wasn’t for the fact that market influences dictate that it needs to be replaced regardless.

So have some sympathy for the guys who were given the poisoned chalice of redesigning the Porsche 911, VW Beetle, Mini, Ford Mustang and Mazda MX-5.

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Bentley Continental GT | Road Test

Jewelled headlights, deeper grille and no more shut lines on the bumper. Smooth

factfile Bentley Continental GT Engine

Power Torque Transmission Kerb weight Length Width Height Wheelbase 0-100km/h Top speed On sale Price

6.0-litre twinturbocharged W12 567bhp at 6000 rpm 700Nm at 1700 rpm Six-speed auto 2320 kg 4806mm 2227mm 1404 mm 2746mm 4.6 seconds 318 km/h Now From $245,000

Manufacturer’s claimed figures

in Bentley’s 92-year history; its style and those graceful, sweeping lines modeled so effectively on the original 1954 Continental R-type coupé.

With its original lines carrying it so well, the Continental GT is one of the rare breeds that survived its life without the need for a facelift which probably made the desire for a new model even harder to pen.

So what you see on these pages is the allnew, completely re-designed Continental GT. Not one thing you see here is carried over from the old model, yet it takes a keen eye to spot the difference.

Does that mean buyers of this new model should feel jilted? Not at all. It’s a stunninglooking car that cannot be mistaken for anything else, no matter how far away it is in the mirror. ◊

Vitals

All are cars that, in their original guise, left their styling signature on the motoring landscape, yet nothing stays still forever and you can look at the most recent incarnations of the above examples and judge for yourself who has succeeded and who has failed.

In more recent times another example that has quickly cemented itself a place alongside these original styling masterpieces is the Bentley Continental GT. Launched in 2003, the Conti GT marked a brave new direction for the British manufacturer as it split from its Rolls-Royce partnership and under new owners Volkswagen had to stamp itself as something more than a company which produced cars that looked like Rolls-Royces.

Such a breakthrough was the Continental GT that it is now the most successful model

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∆ But there’s more to this new Conti GT than its barely recognisable re-skin with an upgraded interior package that includes new seats and a touch-screen infotainment system, as well as more grunt from its sixlitre, bi-turbo, W12 engine and the prospect of a more fuel-efficient V8 option coming later this year.

The W12 now produces 567bhp which is 15 more than previously and 700Nm of torque that’s up by 50Nm, and when combined with a 65kg weight reduction equates to a six per cent improvement in its all-important power-to-weight ratio.

The bottom line is that the big coupé now sprints from zero to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds, onto 160km/h in 10.2 seconds and tops out an impressive 318km/h.

When the four-litre V8 comes on line it will return a 40 per cent improvement on CO2 emissions over the existing power unit.

Backing the W12 engine is a ZF six-speed auto transmission that’s borrowed a few bits from the limited edition Supersports model and includes a quickshift mechanism which cuts shift times by 50 per cent.

It can now change cogs in just 200 milliseconds and also allows for double downshifts letting the driver to go directly from sixth back to fourth for example and it adds to the enjoyment by giving a quick blip on the throttle with each down change.

During the up change its ECU momentarily cuts the fuel and ignition to give a faster mechanical change which is also less fatiguing on the components.

Torque distribution to the four wheels from its all-wheel drive system has moved its previous 50:50 ratio to 40:60 front to rear that reduces understeer when powering out of bends which is handy considering its front and rear track has been widened to accommodate its standard 20-inch or optional 21-inch rims.

Behind these are massive 405mm vented discs at the front and 335mm units on the back, or you could go for the dinner platesized 420mm and 356mm cross-drilled, carbon silicon package. Although you’d be hard pressed finding the external changes, drag co-efficient has improved to 0.33Cd as well as reduced lift over the axles at speed

thanks to heavy under-body streamlining.

Aside from the wider track, the most obvious visual change is the more upright grille to conform with current pedestrian impact regulations as well as it being lowered further into the front bumper while the jeweled, off-set headlamps with daytime white LEDS take their styling cue from the new Mulsanne.

New tail lights and a more distinctive lip to the boot profile distinguish the rear, while down the side, a production process called super forming heats the aluminium to 500 degrees celcius so it can be shaped by air pressure alone and eliminates any need for ugly seams or welding.

The theme of subtle improvements continues inside, which at first glance looks similar to the outgoing model but look closer and you’ll find a myriad of changes including a new dash that has the signature Bentley shelf jutting out at the top and mimics the Bentley winged badge in shape.

A new front seat design not only saves considerable weight, but also gives a welcome extra 46mm of legroom for the rear seat passengers. One niggling problem,

Superforming heats the aluminium to 500deg C so it can be shaped by air pressure alone

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Bentley Continental GT | Road Test however, is the electric seat mechanism which folds forward for access into the rear but doesn’t store the setting and needs to be returned and re-set each time.

