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LAUNCH DRIVE Lexus ES250 hen you hear that a car costs almost R436 000 yet is Taking the Germans head-on the cheapest model in the range you know you are Wdealing with something in the premium class. That’s These cars are pitched at the market dominated by the the case with the recently launched Lexus ES250 and its hybrid German premium saloons – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – sibling, the ES300h (which costs R515 000). yet they do not pretend to compete in terms of ultra-sporty performance. People commented during the launch that the The later was not available for driving at the launch in the 135kW power plant was really all one needed. And there was Western Cape. And there is only one version of the ES250, with always plenty of power available for overtaking, while cruising a four-cylinder, naturally aspirated 2.5-litre petrol engine and at high speeds was as quiet and comfortable as you would a six-speed auto gearbox, so it was not one of those launches expect in a car in this price range. where you had to fght to make sure you drove all the models in the range. But, let’s face it, a 0-100km/h tme of just under 10 seconds is not going to give the Germans nightmares. So Lexus has concentrated on showing how spacious the ES250 is, and how well priced it is. The catch phrase at the launch was that the ES250 costs the same as a (BMW) 3 Series, has the interior space of a 5 Series and the boot of a 7 Series. Another slogan was that with this being Lexus, more is more. Simplicity Rules Company spokesmen were also quick to point out that all the many features on the car were standard, and included in the price. This is a refreshing change. Everyone knows how the German manufacturers – and they are not the only ones – have a long list of extra-cost optons with their premium- brand cars. The fact that there is only one Lexus ES250 model helps to simplify things and one does not have to hop across variants and opton lists to fnd out what you are getng. To further simplify things the IS250 models have been dropped, leaving the IS range with only the wonderful 3.5-litre six-cylinder motors and a resultng strong identty as the sporty car in the stable. The pricing of the ES and IS ranges are stll fairly close together, 52 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014
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LAUNCH DRIVE Lexus ES250 so many buyers might be tempted to fork out a litle more for the fun and enjoyment of the 3.5-litre motor. The ES can counter with a far bigger cabin than the IS, or any other car in the segment. The front and rear legroom is truly generous, even more so than in the old Toyota Camrys. Indeed, the people who will go for the ES250 would probably have gone for the Camry too. It is a sensible car. Premium Sensibility It must be said, however, that the ES250 is much more a quality, premium brand than the Camry ever was. I like the Lexus story that people wantng to work on the ES250 have to pass a test to show their skill and atenton to detail. It involves using the Japanese craf of paper-folding, origami, to build a bird – and the candidates must do the task using only one hand … Toyota GM for product planning, Lete Labuschagne, said the hybrid model would be expected to make up about one in 10 sales in the ES range. A total of between 30 and 50 monthly sales is predicted and when one takes into consideraton that last year Lexus sold about 1 000 vehicles in South Africa, the ES is likely to give the marque quite a boost. There is some resemblance to the IS350, thanks largely to what Lexus calls the “spindle nose” grille. There is a tlt-and-slide moon roof, front fogs, LED daytme running lights and 17-inch alloy wheels (the spare is a full-size alloy). Buttery While driving the car, I was most struck by how smooth it all 54 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014
feels . It is the kind of vehicle that would be great on long trips but also for city driving. The engine drives the front wheels, THE SPECS: leaving the already-spacious cabin free of transmission tunnels found in rear-wheel-drive rivals. The motor revs willingly and Lexus ES 250 sedan the gearbox changes quickly. You can change gears manually using the lever. Engines: four-cylinder petrol, 2494cc Power: 135kW at 6000rpm The list of features includes cruise control, tyre pressure infaton warning, dual climate control, an electric sunblind for Torque: 235Nm at 4100rpm the rear mirror that removes itself when reverse is selected or above a certain speed; a blind spot monitor with “lane change 0-100km/h: 9.8 seconds assist”; park distance control and a reverse camera; black or ivory leather seats; electrically adjustable and heated seats, Top speed: 207km/h with memory functon for the driver; electric heated rearview mirrors; leather-bound multfuncton steering wheel; satellite Claimed consumpton: 8l/100km navigaton, 10 airbags, an eight-speaker audio system with CD, Bluetooth and USB connectvity; and hill start assist. Fuel tank: 65 litres There are eight colour choices, including a lovely Lapus Lazuli. Full size alloy spare The features are notably simple and user-friendly. I got to grips Claimed CO2: 188g/km with most of them in a short tme, which can’t be said for a lot of the expensive cars I have driven lately. DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014 55
