Sixteen cars, a bunch of car nuts and one helluva a week. Welcome toMOTOR’s Performance Car Cup 2011.
Day one: Morning
We’ve assembled the fastest, baddest and meanest cars of the past 12 months, from screaming turbocharged four-pots, sweet sixes, atmo and turbocharged V8s and, for good measure a V10 too.
While it’s a public holiday in Victoria, today sees the cars travel through Victoria’s Gippsland for photography as we make our way to glorious Phillip Island. Follow the crew via twitter @MOTOR_MAG and on Facebook motormag.au
Day one: Evening
The AMG SLS may be getting the most attention in traffic, but even the smallest and most humble of the 2011 field cause a stir as they posed for photographer Brunelli. They may not have 420kW, but the Audi A1, VW Polo GTI and Citroen DS3 are not to be overlooked for performance fun.
Nobody is over the twin-turbo V8 in the CLS 63 and its growl, but there’s debate as to whether it’s better than the C63 Coupe’s 6.2 atmo V8…
The on and off rain has played havoc with our photography, which we’ve planned by splitting the 16-car field into two. That means the Nissan R35 GT-R is split from the Audi RS5, but they will all lock horns when we hit the track tomorrow.
Which car is the world’s greatest?
Reaching agreement on a single car that eclipses all the others ever made could take millennia so in the interests of speeding things up, we thought we’d narrow it down to one entrant from each country.
After much deliberation we’ve settled on a standout model from each of the major car building nations and quite a few minor ones too. In theory, they’ve all got an equal chance of impressing. In reality, it’s a mix of bona fide classics, exotic rarities and the obscure.
What is the funniest bumper sticker that you have ever seen on a car? From the political to the just bizarre – we’ve selected some of the more creative options to adorn a rear car bumper.
BMW is championing its sixth-generation 3 Series as a bigger yet lighter, and faster yet more frugal compact rear-drive sedan. We won’t know how the car drives until its international launch in November, when we find out if the F30 is more dynamic yet smoother-riding, but it’s difficult to argue with the on-paper improvements.
From the rear, the new 3 looks more like a 5 Series, while a more unique front-end design runs the traditional double-kidney grille deep into the headlight recess. While the general shape remains similar to the outgoing generation, a deeper side character crease and a longer, almost Z4-like bonnet defines the difference. Despite being 97mm longer overall, and with an extended wheelbase (+50mm) and front/rear tracks (+37/+47mm), the new F30 sheds on average 40kg over the E90.
For the first time since 1977, a naturally-aspirated six-cylinder engine will not be part of the 3 Series range. The sixth-gen will open with the 328i, utilising a 180kW/350Nm 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine. More efficient (6.4L/100km claimed combined) and faster (0-100km/h in 5.9sec) than the outgoing 325i six, the 328i will be soon followed by a detuned 135kW/270Nm version of the same turbo-four in the 320i. Thankfully for in-line six fans, the 225kW/400Nm 3.0-litre twin-scroll turbo six is retained for the range topping 335i.
All models score a six-speed manual or eight-speed auto, stop-start and brake energy regeneration tech, to assist with reducing consumption. The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel 320d is rated at 4.1L/100km and 109g/km of Co2.
When the new 3 Series arrives here next year, it will be available in three trim levels for each variant – Sport, Modern and Luxury. Similar to Mercedes’ Classic, Elegance and Avantgarde lines, each will offer buyers subtle styling and trim variations.
Despite the axing of the lovely atmo six-cylinder, we’re eagerly awaiting a first drive of this bigger, lighter, faster, greener, and hopefully smoother-riding new 3 Series. Stay tuned.
Styled in Brazil, built in Thailand, and finally free of engineering links with Isuzu Japan, the new-generation Colorado is GM’s freshly globalised ute for South East Asia. Unveiled wearing a Chevrolet bow-tie, the Colorado will pick up Holden badges when it lands here early next year.
Not much other than the badging is expected to change. Available from launch are a choice of 2.5- and 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines, producing 110kW/350Nm and 132kW/470Nm, respectively. A price-leading sub-$20K entry model is expected to add to the local Colorado lineup next year, powered by a four-cylinder petrol engine, while a range-topping petrol V6 is also likely – an Aussie-built 3.6-litre Alloytec six is currently used. All will team with a five-speed manual or six-speed auto.
Beyond the usual choice of pickup or cab chassis trays, single or dual cabs, and 4×2 or 4×4 drivelines, Holden has hinted that it will offer spec variants targeted at ‘lifestyle’ consumers, in an effort to drag Colorado away from its commercial roots and offer greater appeal to families.
Expect a full complement of airbags and stability control to be available.