A 30Gb touchscreen infotainment system with an eight-inch screen dominates the centre dash and is home to the car’s audio, digital TV, phone, sat-nav and ride and comfort settings.

The standard stereo houses an eightspeaker unit, but the standout feature is the optional 11-speaker Naim audio unit built specifically for the Conti GT’s shape and is aided by acoustic window glazing, underfloor shields and other noise suppression features to block the outside world from creeping in.

Each feature on the new Continental GT doesn’t amount on much on their own, but piece them all together and it’s a surprisingly different car to the model it replaces in virtually every area.

It’s a car that has stood the test of time and without wanting to spoil a successful formula, it’s a good bet that it will still turn heads in another 10 years. L

New tail lights and the double horseshoe bootlid are the big changes here

◊

The dash shape now mimicks Bentley’s famous winged badge

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Belated blessing

QUICK FACTS Price $81,400 On sale Now

It took the local distributors three years to finally agree to bring the Lexus IS F to these shores. Damien Reid thanks them for their efforts though he thinks BMW and Mercedes aren’t equally pleased

Y

ou have to admit, the team from Lexus don’t like to jump into something on a whim. It’s fair to say they have taken their time with most projects they’ve attempted.

Their very first car, the LS400 came to market only after a long and well publicised gestation but when it hit the floor it changed the luxury market for ever.

Likewise the LF A supercar had been suggested by many for years, then hinted at from within for nearly as long and now finally it’s here.

In much the same way Mercedes and BMW had plenty to worry about when the LS400 came, now Ferrari, Lamborghini et

al have a new rival from Japan.

So when I jumped behind the wheel of the Lexus IS F, I couldn’t help but think of its origins and how it’s taken a long time to get to this point as a proper sports saloon.

After all, that was its original mandate at the initial launch of the IS200 way back in 1998.

A man called Nobuaki Katayama led the engineering team for the IS200 and he was a renowned kart racer in Japan who moved into sports car racing and rallying, working with Toyota’s World Rally Championship campaign before moving across to start work on the IS project.

The result was a car I loved at the time.

The IS200 was my long-term tester for six months and the precision with which it

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Lexus IS F | Road Test

Profile shows the extra overhang over the nose as well as the rear which has been extended for balance

A swathe of blue leather brightens up dull dash

Nicely supported seats were still comfy hours later

F is for Fuji in honour of the Mt Fuji test track

factfile Lexus IS F Engine Power Torque Transmission Kerb weight Length Width Height Wheelbase 0-100km/h Top speed On sale Price

5.0-litre V8 417bhp at 6600rpm 505Nm at 5200rpm 8-speed auto 1700kg 4660mm 1815mm 1415mm 2730mm 4.8 seconds 270km/h Now From $81,400

Manufacturer’s claimed figures

the auto’s times. Even Katayama-san himself modded his own company car with a supercharger and it became a popular, aftermarket bolt-on kit.

After the IS200, the baby Lexus grew steadily in engine and exterior size but somewhere as it piled on the kgs with luxury trim, it lost its mojo in the handling and nimbleness department until finally this IS F beast came along in 2007.

Admittedly it’s taken a full three years for it to land locally, but it’s been well worth the wait. After all this time we have a genuine sports sedan that the IS should have been way back in 1998. It has light-footed handling and the delightful chassis has returned, but this time it’s got a stonking, all-aluminium 5.0-litre V8 shoved under ◊

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could be thrown into corners and stopped was amazing. Its chassis development was superior to the Mercedes C-Class and BMW’s 3 Series at the time as it had an overtly sporty feel and included a chunky short-shift, chrome-gated six-speed manual box which was not only rare for its day, but so cool to flick between gears.

You could tell it was engineered by a guy who knew his corner weights and how to balance a front-engined, rear-wheel drive car to perfection. It was an absolute delight to punt hard through hills except it had one major flaw.

It was absolutely gutless. It’s 2.0-litre, inline six-cylinder engine produced 153bhp and it took 9.5 seconds to reach 100km/h with the manual so don’t even ask about

Huge gills slashed into the front wings help release heat from the brakes

Drilled pedals are among the few sports adds-ons

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Road Test | Lexus IS F

Other than a bit of carbon fibre-esque trim in the centre and drilled alloy pedals, the interior is remarkably subdued

Hip-hugging seats have been designed exclusively for the IS F with great lateral support for those in the rear as well

Eight-speed auto ‘box still feels like the markerting department won over the engineering boys. A bit superfluous

The trademark styling cue on the IS F is the vertically stacked tail pipes

∆ the bonnet and an eight-speed automatic transmission relaying drive to the chunky rear tyres.