LAUNCH DRIVE Mercedes-Benz CLA Elegant he Mercedes-Benz CLA range is basically the sedan version of the new A-Class models, which are such a Tgalactc improvement on the old A-Class that it’s hard to believe they are from the same manufacturer. King AMG Naturally, in both the CLA and A-Class, the focus is on the turbocharged 2-litre AMG models. These produce an astonishing 265kW and 450Nm, a claimed 0-100km/h tme of 4.6 seconds and a governed top speed of 250km/h. The AMG models have all-wheel-drive and dramatc-sounding exhaust systems, along with understated but handsome looks. Mercedes calls the CLA a four-door coupe, and while the lines are sleek enough the sloping roof line does mean that rear passengers had beter be on the short side. During the launch in the Western Cape drivers were given plenty of opportunity to put the cars through their performance paces. While the A45 AMG model is brutally quick I found that it was almost too civilised in that the all-wheel-drive took away some of the potental driving enjoyment. I suppose it is a sports car for modern tmes, with more than half an eye on safety and other regulatons, as well as fuel economy. Mercedes claims around 7l/100km for this beast. It is priced at R674 000, about R70 000 more than the A-Class equivalent. 56 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014
By BRUCE BENNETT Savage DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014 57
LAUNCH DRIVE Mercedes-Benz CLA Easier on the HP Others in the CLA range are far cheaper, startng with the CLA 180 at what is, relatvely, a bargain-basement R348 000. The CLA 200 is next at R372 000, while the CDi 220 comes in at R397 000. The CLA 180 and CLA 200 are both powered by 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol motors, putng out 90kW/200Nm and 115kW/250Nm respectvely. The 2.2-litre turbodiesel CLA 220CDI is much punchier, at 125kW and 350Nm and to my mind is well worth the extra money. Mercedes spokesmen were adamant that the CLA would not clash with their top-selling C Class models, saying that the idea was that the newcomers would atract younger buyers to the brand. It will be interestng to see how this strategy works out, especially as the new A-Class hatchback range would seem to have this area covered anyway. And they are cheaper than the “four-door coupes” anyway. Also, hatchbacks may be regarded as more practcal than booted cars. It’s been a long tme since Mercs were regarded exclusively as old men’s cars but it seems the company is stll trying to shake of this ghost. Swoopy Coup As far as appearance goes these cars are pleasing on the eye, with the bold three-pointed star logo on a striking front grille, 58 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014
and interestng lines accentuated by the raked windscreen and curved roof line. You get the superb top-quality feel in the \" APART FROM THEIR DIFFERENCES IN PRICE cabin that we have come to expect from Mercedes but it is not AND POWER OUTPUTS, WHICH SET THEM a spacious interior. In additon, rear passengers have to duck PLANETS APART, THEY SHARE A QUALITY THAT their heads sharply when getng in and out, because of the MAKES THEM OUTSTANDING DURING LONG- curved roof line. The boot holds 470 litres of luggage. DISTANCE DRIVING.\" DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014 59
LAUNCH DRIVE Mercedes-Benz CLA 60 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014
I frst drove a CLA 200 and, later, the A45 AMG. Apart from their diferences in price and power outputs, which set them planets THE SPECS: apart, they share a quality that makes them outstanding during long-distance driving: low-revving engines. Mercedes-Benz CLA range Both cars were fted with automatc seven-speed gearboxes Engines: turbocharged four-cylinder petrol - from 1991cc and at 120km/h, the rev-counters showed a mere 2 000rpm. (A45 AMG), 1595cc (CLA 180 and 200) . Turbodiesel, This, along with the excellent aerodynamics, should see the 2143cc (CLA 220CDI) CLA models returning excellent fuel consumpton fgures. Power: 265kW at 6000rpm (A45 AMG); 125kW at 3400- Spirited driving on the launch day saw fuel being used at a far 4000rpm (CLA 220CDI)); 115kW at 5300rpm (CLA 200); faster rate than the company claims. But careful drivers will 90kW at 5000rpm (CLA 180). achieve good fgures. Torque: 450Nm at 2250-5000rpm; (AMG); 350Nm at 1400- Sayonara sensibility 3400rpm (CLA 220CDi)); 250Nm at 1250-4000 (CLA 200); 200Nm at 1250-4000rpm (CLA 180). One might think anyone buying an A45 AMG will not want to behave sensibly behind the wheel of this beast. I gave it a 0-100km/h: A45 AMG, 4.6 seconds; 220CDi, 8.2 seconds; workout over the Du Toit’s Kloof Pass on a magnifcent sunny CLA 200, 8.6 seconds; CLA 180, 9.3 seconds. day, my progress impeded only by the occasional slow truck or casual baboon. It's a monster performance, like a rally car Top speed: A45 AMG, 250km/h governed; CDi 220 and CLA packed with Merc gizmos and goodies. But strip it all back 200, 230km/h; CLA 180, 210km/h. to bare metal, and it would feel all the way like a true-blue Claimed consumpton: A45 AMG, 7.1-6.9 l/100km; CDi competton machine. Back on the N1, the car purred along 220, 4.2-4.5l/100km; CLA 200, 5.5-5.7l/100km; CLA 180, comfortably at the natonal speed limit. 5.4 to 5.6l/100km. For the real high-speed driving we went to an airfeld in Claimed CO2: A45 AMG, 165-161g/km; CDi220, 117g/km; Robertson, where the cars passed all sorts of acceleraton, CLA 200, 131g/km; CLA 180, 130g/km. braking and stability tests with fying colours. The CLA 45 AMG deserves to be as hotly-antcipated as the A 45 AMG, which was received with serious expectatons by the motoring press at least, and for the most part managed to deliver on these. sometmes substantal. They include radar and camera devices Just the CLA is even more captvatng to behold. that help warn the driver of danger, and sometmes help to avert accidents. Both the cars I drove had extra features fted Like most modern Mercs, the CLAs come standard with many that added almost R100 000 to their price tags, making them hi-tech goodies while others are available at extra cost, which is really very expensive for cars of this unique new niche. DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014 61