With this month’s arrival of the all-new Ford Ranger and facelifted Toyota Hi-Lux, plus the Mazda BT-50 due to lob early next year, the ute segment is flourishing with new contenders … and adding pressure on the Holden Colorado to perform.
Fiat has revealed the new Panda that will go on sale next year to mark only the third new model in its 31-year history. Fiat says the new Panda is safer, more comfortable and packs in more technology, yet is barely any bigger than before.
The five-door city car also now offers far more choice in response to customer demand for greater personalisation. The new production line (in Italy this time, not Poland) can create over 600 combinations, from four engines, three trim levels, 10 body colours, four interiors, two wheel trims and two alloy wheel designs.
Fiat has sold more than 6.5 million Pandas since launching the original model in 1980. The new one is thus a very significant production car debut for the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Mazda has launched its face-lifted 3 hatch and sedan range, with lower prices, extra equipment and a new fuel-saver variant added.
The 3 has overtaken Toyota Corolla as the best-selling small car, and is gunning towards knocking the Holden Commodore off its mantle as Australia’s favourite car for the year, a position the large Aussie has held for 14 years. By the end of August, the 3 leads Commodore by mere hundreds of units. The final quarter (of the year) will be as tense for both sides as the final minutes of a tied Grand Final.
What’s immediately clear is that the Mazda 3 is now even better value, and the new 113kW naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre SP20 variant matches the class-benchmark 6.1L/100km ADR fuel sticker of a 77kW 1.2-litre turbo Golf. The SP20 is the first Mazda to employ its Skyactiv fuel-saving technologies. Priced at $27,990, it’s a six-speed auto variant only.
Entry-level 3 Neo now scores standard alloy wheels, body-coloured door handles and a $1000 price reduction, to $20,330. To squeeze the SP20 into the range, Mazda has dropped the 3 Maxx variant, while lowering the price of the Maxx Sport by $1870 (to $24,490) and adding auto headlights and wipers as standard. The 3 Diesel has been reduced by the same amount (to $27,360) and picks up the extra kit.
At the top end of the range, the SP25 picks up previously-optional features – auto bi-xenons, keyless start – accompanying a moderate price rise to $31,490. The turbo MPS stays pegged at $39,490, adding Bose audio, auto-dim rear-view mirror, in addition to the SP25 upgrades.
Mazda’s improved value equation does the freshly-released Ford Focus no favours, especially as the 3 outsold the previous Focus by more than 3-to-1. Meanwhile the sedan-only Holden Cruze has beaten the 3 in the monthly sales race several times this year. With the Cruze hatch now added to the range, the small Australian-built Holden could assist Commodore by snaring away some buyers from the Mazda 3 … and allowing its big brother to maintain sales leadership for 2011.
The final quarter play-off will be most intriguing. Stay tuned.
Here are our top 10 of some of the most influential models in Porsches history that have graced both showroom floors and racetracks alike.
You may have promised yourself to keep your car a sacred “Dad place”. It’s your space, isn’t it? You bought it and you are the driver, so what you say goes, right? Reality is, though, a child-friendly car is a happy car, so there’s no harm in making a few adjustments and letting a few kid-appeasing items creep in to keep the hitting, moaning and cries of “Are we nearly there yet?” to a minimum. Here are some easy fixes for a happier motoring experience.
After five years masquerading as an early-noughties Daewoo, the Holden Barina is out to restore its reputation with this Aussie-styled, Korean-built, and, crucially, Opel Corsa-platformed new model.
Priced from a sharp $15,990 for the 1.6-litre five speed manual (a six-speed auto is $2K extra), this fifth-generation of the Barina nameplate (born in 1985, it’s now Holden’s second-oldest continuously-used badge after Commodore) is available in just one specification level, with alloy wheels, six airbags, stability control, cruise control and Bluetooth connectivity as standard.
Although available overseas (as a Chevrolet Sonic) with ten airbags, the extra cushions aren’t an option here. Likewise the 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine available in the US is a not-for-Oz decision.
Instead, our Barina retains the same Family One 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine as the previous model. The engine has been overhauled, however, now tagged Gen 3 from Gen 2 with several engineering changes. Holden claims that overall engine mass has been reduced by 3%, the block is redesigned with weight down 20%, the compression ratio has increased from 9.5 to 10.8:1, there’s a new crankshaft design and crank-sensor, a new piston design and reworked cylinder head. The result is increased power (85kW, up nine) and torque (155Nm, up 10).
We’ve driven the new car and car report that it is a huge improvement over the previous generation … as it needed to be. Despite the improvements, the engine remains a wheezy unit, though road- and engine-noise refinement is excellent. The trendy cabin is spacious and well equipped, and the soft suspension offers a decent ride and handling compromise. But how will the new Barina fare against its key competitors?