I know Mr Katayama would be proud of this as it’s continued the Lexus tradition of standing back and watching the competition before committing but now it’s a car that’s more than worthy of standing toe-to-toe with the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG. Unlike its German sparring partners however, the IS F has a Jekyll and Hyde personality the likes I have rarely experienced before. In fact if you drive it around town and you’re not adept at pushing the right pedal, you could go through its entire life not knowing its darker side.

Below three-quarters throttle it feels and sounds no different than its more sedate IS300 brother, yet push that throttle to the floor and something

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◊

wondrous happens under the bonnet.

The car seemingly grows fangs and emits a throaty growl that makes it come alive.

The gear changes perk up too as it burbles, crackles and stabs the throttle on down changes. It positively bristles when you let it unbutton its collar and the city lights fade into the scenery.

With 417bhp that’s developed at 6600rpm and 505Nm of torque at 5200rpm, the IS F is not short in the go department. Its V8 engine and transmission originated in the LS460 but when you consider that luxury flagship model weighs 265kg more and produces 57 fewer bhp, you quickly appreciate the potential of this dynamo.

The company claims it accelerates from zero to 100kmh in 4.8 seconds but unlike its German rivals its v-max isn’t handicapped by a speed governor so it keeps on going past their 250km/h regulated top ends

and on to a genuine terminal velocity of 270km/h.

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the eight-speed auto box except for the fact that it seems like it’s forever changing up or down gears especially in the city, while when you leave it in manual mode having fun through the windy stuff, your thumbs go a bit numb constantly using the paddle shifts to keep the car in its optimum power band.

Given the option I’d like to see the IS F offered with either a DSG/Selespeed-style two-pedal manual and/or a conventional six-speed H-pattern shift like the original IS200. Though commercial reality dictates that few if any will go for the full-house manual option.

Outside, its most distinguishing feature is its 19-inch BBS alloys that fill the guards nicely, hiding 360mm Brembo discs at the front and 345mm units on the back.

They underline a bodykit which enhances the regular IS’s lines with a deeper front bumper that flares outwards to take in wider front wheel arches which are vented to expel hot air from the front wheels as well as below bumper cooling ducts for the brakes.

At the back it’s most obvious point of reference are two vertical stacks of tailpipes, one either side allowing the four pipes to give the car its own styling signature.

Strangely when I drove the IS200 away from the Lexus rep in 1998, I was underwhelmed until I got to live with it then I loved it. With the IS F more than 13 years later I had exactly the same impression with an identical outcome.

Remember, if you get to drive the IS F, don’t just plod around town, take Dr Jekyll out on a nice back road and push the accelerator. I guarantee it will reward you, otherwise you’ll never know it’s Mr Hyde. L JULY/AUGUST 2011 WWW.AUTOCAR.AE 69

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One for the boys

Is Mini’s new Coupé the car to attract more male buyers to the brand? Man about town Greg Kable drives it to find out

A

s comebacks go, Mini’s rise from near collapse in the mid1990s to a point where it now occupies a prominent position on the world’s automotive stage has been spectacular.

Yet, despite ever-increasing sales and an expanding portfolio of models, one particular trend has continually weighed on the minds of the managers of the BMWowned car maker, namely a dearth of male customers. Yes, the latest Minis are keenly sought after. But, as Mini’s own marketing studies reveal, they’re overwhelmingly bought by female customers.

As Mini boss Kay Segler points out, there’s nothing essentially wrong with

that. “It’s a great problem to have,” he says.

“Better a significant amount of female customers than no customers at all.”

However, you get the feeling he would be happy to see a few more male customers walk through the door of Mini showrooms to even up the sales base a bit.

Which is why, after a little dithering at boardroom level, Mini has decided to put its new Coupé into production. Imbued with an added dose of attitude – both visually and in terms of its chassis set-up – it is being looked upon to appeal to males more than any other existing Mini model. The fifth model in Mini’s modern-day line-up, the distinctively styled two-door Coupé follows on from the hatchback, Convertible,

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Mini Coupé | Drive

‘The Coupé is being looked upon to appeal to males more than any other Mini model’

Clubman and Countryman, with European sales set to get under way in October.

First previewed at the Frankfurt motor show in 2009, the Coupé has progressed from concept to production car stage with remarkably few changes. The basis for the new car, including its complete lower body, is the existing Convertible, to which Mini’s design team has added a new glasshouse, roof and liftback-style tailgate – all of which provide it with unique visual appeal.

Among the more obvious design flourishes is a new windscreen, which is raked back by a further 13 degrees than the hatchback’s and is a good deal shorter than on other Minis. The side glass is also shallower, giving the Coupé real chopped-

top appeal, and the rear window is heavily angled and incorporated into the tailgate.