To achieve great results as an Automotive Professional, A full range of combination spanners ranging from 6mm you need to invest in the best range of tools at very to 32mm, a wide range of pliers, gas pliers, vice grips, affordable prices. circlip pliers and side cutters. At Midas we stock the largest Professional Chrome All this in our Premium Quality Life Time Guarantee Vanadium drop forged tool range in the country, ranging Standard, which means that if these tools ever fail to from 19 to 42 piece Socket sets, ratchet drives and give you complete satisfaction, simply return them to your accessories such as extensions, universal joint adaptors, nearest Midas store for replacement. drive bars, sliding ‘T’ bars and deep drive sockets. For more information about the range or to locate your nearest outlet, call 011 879 6000 or visit www.midas.co.za CH2246 CH2246 MPT advert 2013.indd 1 2013/08/05 11:26 AM
TOP 5 CAR CATEGORIES PASSION RATINGS To achieve great results as an Automotive Professional, A full range of combination spanners ranging from 6mm What’s it all about? you need to invest in the best range of tools at very to 32mm, a wide range of pliers, gas pliers, vice grips, affordable prices. circlip pliers and side cutters. The Drive Magazine Top 5s secton isn’t a listng of the highest-scoring cars coming through our road-test regime. In fact, here the rankings have as litle as possible to do with any empirical, data-driven evaluaton of this passion called motoring, and everything At Midas we stock the largest Professional Chrome All this in our Premium Quality Life Time Guarantee to do with unchecked emotonal appeal. Vanadium drop forged tool range in the country, ranging Standard, which means that if these tools ever fail to Although we’re irrepressible, self-confessed performance freaks at this publicaton, making it into the Top 5s requires far more from 19 to 42 piece Socket sets, ratchet drives and give you complete satisfaction, simply return them to your than just the smallest 0-100kph tme. Any vehicles on these pages have lef us deeply saddened to say goodbye to. They aren’t accessories such as extensions, universal joint adaptors, nearest Midas store for replacement. necessarily the priciest of machines, the most beguilingly beautful, or the most pulverisingly potent. They’re simply cars which drive bars, sliding ‘T’ bars and deep drive sockets. we, as petrol heads, absolutely adore - and think that you would too if motoring runs in your veins. Our very own passion-gauge for the hearts and souls of cars. One thing that you won’t fnd any of on the following pages, are electric cars. Only internal-combuston motors have soul, at least any soul that we can connect to as internal-combuston-based machines ourselves. For more information about the range or to locate your nearest outlet, call 011 879 6000 or visit www.midas.co.za If you strongly disagree, or wholeheartedly approve, drop us a line on [email protected]. Next month, it could be your car 63 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014 choices walking away with the entrely fctonal prize-money. Lots of it. Tons. We promise. CH2246 CH2246 MPT advert 2013.indd 1 2013/08/05 11:26 AM
TOP 5 BAKKIES 1 Ford Ranger Wildtrak Highs: Not the toughest, the most refned, or the most modern. But the coolest. Lows: V6 turbo diesel quite thirsty. Quickie: Strangely, the new BT-50, which is really the same car as this, shouts loudest about its auto gearbox opton. The Wildtrak on the other hand splashes the fact that it's a 6-speed manual boldly down the already be-graphiced fanks. I love this bakkie. Factoids: 3.2-litre turbo diesel motor, 147kW, R422 161 2 Toyota Hilux Legend 40 Highs: The King for a reason. Lows: Costs a princely sum for a reason. Quickie: The Hilux Legend series from Toyota really is the ultmate incarnaton of the ultmate 1-ton bakkie in the market - it somehow manages to feel very special, like the infdomitable Hilux spirit is more liberally sprinkled on these models. There isn't a Legend model in the new Hilux line just yet, but the Raider V6 petrol (or D4-D) is stll a winning choice. Factoids: 4.