The roof, made from aluminium, has been styled along the lines of that seen on the Countryman, with a rear section that curves down for added volume. It also incorporates a fixed spoiler element above a heavily angled rear window that forms part of the tailgate. An additional active spoiler, the first ever on a Mini model, is set within the tailgate and deploys at 80km/h to provide added downforce and improved stability at high speeds.

At 3754mm long and 1378mm high, the Coupé is 5mm longer and 29mm lower than the hatchback. In other respects, it mirrors the hatch, including its 1685mm width. ◊ JULY/AUGUST 2011 WWW.AUTOCAR.AE 71

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Coupé rides and drives much like a Mini hatch, but with less body roll

‘Plant your foot in low gears and you’re treated to a solid seam of acceleration’ ∆ Inspired by independently produced classic Mini-based coupés from firms such as Broadspeed and Marcos, the new Coupé is not exactly elegant – at least not in the traditional sense. However, it manages to stand out from the small-car crowd, and for many prospective buyers this will count more than anything else. Among the cars Mini counts as competition are the Audi TT, Peugeot RCZ and Volkswagen Scirocco.

The styling works well from some angles but less so from others, and from what we’ve seen the appearance seems to be very colour dependent. And being a Mini, there’s a wide range of exterior schemes to choose from.

Mini’s aim with the Coupé was to create a car that went one better than the hatchback in terms of overall driver appeal. However, the need to use as many carry-over components as possible in a bid to make the new car profitable means the mechanical package is virtually the same – and in many ways this also applies to the way it drives.

The low roof makes entry a little more difficult than with the hatchback, but the seats are set low enough to ensure that even tall drivers can be accommodated without any headroom issues, thanks in part to a scalloped-out headliner. Although the driving position is unchanged over the hatchback, the more heavily raked windscreen and lower roof give the Coupé a more sporting air from the driver’s seat.

The drawback? Visibility is restricted by the shallow glass, not least to the rear.

The Coupé will be sold with the same 1.6-litre petrol engines as those used in other Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works models, as well as the Cooper SD’s 2.0-litre diesel. The petrol unit delivers 121bhp in the Cooper, 181bhp in the Cooper S and 208bhp in the range-topping JCW. The diesel, which Mini expects to garner a large percentage of sales in Europe, kicks out 141bhp.

Mini says there’s no plan to sell the Coupé with the entry-level 74bhp and 97bhp

1.6-litre petrol engines – a sign that the car is being aimed at enthusiasts. Gearbox choices include a standard six-speed manual along with an optional six-speed auto on all models save for the Coupé JCW. As far as performance goes, there’s little to criticise. The turbocharged 1.6-litre engine in the Cooper S version driven here develops 240Nm of torque between 1600rpm and 5000rpm, with an overboost peak of 260Nm between 1700 and 4500rpm, providing a good turn of speed out of the blocks and tremendous flexibility.

There is no official weight figure just yet, but it is expected to be similar to that of the Convertible, which in Cooper S guise tips the scales at a skinny 1090kg. Mini claims 0-100km/h in 6.9sec and a top speed of 230km/h, but it’s the in-gear acceleration that impresses. Plant your foot in low gears and you’re treated to a solid seam of acceleration, along with an exhaust rasp that is all part and parcel of the Mini’s nature.

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Mini Coupé | Drive Coupé’s active spoiler is a first for a Mini. It deploys at 80km/h

Exhaust emits a characterful rasp, especially under hard acceleration

Sprightly Cooper S prototype promises 0-100km/h in just 6.9sec

The Coupé rides on an upgraded version of the hatchback’s MacPherson strut and multi-link suspension featuring firmer dampers and a larger-diameter rear anti-roll bar. The lower roof and pared-out interior also provide it with a lower centre of gravity than other Mini models. And while the roof has no load-bearing function, a level of stiffness approaching other Mini models is provided by a substantial transverse beam mounted above the rear axle.

First impressions, after an extended run around an Austrian driver training facility in a pre-production prototype, suggest it has succeeded, although the difference in character between the two is not great.

There are subtle improvements in dynamic terms – less initial roll on turn-in and a

more securely planted rear end when you lift off mid-corner – but don’t expect it to provide a vastly different driving experience from its much-loved sibling.

It’s a satisfying car to drive quickly, with weighty steering, sharp response, solid front-end bite and a progressive nature once you’ve pushed beyond the limits of adhesion, which were impressively high on the 17in wheels of the prototype we drove.

Recalibrated dynamic stability control also ensures any intervention arrives later than it does in the hatchback, providing the Coupé with an added touch of agility.