-litre petrol V6, 175kW, R475 900 3 Hyundai H100 Highs: Unashamedly workmanlike. Lows: Unashamedly workmanlike. Quickie: There's none of this half-baked leisure idea with an H100 bakkie - it's a workhorse and that's it. But, it's a superbly good one. Tough, reliable, versatle, with a well-judged price. For on-road, in-town load-carrying work it's practcally guaranteed success. Factoids: 2.6-litre diesel, 58kW, R171 900 4 Chevrolet Corsa Ute Highs: All the strengths of the venerable Opel Corsa Ute, but with a bowte. Lows: Prestge range-toppers a bit too fash. Quickie: Ignore the pricey and unnecessarily decked-out Sport model, and you've got a solid, honest machine in this Chev. Even if it is obvious the \"American\" brand-name has just stolen the Opel Corsa Ute. Comfortable enough to drive around in all day, and handsome enough to take home for the weekend too. Factoids: 1.8-litre petrol engine, 77kW, R166 900 5 Chevrolet Lumina SS Ute Highs: All-American V8! Lows: Not really an ideal load-carrier. Can't even carry petrol very far. Quickie: All right, so this second Chevy in this list is a bit of a cheat really. Even Chevrolet SA admit this isn't exactly a workhorse, with most owners treatng them more like 2-door sports coupes than 1-ton bakkies. Stll, the character ofensive is so maxed-out, that on passion alone, it should actually be the top of this category. Factoids: 6.0-litre petrol V8, 270kW, R467 900 64 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014
TOP 5 BUDGET BUYS Nissan Micra Highs: Surprisingly willing for a three-cylinder 1 Lows: Noisy cabin. Quickie: When Nissan redesigned the popular Micra, it went to great lengths to lighten the load, which in turn allowed it to ft a small, 1.2-litre three-cylinder motor without making it as slow as a geriatric snail. The result is a budget car which is actually a pleasure to be in. Factoids: 1.2-litre petrol motor, 56kW, R112 900 VW Polo Vivo Highs: Proper German build-quality. 2 Lows: Really, really sparsely equipped. Quickie: VW replaced the Cit Golf as it was based on 20 year-old technology, with the Polo Vivo, at the tme built on the previous-generaton Polo platorm but with new running gear. Whatever, it's a great car to drive. Not very richly appointed no, but feels positvely impregnable all the tme. Easily worth the money. Factoids: 1.4-litre petrol, 55kW, R110 500 Renault Sandero 3 Highs: Well, it is quite cheap. Lows: Rough and ready build. Quickie: The Sandero quite frankly appalled us when we frst drove it, with bad mouldings and exposed metal edges all over, not to menton a gravelly-feeling power plant. It sells very well however, because of the aggressive pricing, so for that it has to deserve a spot on this list. Seriously though, consider a Vivo or Micra please if you want to contnue to enjoy driving. Factoids: 1.4-litre petrol, 55kW, R112 900 Chevrolet Spark Campus 4 Highs: Cheap to own and run. Lows: Not the most stable highway cruiser. Quickie: Yes, you do get an even cheaper Spark, the Spark Lite, but that car is so devoid of anything it's hard to recommend. That said, even at this price point, it's not the most lovable machine. Weird looks (to us at least), no performance, and a bit of a wanderer when out on the highways. Factoids: 1.2-litre petrol engine, 60kW, R103 500 Chery QQ 0.8 TE Aircon 5 Highs: Wow that's cheap. Lows: You might be too scared to drive it. Quickie: The last Chery I drove was actually the larger JJ, with a 50kW 1.2-litre engine, and it was easily the scariest car I've ever driven, largely because it struggled so just to crack 120km/h that on highways you were always stuck between much larger trucks in the slow lane unable to risk venturing an overtake. Colleagues in the industry tell me the QQ is getng beter in terms of quality but with 38kW it's likely stll a white-knuckle highway experience. Try to up your budget to R100k. Factoids: 0.8-litre petrol engine, 38kW, R84 900 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014 65
TOP 5 HATCHBACKS 1 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Highs: Merc quality in hatchback package. Lows: Quite pricey. Quickie: The all-new A-Class is a huge step on from the upright, frumpy car it replaces with sleek new styling and some actual excitement in the engine-range available, even if you do have to pay quite handsomely for the privilege. Stll, it's a great drive and the new class of \"executve hatchbacks\". Factoids: 2.0-litre petrol motor, 155kW, R392 606 2 VW Golf 7 Highs: Supremely rounded. Lows: Dull styling. Quickie: Although the new Golf 7 looks very much like the outgoing model, it's an all- new car under the skin. And VW has extensively re-engineered the whole thing for the modern world. Lighter and with smaller, more efcient engines, the Golf 7 nevertheless doesn't fail to impress with its exceptonal ride quality. Factoids: 1.4-litre turbo petrol, 90kW, R249 900 3 Renault Clio 4 Highs: Growly three-pot turbo. Lows: Not as quick as it likes to think. Quickie: The new Clio 4 from Renault seriously impressed us despite being powered by a mere 0.9-litre three-cylinder motor. Stll, the exterior is powerfully eye-catching, the interior well built and superbly specced, and the price a very nice surprise! Factoids: 0.9-litre turbo petrol, 66kW, R169 900 4 Hyundai Veloster Highs: A Turbo Hyundai! At last! Lows: Three-door layout a bit \"quirky\". Quickie: All right, so at the tme of writng we hadn't actually driven this car as yet - it's launching this week in SA and we can't wait for our frst taste. Stll, the quirky three-door layout (four, with the hatch) and turbo charged power should really str our market up when it has arrived! Factoids: 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine, 150kW, R??? 5 BMW 1-Series Highs: Finally a chassis to match the promise. Lows: 8 speeds just too much for a gearbox. Quickie: Yes, the 1-Series has fnally come right in this latest version, although the M135i is really a bit much for most. But if you want a reliable, high-quality, relatvely quick and every day useable hatch, the 125i is a superb buy. If your budget has a bit of stretch in it, of course, partcularly when you start tcking optons. Factoids: 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, 150kW, R347 500 66 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014
TOP 5 HYPER HATCHES Audi A1 1.4 TFSI 136kW Highs: Dynamite! Has to be. 1 Lows: Not a one. Quite small. But it is an A1, did you expect a people-carryer? Quickie: Yes it might not strictly be a hyper hatch, more a hyper city car really, but if you don’t need the bit of extra practcality you might get from a Focus ST, there’s litle beter way of spending R330k on some motoring fun. As quick as a GTI and even more nimble thanks to the low weight, this relatvely unassuming car gives all the others here a pastng for pure driving fun. Factoids: 1.4-litre turbo and supercharged petrol motor, 136kW, R312 000 Renault Megane RS Trophy 2 Highs: It isn’t the power. It’s the cornering tracton. Lows: Runs out of steam at the top end. Quickie: The Renault RS nomenclature has a signifcant global fan-club, all of whom insist this is undoubtedly the fastest hyper hatch on the market because of some Nurburgring tmes. Drive the Trophy and you can see where the result comes from - the uncanny tracton through the bends thanks to the Trophy chassis and suspension setup, which isn’t quite as uncomfortable as expected, and those special stcky tyres. Other than that, and the tacky stcker job, there isn’t that much to recommend over a “standard” RS. Factoids: 2.0-litre turbo petrol, 195kW, R409 900 VW Scirocco R Highs: Razor-sharp front end. 3 Lows: Seriously expensive now. Quickie: Of the 2-line VW R range, it’s the Scirocco you want if you’re looking for pure driving thrills. Pumping 188kW through the front wheels alone makes for far more excitement than the heavier, AWD Golf R, and the Scirocco responds to this fact with a beautfully judged setup creatng a front end almost as sharp as the Megane RS Trophy. But with a much more comfortable ride. Factoids: 2.0-litre turbo petrol, 188kW, R433 900 Focus RS 4 Highs: Embodiment of this over-endowed breed. Lows: Long gone. Quickie: Sadly the limited-run of these special cars is long over, and all the hype regarding the 2014 model is stll just rumour, unconfrmed by Ford. Stll the legend of this car, crafed by those retna-searing paintjobs and comically pumped arches, lives on. If you fnd one selling second-hand, just buy it straight away. Factoids: 2.5-litre turbo petrol engine, 224kW, R N/A BMW 135i M Sport 5 Highs: Explosive power without corruptng the helm. Lows: Everyone’s going to order it with the 8-speed Sport Auto. Quickie: The new 3-door M135i has been billed by the motoring press as a 1 M with the opton of an auto ‘box. It isn’t quite of course, but then it’s also much cheaper, and you can buy one right now, which has to be worth something. Either way, with a fnally sorted RWD chassis and that creamy turbocharged straight-six powerplant, it’s difcult to go wrong with this one. Factoids: 3.0-litre turbo petrol straight-6, 235kW, R445 500 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014 67
TOP 5 ROADSTERS/COUPES 1 Peugeot RCZ Highs: A consummate all-rounder. Lows: Does occasionally feel a bit girlie. Quickie: The Peugeot RCZ is a genuinely delightul surprise to drive. It packs the turbo charged punch of a Cooper S into a sublimely shapely body with, most importantly, suspension actually capable of absorbing the occasional bump. It's our favourite small coupe on the road today, simply bubbling over with joie de vivre. Factoids: 1.6-litre turbo petrol motor, 147kW, R419 500 2 BMW 1 M Coupe Highs: Huge adrenaline spikes before even climbing aboard. Lows: Will almost certainly kill you. Quickie: Perhaps the Z4 is more suited to this category, but there aren't any in the current range that excite us enough. One thing the extremely limited-run 1 M Coupe never, ever comes up short on. What an absurdly desirable litle machine, even if it will most likely spit you of the tarmac sooner or later. Factoids: 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol, 250kW, R590 900 3 Porsche Boxster S Highs: Driving purity. Lows: It's quite, erm, low. For getng in and out, you see. Quickie: Before I'd been behind the wheel of one, I scofed at the Porsche Boxster for being the Porker for hairdressers and lady-boys. I did. But when you're behind the wheel, even the entry-level version feels special. Communicatve, absurdly precise, beautfully engineered and just raring to strut its stuf. And the latest incarnaton is honed to perfecton. Factoids: 3.2-litre petrol fat six, 232kW, R699 900 4 Toyota 86 Highs: Pert, pure Japanese-sportscar looks. Lows: Needs more grunt. Quickie: Yes, it does need a touch more power, but nevertheless the 86 is basically a masterpiece. A performance home-run from a company who seemed to have forgoten everything it once new about performance. Light and therefore extremely agile, the 2.0-litre nat-asp engine tries hard enough and makes a nice enough noise, but never really compresses the seat-cushions behind you. Stll, this car afrms that Toyota stll has a heart dripping with driving passion. Factoids: 2.0-litre petrol engine, 147kW, R298 500 5 Audi TT RS Highs: Turbocharged inline-5 harks back to ur-Quatro. Lows: So grippy it can feel inert, cold. Quickie: In actual fact, we were hoping to get the sleeper TT S in here, but that model is no longer part of the current range. It was the real pick of the TT liter, with the 2.0-litre turbo motor in S3 state of tune powering the front wheels only. The RS on the other hand, is way over the top in every way. OTT power from the OTT vocal 5-cylinder turbomotor, OTT grip from the famed quatro AWD, OTT price. Stll, OTT fun too, and you can apparently stll buy them new unlike the 1 M. Factoids: 2.5-litre turbo petrol inline-5, 250kW, R716 900 68 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014