The interior of the Coupé mirrors that of the Convertible up front – right down to the height of its seats. The rear, however, has been completely revised, with the rear seats

Price Top speed 0-100km/h Economy CO2 Kerb weight Engine Power Torque Gearbox Fuel tank Boot Wheels Tyres

Mini CoupÉ Cooper S

$40,000 (est) 230km/h 6.9sec 5.8L/100km (combined) 138g/km 1050kg (est) 4 cyls, 1598cc, turbo, petrol 181bhp at 5500rpm 240Nm at 1600rpm Six-spd manual 40 litres 280 litres 7Jx17in, alloy 205/45 R17

Peugeot RCZ Sport THP 200

$37,500 (est) 235km/h 7.6sec 6.9L/100km 159g/km 1421kg 4 cyls, 1598cc, turbo, petrol 197bhp at 5500rpm 280Nm at 1770rpm Six-spd manual 55 litres 390 litres 6Jx19in, alloy 235/40 R19

making way for a parcel shelf and a handy load-through feature that can be accessed from the driver’s seat. At 280 litres, the boot is a considerable 120 litres larger than that of the hatchback thanks to the lack of rear seats, but a cross-member running through the floor means the load bay is not flat.

If you can live with the looks, which won’t be to everyone’s taste, and driving appeal is a priority, the Mini Coupé is worth a look.

ME pricing is yet to be announced, but we now know that it retains the fundamentals that have made the hatchback such a success over the past decade or so. The Coupé is tremendously entertaining and, with good space in the rear, highly practical by two-seater standards.

Be warned, though: an open-top Roadster is planned to join the line-up early next year following a public premiere at the Detroit motor show next January. It may not exactly be Alpha male material, but I suspect it could be even more fun. L JULY/AUGUST 2011 WWW.AUTOCAR.AE 73

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New vs Used CL63 AMG vs DBS

If Q branched out For the price of a new Merc CL63 AMG, you could have 007’s car, a used Aston DBS. But, asks David Vivian, which offers the best blend of pace and gadgetry?

PHOTOGRAPHY DEAN SMITH

W

ho knows what goes through the fictitious mind of James Bond between movies, but here’s a couple of options he might like to ponder next time Q chucks him the acrylic nugget to fire up a DBS. Park it in the scenery again and pump up that insurance premium? Or how about try to make it to the nearest Merc dealer without it looking too ‘secondhand’, extract Walther PPK from the glovebox and negotiate a partexchange on the latest CL63 AMG? I reckon he’d be tempted. Gadgets? No need to take that patronising ‘pay attention, Bond’ guff from Q any more; they’re all standard. Including one that stops you crashing into stuff. Another tells you you’re feeling drowsy and have probably been

drugged by a bloke who weeps blood. Nice big glovebox, too, for something a little meatier than the Walther. Oh, you might want infrared night vision as well, but that’s an optional extra.

All right, the AMG-engineered CL is a hefty old bus – more than two tonnes and as long as a limo – but no need to sweat it. It’s all about the engine: twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8, 544bhp, 800Nm of torque. That’s 34bhp and 230Nm more than the Aston’s naturally aspirated 5.9-litre V12, so it’s just as nippy: you get 100km/h in around 4.5sec, sub10sec to 160km/h. But sorry, no more manly gearchanges as you battle in vain to shake off pursuing Alfa 159s and Land Rover Defenders. Seven-speed MCT (multi-clutch transmission) and paddles in the Merc, but at least you’ll be able to keep both hands on the wheel.

Want to know more? The boot is big enough to accommodate two roped-up bad guys, and for the run down to Monaco at the end of the movie with the ridiculously attractive counter-spy who suddenly loves you, you’ve got dead comfy air-conditioned seats, double glazing and a brilliant satnav. And you won’t have to stop so often to refuel because the CL63 does around 10.5L/100km while the DBS fair glugs it down at just almost 17L/100km.

Point is, given the requirements of his job and the undeniable advantages of keeping it on the island, 007 is in completely the wrong motor. As for the rest of us who love the subtler rewards of driving a great GT, choosing between a new CL63 or a used but not-yet-crashed DBS isn’t quite so cut and dry. And what makes deciding between the two so fascinating is the spectacular ◊

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CL63 AMG vs DBS | New vs used CL63 looks more brutish and

has more power

DBS is sleeker, weighs less and is a

tad quicker

Merc is a more refined cruiser but its power delivery is less linear

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The DBS displays real agility and is the more engaging car in corners

Given that this is a two-tonne coupé, the CL63 AMG feels quick witted

Aston rides on 20in alloys…

∆ clash of styles. I think there’s a template for the perfect senior league GT that pulls together colossal power, cutting-edge tech, cosseting comfort, hardcore glamour and the traditional romance of long-distance motoring. It’s a wide repertoire that requires a bit more than being the fastest, hardest act in town, and on paper – if you subscribe to the rather cynical view that the DBS is a DB9 with a body kit, more power, less weight, stiffer suspension and ceramic brakes, and the CL an S-class limo with an absurdly large coupé bodyshell – neither looks an overly promising prospect.

But, well, I’ve just driven 260km in the CL63 to rendezvous with the DBS and any doubts I might have harboured over its bulk and fitness to engage the smaller, lighter, lither Aston have fluttered away in the Merc’s supersized slipstream. And not least because, as two-tonne coupés go, it feels remarkably agile and quick-witted, and the way, after being dragged down to a crawl by traffic on the freeway, it would re-synch with the national speed limit in a couple of heartbeats, then cruise with vanishingly low levels of engine, wind and road noise.

Impressed, too, that I’ve only used slightly more than quarter of a tank between Whitstable and Coleshill, just south of Birmingham. Early notice of a typically

over-achieving Mercedes-AMG skill set.

The DBS waiting for us is a little over two years old and by the admission of its owner – Simon George, boss of The 6th Gear Experience – has clocked up 50,000 of the hardest kilometres any DBS this side of The Quantum of Solace film set is likely to have endured, many at the hands of punters on the track days his company lays on. Yet, confounding Aston’s reputation for flaky reliability, it has proved utterly reliable and remarkably durable. The only obvious signs of wear are the scratches inflicted on the chunky aluminium gearknob by hundreds of fast-moving wedding rings and a small ding on the passenger door. Were Simon to sell it tomorrow, he’d expect around $145k.

Just to listen to the hollow bark of the big V12 as it cracks into life and the sonorous burble as it settles to idle seems almost worth the asking price alone.

As we drive off, the Aston certainly feels ‘nicely loosened up’ but in a good, beddeddown, meshed-in way. Stepping straight from the serene refinement of the Merc, it seems comparatively uncouth and loud – more supercar than re-clothed saloon – but the upshot is that it immediately feels more special, too. The lower-slung cabin combines the handcrafted ambience and tastefully applied carbonfibre you’d expect

…as does the Mercedes-Benz

Others we found 007’s car in the classifieds Price $160,000

Aston Martin DBS coupé, manual, 2008 17,000km Crisp, low-mileage black example with Obsidian hide and some handy optional extras. Looks good value and is available with the number plate ‘0007 SPY’ (POA).

Price $142,000

Aston Martin DBS coupé, manual, 2008 42,000km Silver car with Obsidian black and suede leather. Equipped with sports seats, upgraded Dolby ProLogic sound system and highgloss carbonfibre finish.

Price $185,000

Aston Martin DBS coupé auto, 2009 18,500km Not everyone is a fan of Aston’s robotised manual paddle-shift Touchtronic transmission, but this example is barely run in and has all the trimmings, including a telephone and ‘plus 2’ rear seats.

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CL63 AMG vs DBS | New vs used

CL offers sound ergonomics, efficient hi-tech gadgetry and fine build

premium bond

Mercedes-BENZ CL63 AMG Price now From $190,350 Price new From $190,350 Predicted value $120,000 (at 3 yrs, 50,000km) Insurance group 50 Servicing costs $2000 (over 3 yrs, 50,000km) 0-100km/h 4.5sec Top speed 250km/h (limited) Economy 10.5L/100km CO2 emissions 244g/km Kerb weight 2085kg

ASTON MARTIN DBS $180,000 (50,000km) $277,385 $130,000 (at 3 yrs) 50 $6200 (over 3 yrs, 50,000km) 4.3sec 307km/h 17.3L/100km 388g/km 1695kg

Engine layout Installation

V8, 5461cc, twin turbos Front, longitudinal, rear-wheel drive Power 544bhp at 5500rpm Torque 800Nm at 2000-4500rpm Power to weight 261bhp per tonne Specific output 100bhp per litre Gearbox Seven-speed, automatic

V12, 5935cc Front, longitudinal, rear-wheel drive 510bhp at 6500rpm 570Nm at 5750rpm 301bhp per tonne 88bhp per litre Six-speed, manual

Length Width Height Wheelbase Fuel tank

4721mm 1905mm 1280mm 2740mm 78 litres

Vitals

Two-tonne CL disguises its weight well; lithe DBS disguises its hard life

DBS driver sits lower and in an environment that feels handcrafted

engine

fast-gathering shove when the turbos spool up and the MCT selects a suitably violent ratio with which to deploy the best part of 800Nm can seem almost alarming by comparison – not because you’re travelling any faster, but because the momentum seems that much harder to contain.

The degree to which the Merc’s chassis has it covered, though, is almost surreal.

As with the S-class, the CL’s ABC (Merc’s active body control system) now also compensates for crosswinds, and its basic task of keeping body movements in check brilliantly disguises its 2060kg bulk. But its steering feels numb and artificial compared with the Aston’s, and although body control is on a par, especially at speed, secondary ride comfort suffers.