TOP 5 SPORTS COUPES BMW M3 Highs: All things to all men. 1 Lows: End of life. Quickie: It's the icon. The benchmark. The defniton of a motoring niche basically. It's also, sadly, about to be replaced, and it's the last of the naturally- aspirated BMW M cars too. The new model might be returning to a straight-six, but there's talk it could be tri-turbo too, which will mean more power yes but invariably less passion. A characteristc which stll oozes from the existng M3. Factoids: 4.0-litre petrol V8, 309kW, R852 900 Porsche 911 Carrera S 2 Highs: It isn't the power. It's the cornering tracton. Lows: Runs out of steam at the top end. Quickie: The Renault RS nomenclature has a signifcant global fan-club, all of whom insist this is undoubtedly the fastest hyper hatch on the market because of some Nurburgring tmes. Drive the Trophy and you can see where the result comes from - the uncanny tracton through the bends thanks to the Trophy chassis and suspension setup, which isn't quite as uncomfortable as expected, and those special stcky tyres. Other than that, and the tacky stcker job, there isn't that much to recommend over a \"standard\" RS. Factoids: 3.8-litre petrol fat-6, 294kW, RR1 192 000 Mercedes C63 AMG 3 Highs: Sounds like the God of War. Lows: Drinks like the God of Winos. Quickie: The C63 AMG is packing even more of a heavyweight punch than ever, but in latest form at least has a chassis with some chance of harnessing this savage force of nature. It stll isn't anywhere near as precise as the M3 of course, but at least it no longer tries to ride a bucking bronco on an ice-rink. Factoids: 6.3-litre V8 petrol, 336kW, R977 100 Lotus Evora S 4 Highs: A classic recipe for the modern age. Lows: Sports Racer variant not for SA. Quickie: Lotus Cars seem to do such small volumes in SA, because they aren't M, AMG, or Porsche, that you just don't see enough of these fowing, feline shapes on our roads. Yet the Evora is a sublime car to drive. Fast, light on it's feet and astonishingly compliant it's a joy on any trip. Deserves to be seen more, really. Factoids: 3.5-litre turbo petrol engine, 258kW, RN/A Audi RS5 5 Highs: Another gem of a V8. Lows: Quite aloof. Quickie: We did toy with doubling-up on BMWs in this category, and replacing the RS5 with the new M6. However although that car is a lot faster and RWD, the turbocharged V8 model will stll always give best to a properly engineered naturally-aspirated V8, the 4.2-litre example of which situated in the nose of the Audi RS5 is quite simply a peach which will send shivers down your spine. Factoids: 4.2-litre V8 petrol, 331kW, R875 000 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014 69
TOP 5 SUPER SALOONS 1 Aston Martn Rapide S Highs: 6.0-litre V12 symphony. Lows: Seriously? No. Quickie: Although Porsche may have been among the frst to coton-on to a new breed of customers wantng a high-performance and luxurious limousine with the Panamera, the Rapide actually managed to make this odd combinaton into something magnifcently gorgeous. Add in Aston's venerable 6.-0litre V12, and the soundtrack of an atacking Spitire, and you have purest automotve Nirvana. Factoids: 6.0-litre petrol V12, 416kW, RTBC 2 Porsche Panamera S Highs: An incredibly fuid drive. Lows: Lacks the grunt of the Turbo. Quickie: The Panamera has always been, well, undeniably ugly really. However, the frst tme I drove one, I realised why it sells so well nevertheless. The Turbo is devastatngly rapid, but for us this S is the greatest. Stll has decent shove from the V8 in the nose, but RWD rather than AWD makes threading it down your favourite piece of road far defer and more satsfying. Just try not to look at it. Factoids: 4.8-litre petrol V8, 294kW, R1 126 000 3 Jaguar XFR Highs: Momentous shove on tap. Lows: Supercharger annihilates fuel. Quickie: Jaguar's XFR sacrifces some of the nicely understated strengths of the brand by using a supercharged V8 which is never anything short of thuggish. It bellows hard under power, but can mooch along comfortably as well, while the suspension foregoes iron-fsted control for all-round fexibility. A real event. Factoids: 5-litre supercharged V8 petrol, 375kW, R1 043 200 4 BMW M5 Highs: Head-scrambling power. Lows: Artfcially-enhanced soundtrack. Quickie: As much as we contnue to hate the idea of a synthesised soundtrack to cover up for the mutng of the V8 voice thanks to the twin turbochargers, there's no denying the efectveness of the new M5s engine confguraton. Blown in this way, the 4.4 seems to gain almost endless reserves of colossal power, enough for the engine to start to really dominate the show. Factoids: 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol V8, 412kW, R1 145 500 5 Maserat Quatroporte Sport GT S Highs: Raw, unadulterated Italian style. Lows: Is outdriven by the Panamera. Quickie: Although the Porsche Panamera may largely be credited with defning the new breed of ultra-luxury sportng saloon, the Italians have been delivering on this brief for some tme through the Maserat brand. The Quatroporte is pure Italian automotve passion distlled into four-door form. Factoids: 4.7-litre V8 petrol, 330kW, RPOA 70 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014