Surprisingly, the Aston’s is better.

So, hugely impressive as the CL63 is in many ways, and an obvious shoo-in for a future 007 outing, it feels and looks perhaps a little too much like a two-door limo with a fab engine and sporty suspension. It may be capable of extraordinary things, have the roomier interior, the bigger boot, the higher tech and the longer range, but in comparison with the Aston, it leaves you feeling emotionally short-changed. Seduction technique?

Unlike 007, it doesn’t have one. L

dimensions

in a modern Aston with bold architecture and a smattering of the Merc’s hi-tech gadgetry, including a sat-nav system of unfathomable complexity.

In fact, it’s all but useless. No matter; clear road ahead, second gear, bury the throttle. The collision of bellowing V12 music and mumbo is as glorious as it is addictive and causes the rear to squirm as the 295/30-section rubber struggles to hook up. Although the 510bhp of the naturally aspirated 5.9-litre V12 slung beneath the multi-vented bonnet of the Aston can’t match its twin-turbocharged rival’s output, the car weighs more than half a tonne less.

The chasing CL63 makes no ground.

The Aston’s steering is precise, direct and meaty, and the control its adaptively damped suspension can muster on poor surfaces is exemplary, desensitising the impact of the worst bumps and ruts and tracking lesser undulations with no wasted body movement. But it’s as the day wears on and the roads become faster and more open that the DBS begins to work some genuine magic, feeling lithe, threadable and immensely quick. Third, fourth and fifth are good for pretty much everything, providing just about perfect levels of flexibility, outright pace and engine braking.

Retracing the same roads in the CL63, the

5095mm 1871mm 1419mm 2955mm 90 litres

Front suspension Four-link, air springs, active body control Rear suspension Multi-link, air springs, active body control Wheels 20in, alloy Tyres 255/35 R20 (f), 275/35 R20 (r)

Double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar Double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar 20in, alloy 245/35 R20 (f), 295/30 R20 (r)

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3/28/11 8:32 AM

Fabienne Lanz celebrates as she takes the chequered flag for the Dubai Falcons

Dubai Falcons soar to victory

The pace was frenetic in the all-night race

The slick Dubai Falcon Racing Team finally breaks the Batelco stranglehold on the Motorcity endurance karting series

D

ubai Falcon Racing Team, led by Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum and consisting of ace kart drivers Mohammed Al Mutawaa, Saeed Al Mehairi and Fabienne Lanz, took top honours in the gruelling Motorcity 12 Hours at Dubai Kartdrome on May 27 and 28.

It was the second of four rounds counting towards the 2011 Motorcity Endurance Championship.

Having played second fiddle for more than a year to the previously dominant Batelco team, the Dubai Falcons scored a welldeserved victory, notching up 569 laps and winning by a margin of five laps.

The key to their victory was the relentless pace set by Sheikh Hasher from the outset, followed by similarly error-free and fast stints

by Lanz, Al Mutawaa and Al Mehairi. Team

manager Mike Wilkes, who orchestrated a flawless strategy, said afterwards: “That was one of our strongest showings. Everything fell into place and we made no mistakes. I have managed winning teams in the past, but this one is extremely strong and could be among the best. It is good to be on the top step of the podium again.”

Probably the biggest surprise to all – except themselves perhaps – was the impressive showing of Publicis Groupe Racing comprising: Ronald Zouein, Rayan Karaky, Sunny Deo, Anjum Shaikh, Rafael Augusto, Nihal Salim, Sebastian Puhze and Samer Lahoud. The squad, made up of Publicis Groupe workers, not only won the hotly contested corporate category, but also finished second overall – which is the highest placing for a corporate team in the history of the Endurance Challenge.

The achievement was immense considering the stiff competition and the extreme conditions. The team summed up their emotions on Facebook: “Only one thing to say… Don’t stop believing! From P12 to P1 Corporate and P2 Professional Ranking.

This is what a team is all about!”

Third place overall went to Ocean Rubber Racing who chased hard all night, finishing on the same lap as Publicis Groupe. It was disappointment for reigning champions Batelco, who have dominated endurance races at the kartdrome for almost two years.

They were compromised by a series of early penalties and issues with their kart.

They struggled to recover thereafter, but nevertheless finished fourth overall.

Another big surprise was fifth place MediaBoltz team, captained by Phill Tromans of Evo magazine and made up of media

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Motorcity 12-hour Karting | Sport

‘The key to their victory was the relentless pace set by Sheikh Hasher,and fast stints

by Lanz, Al Mutawaa and Al Mehairi’

Nineteen karts set off after a Le Mans-style race start at 9pm on Friday, May 27

Publicis Groupe bagged the Corporate trophy and finished second overall

workers from the UAE. They scored their highest-ever finish in the competition. Autocar Middle East’s managing editor, Gautam Sharma, who set the third-fastest lap time of the race, said: “The weight equalisation has been a key factor in balancing out the performance. Heavier drivers are less penalised and this, I believe, contributed to our good result. It was also a good team effort.”