TOP 5 4X4S Toyota Land Cruiser Highs: The Toughest. Period. 1 Lows: A very rough ride. Quickie: Toyota's Land Cruiser has been the mainstay of African expeditoning for a very long tme, and there's a very good reason for this. It's unstoppable. Practcally unbreakable. Can almost always be fxed with a hammer. And has dual fuel tanks for a range of comfortably over 1000km even on the roughest terrain. Now even available in a staton wagon. Factoids: 4.0-litre petrol motor, 170kW, R417 900 Range Rover Vogue SE TDV8 2 Highs: Efortless everywhere. Lows: Have been some build-quality issues. Quickie: The Defender might be the more macho, but the Rangie has of-road capabilites that even this legend struggles to keep pace with. And it's all packaged into a vehicle which feels positvely regal regardless of the surface being conquered, with bundu-bashing abilites which will fater the beginner but beguile the expert of- roader. The new model adds even more power to the awesome TDV8 motor as well, which is always a good thing. Factoids: 4.4-litre turbo diesel V8, 250kW, 6.9 s sprint, R1 464 100 Nissan Pathfnder 3.0dCi V6 Highs: Mountains of torque. 3 Lows: Feels seriously big all the tme, and not that light on fuel either. Quickie: We found the Pathfnder with the V9X turbo diesel motor to be lacking very litle, especially at the price this thing sells for. It's very well equipped, comfortable and refned on the road, and then strong and capable of. It suited the family just fne on long trips, and it even turns a fair deal of heads. It does struggle to ft in an average- sized garage however... Factoids: 3.0-litre turbo diesel, 170kW, 8.9 s sprint, R652 000 Suzuki Jimny 4 Highs: Much, much more capable than you'd ever expect. Lows: Noisy on the highway, and defnitely lacking grunt. Quickie: At the launch of the Jimny I remember looking at the of-road track and thinking the Suzuki guys were mad. Admitedly we did struggle a bit with some of the more technical obstacles, but some perseverance saw everyone through to the astonishment of everyone who hadn't yet driven the car. A never-say-die attude goes a long way in this actvity. Factoids: 1.3-litre petrol engine, 63kW, R201 900 Toyota FJ Cruiser 5 Highs: Most of the ability of a LandCruiser, but much more charm. Lows: Quite heavy on fuel. Quite heavy generally in fact. Quickie: Toyota have pulled of some black magic with the FJ - it doesn't ride anywhere near as rough as either a Hilux or a LandCruiser, and yet show it some challenging tracks and it'll perform comparably to this daddy of 4X4s. Yet take it back onto the road, and it's impressive there too. And to top it all of, it looks and feels like the toy it is. Factoids: 4.0-litre petrol engine, 200kW, 7.6 s sprint, R457 600 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014 71
TOP 5 HYBRIDS 1 Lexus GS450h Highs: Such a classy interior. Lows: Practcally none. Quickie: Quite probably the best hybrid we've driven to date, although we have been avoiding the Porsche Cayenne. Anyway, the GS450h even manages to squeeze a decent noise into the cabin when the 3.5-litre V6 is working hard, which is nice. Factoids: 3.5-litre petrol motor, 252kW (combined), R799 800 2 BMW ActveHybrid5 Highs: Fabulously built, cheaper than the GS. Lows: Stll drinks heavily. Quickie: Quite a silly one this. When you wake that performance-oriented 3.0-litre turbocharged six, the ActveHybrid5 really starts to drink. And you have to, quite a lot, because of ridiculously limited batery capacity. Nice to drive though, even if it couldn't so much save a minute litle planetoid. Factoids: 3.0-litre turbo petrol, 225kW (petrol only), R757 300 3 Toyota Yaris HSD Highs: Very light on fuel. Lows: Very expensive up front cost. Quickie: It's a lot of money to pay for a Yaris. Fortunately there will soon be a cheaper Auris HSD, bringing the technology further down the price scale. Anything partcularly outstanding about the way it goes? Well, no. Not really. Factoids: 1.5-litre petrol, 55kW (petrol only), R230 600 4 Lexus CT200h Highs: Not a Prius. Lows: Sheep in wolf's clothing. Quickie: This spot was meant to be for the Prius, but we just couldn't bring ourselves to recommend that car. This is the same vehicle, sharing the same dreadful boredom the Prius provides, but at least it looks quite nice. Don't get the F-Sport though, the standard one is the same price as the Prius and isn't quite so much \"all mouth and no trousers\". Factoids: 1.8-litre petrol engine, 100kW (combined), R370 500 5 Porsche 918 Spyder Highs: Race-derived V8. Lows: Well, it's not yet real. As such. Quickie: All right, you got us, this isn't fair because the 918 only exists as testng mules so far. Stll, a hybrid powered largely by a rip-snortng V8s with motorsport roots - this could be the hybrid to fnally change our minds. Although at a projected price of just on R20mill, maybe not. Factoids: 4.6-litre petrol engine, 433kW plus 181kW electric power, circa R20m 72 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014
TOP 5 SALOONS BMW 535i Highs: As agile as a 3, as comfortable as a 7. 1 Lows: None. Quickie: The latest-generaton 5-Series is a saloon so capable, that in a purely logical world it would be the car that all middle to upper execs would drive. It's big and luxurious yet balanced and agile when pushed, with the 3.0-litre turbo motor delivering plenty of puf and the RWD layout endlessly entertaining. It's a class act, pure and simple. Factoids: 3.0-litre turbo petrol motor, 225kW, 5.9s sprint, R679 900 Lexus GS350 2 Highs: Impregnable build. Lows: Can stll spot the Toyota switchgear. Quickie: Lexus has been targetng the BMW 5-Series for so long with the GS, that I think even it was surprised when the latest-generaton model ended up coming so remarkably close to this perennial rival. The 350 might lack some of the frepower of the turbo charged 535i, but it makes up for that with a wonderfully vocal character and a naturally-escalatng power curve that actually quickens the pulse sufciently. And you get all the luxuries already in place for the price you pay. Factoids: 3.5-litre petrol V6, 233kW, 6.3 s sprint, R584 200 Suzuki Kizashi 3 Highs: Lovely, unique looks. Lows: Engine might lack a litle top-end bite. Quickie: Most people are unlikely to believe us when we tell you that the Kizashi is one of the most underrate cars on the roads today - we hardly ever see one despite knowing just how brilliant it is. It's got a peppy, zingy 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine which can't compete with larger compettors but is characterful and eager in its responses, a chassis which is sharp and yet fuid, and styling which is delectably unconventonal. It's a winner, even beter than the very similar Honda Accord for lacking that cars oppressive, and expensive, new-age electronic safety gadgets. Factoids: 2.4-litre petrol, 131kW, R319 000 Audi A4 1.8T 4 Highs: Sleeker than ever, and an example of downsizing actually working. Lows: Typically overservoed brakes. Quickie: The new 1.8T motor in the A4, which efectvely replaces the old 2.0T, actually delivers what the manufacturer claims. That is, a thick wedge of low-down torque, sufcient power, and a useful saving at the fuel pump. You're really not likely to miss the litle bit of extra power from the old 2.0T, and the chassis is sharper than ever in vanilla FWD, manual format. Factoids: 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine, 125kW, 8.1s sprint, R333 900 MG6 5 Highs: Cheap yet distnctve. Lows: Old-school tech, and you will be the but of jokes. Quickie: The Chinese-built MG6 might feel a litle faky and certainly isn't all that polished technology wise, but it's a lot of car for not a lot of money. Yes there are rumours of reliability issues but then when was the MG brand a paragon of virtue in this regard anyway? One of the best Chinese eforts we've yet sampled. Factoids: 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine, 118kW, 8.4 s sprint, R239 900 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014 73
TOP 5 SUPERCARS 1 Pagani Zonda F Highs: Rolling artwork. Lows: Out of producton. Quickie: The Zonda may have been replaced by the Huayra already, but this turbocharged actve-aero tech-feast hasn't managed to replace the original in our hearts. Something about a 7.0-litre naturally-aspirated V12, minimal weight, a manual transmission and RWD just gets the purist in all of us slavering at the mouth. Ultmate pin-up car. Factoids: 7.3-litre petrol motor, 443kW, R20m 2 McLaren MP4-12C Highs: Monumental thrust. Lows: Too quick for the road. Quickie: The MP4-12C redefned the mid-level supercar category. It is so fast that the thought of a much more focussed version, the P1, seemed quite insane when you were behind the wheel and hanging on as the turbos lit fully in second gear. It's savage, relentless power mounted in a chassis which is rigid and light. Stupendous. Factoids: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8, 440kW, 3.2 s sprint, R3.2m 3 Audi R8 V10 Highs: Lamborghini V10. Lows: Momentum and weight of the engine can catch you out. Quickie: The R8 V10 is just mega - and you don't have to have the violent R-Tronic transmission - there is a manual gearbox available as standard. The chassis manages to make the screaming 5.2-litre V10 accessible most of the tme, although it can be caught out now and then, usually leaving the driver quite surprised indeed. Thanks to AWD however, these moments are usually catchable. Factoids: 5.2-litre V10, 386kW, 3.9 s sprint, R1.9m 4 Nissan GT-R Highs: Otherwordly deployment of all that power. Lows: Not the most musical supercar ever. Quickie: Because we were badge snobs, we at frst critcised the GT-R for having pretensions beyond its means, so to speak. This was no supercar we argued - not special enough, not expensive enough, not prestgious enough. However, what it is, is fast enough to destroy most of these more hoity-toity compettors. So it's earned its place. Factoids: 3.8-litre twin-turbo petrol V6, 397kW, 2.9s sprint, R1.4m 5 Aston Martn Vantage S Highs: Best engine noise ever? Lows: Roadster version we drove not the most rigid. Quickie: The original V8 Vantage was only really lacking in one area - power. While this tweaked Vantage S stll isn't a headline-grabber in terms of outputs, it now feels like it has enough to justfy full supercar status, albeit in a junior supercar role. The Vantage makes up for this with supermodel looks, an operatc voice, and a magnetsm which only a rareifed few might replicate. Factoids: 4.7-litre petrol V8, 321kW, 4.7 s sprint, R1.6m 74 DRIVE MAGAZINE DEC/JAN 2014
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