Sixth overall and second in the corporate category were CG Racing , ahead of arch rivals OMD Racing, who were third in the Corporate ranking and eighth overall. The P918 team scooped the Fair Play Award for their spirit and sportsmanship, while the UAE Masters were the best placed new team.

Round three of the 2011 Motorcity Endurance Championship takes place on October 7 and 8, with another 12-hour race at the Dubai Kartdrome. L

Dubai Falcons outclassed the field

Autocar ME’s Gautam Sharma in action

Results MOTORCITY 12-HOUR KARTING Pos Team 1 Dubai Falcon Racing Team 2 Publicis Groupe Racing 3 Ocean Rubber Racing Team 4 Batelco 5 MediaBoltz 6 CG Racing Target Racing 7 8 OMD Racing 9 UAE Masters 10 MBC Action

Class Pro Corporate Pro Pro Pro Corporate Pro Corporate Pro Corporate

Best lap 1:12.028 1:12.653 1:12.961 1:13.267 1:12.777 1:13.458 1:13.233 1:13.376 1:13.394 1:14.042

Laps 569 564 564 560 558 558 558 557 556 550

Gap

5 laps 15.513sec 4 laps 2 laps 43.539sec 13.233sec 1 lap 1 lap 6 laps

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game changers Extra

Richard Bremner The cars that saved or SHAMED the company

Alfa Romeo Giulia The sporty saloon that spawned an enviable era of sales success for Alfa

F

ew cars define the term ‘threebox saloon’ with more obvious effectiveness than the 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulia. And few look less Alfa-like to the untrained eye than this unprepossessing family car, whose ordinary contours seem to have been uglified in the detail, from the simple, flat door glass to an oddly recessed tail panel and the fat, longitudinal depression indenting its bootlid.

Most wouldn’t give a Giulia a second look, though if they noticed its nose they might be surprised by an extravagant quartet of headlamps and a noble-looking chrome shield. These excesses fronted a car that otherwise seemed to epitomise the rational ordinariness of an urban bus.

But that nose was the clue to a car that was actually pretty special, and whose creation had far-reaching reverberations. Some of these have yet to be felt, as Alfa labours over a 159 replacement bearing the Giulia’s name that will make a distant, but direct descendant of the ’62 original.

The Giulia was not Alfa’s first postwar family saloon; that was the 1900, a bigger and equally staid-looking car whose twin-cam motor made it a bit like an Austin Cambridge in trainers.

Then came the smaller Giulietta, with its smaller twin-cam and looking a bit teetery with its tall, narrow body and spindly wheels. It went well, though, if not as well as the beautiful ’54 Giulietta Sprint that pre-dated it, and was soon joined by a Spider sister.

The Giulietta was the car that in effect switched Alfa’s business from making beautiful, blue-blooded, small-series sports cars for European aristos to building premium compact cars aimed at an emerging post-war middle class. The uncompromisingly rectilinear Giulia cemented Alfa’s middle-ground mission and its mix of sensibly dimensioned accommodation and fulsome rort won it keen customers. So did its standardfit five-speed gearbox and four-wheel disc brakes, features hard to find in cars costing three times as much.

They were there for good reason too, for the Giulia’s suspension gave it the manners of the sports cars and coupés it spawned, while its motors served pep that would

have seemed illicit to waistcoated Austin Cambridge owners. It wasn’t irresponsible fun, either; not only did the Giulia grip, go and stop, but it was also one of the first cars whose nose and tail deformed in an accident to provide crash cushioning.

But its most surprising feature was hidden in its styling. It looked about as aerodynamic as a Roman ruin, but the wraparound windscreens, low bonnet, overhanging roof and that abruptly cut tail scored it a drag coefficient of 0.34.

Which doesn’t sound much today, but back

‘The Giulia wasn’t irresponsible fun.

It was one of the first cars whose nose and tail deformed in a crash for cushioning’

then this was the difference between a jet airliner and a turbo-prop.

All of which melded to produce an impressively able saloon that was as engaging to drive as it was convenient, and with an aura of subtle class that would see Alfa winning a decade of the kind of success that it’s fighting to enjoy again today.

Giulia’s boxy design was impressively aerodynamic for the time

Bertone-penned 105 Series Coupé was spawned off Giulia platform 82 WWW.AUTOCAR.AE JULY/AUGUST 2011

AC88-82 Bremner.indd 82

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