With cars and motoring we tend to see trends, eras, that in their prime are the defining feature of the company, make or model with which they are affiliated. When such eras come to an end its an uncomfortable experience for most of the community, the world of petrol heads. We are a diverse breed with factions of fanboys for particular makes, models, and even types of engine, but as a whole when there is a seismic shift within an industry great everyone tends to reel to some extent. Much has changed recently to accommodate requirements for efficiency and cleanness in internal combustion. The advent and market domination of the paddle shift gearbox, the downsizing and turbocharging of engines and so on: changes that have threatened to take the life out of the sports car in granting life to our precious planet...

Will the heart of future Astons have a German beat?

What am I going on about?

...Aston Martin and Mercedes - AMG gmbh signed an agreement entitling Aston to AMG engine and electrical knowhow and in exchange for a 5% share stake. For the community this has been read on the surface as concrete evidence of the imminent death of the definitive 6.0 V12: utterly representative of what is largely considered to be one of the greatest eras for AM. Making its first appearance in the 1999 DB7 Vantage, it is seen as the bonafide beating heart for Aston Martin in the modern age. Critically acclaimed for it's character, smoothness and gorgeous noise, the unit is however by modern standards thirsty, dirty and weak for its size. This has been apparent since 2007's DBS which had a painfully obvious 100BHP power deficit compared to the Ferrari 599 of the same year. Fast forward 6 years and the old girl is somewhat musclier but appearing to be close to the end of her life. Naturally to us majority of stick-in-the-muds the AM/AMG deal is interpreted as somewhat ominous of this impending doom.

How much of this..
.. will we see in future Astons?

My thoughts however, bear words of comfort and reassurance. I see the lusty mill evolving and growing in true Aston tradition until it is truly its time to leave us, until we are truly sick of it (A La Gallardo). In the last year Aston has breathed life into the fabled powertrain with more muscle and a smudge less C02 output at 335 g/km (in the Vanquish) as opposed to its predecessors 388 g/km. Not unequivocally future proof but it shows the unit has about another 5 years left and is demonstrative of the evolutionary nature of Astons tac. It shows that put under enough pressure, can teach the old dog new tricks.

When Porsche announced the death of the manual in the GT3, 90% of the internets forums erupted in riposte. The 10% knew that the GT3 would be as magnificent as ever. As BMW-M cars gradually transitioned to turbo power the sceptics chunterred away about the good old days while the minority accepted the inevitable and embraced the as ever dynamically gifted products.





The agreement signed referred to AMG technical data and mechanical configurations specifically. V8 engine formats were referred to exclusively. A future where DB9s waft down the street silently under the motivation of the turbo '12 lopped out of an SL is a vision born of frantic and irrational rumour. Contrary to the fear mongering, I see the newly acquired engine tech as much appreciated borrowed time for the faithful old mill.

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We in the motoring world didn't know how much of a tragedy it was that the C-X75 was stillborn before we heard her sing and watched her dance. Premier automotive journalists reported of a car that even at only 50% completion was upstaging Porsches long anticipated 918 supercar dynamically. On top of this, the way it looked and the sound of that incredible twin-charged Cosworth four pot wowed and shocked across the board. 

Stillborn Jag reportedly displaying
driving qualities to trouble the 918..

Jaguars defence of the decision to cancel the project was that their funds were better invested elsewhere building up their series production range with a C segment (3 series esq) X Type replacement and an SUV, but I can't help but postulate that JLR have the ideal resources for the development of an SUV and saloon bearing in mind the groups offerings consist of SUV's and saloons. Would such models be so expensive to develop given their resources? Am I missing a point here? Why not round off development and produce a limited 75 car (75^th anniversary) run at 1 million a pop. Thus taking a large wedge of cash as well as the PR and technology gains that they deemed sufficient enough a profit from the project as it stands now. Are cars like the Project 7 not just as much a waste of time as the big cat? Developed and manufactured purely for show. Perhaps sales figures of the F-Type in future may either explain the cutting of losses, or on the other hand open other questions about the legitimacy of Jags claims of being cash strapped.

Are fleeting one offs such as the

project 7 insult to injury following

the C-X75's cancelation? 

The tragedy however, that I would suggest, is that such an incredible and potentially class leading car as the C-X75 is essentially doomed to sit in the backlogs of jaguar history, hauntingly echoing the epic yet ill fated XJ220 of the early 1990s. Undeservedly so, as we can all agree that in todays car building climate Jaguar packaged both the power and the environmentally friendly credentials that the current marketplace demands ingeniously in the slender gorgeous curves echoing a rich history of XJ13s XJR15s and XJ220s. The '220 is well remembered for being outclassed almost immediately following release. I will remember the C-X75 as the car that went toe to toe with Ferrari, Mclaren and Porsche on their best day but was never given the chance to throw a punch. 

Jaguar has always had trouble breeding its big cats...

A shame to see such an iconic bloodline falter.

You might have gathered what I think following reading my ramblings... but what are your thoughts? What is the deserved fate for the C-X75? Has Jag' with the '220 and the '75 doomed the notion of a Jaguar super car forever?

UPDATE: I had a quick chat with the gentleman curating Jaguars grand display of cars at Wilton House over the weekend. He informed me that a big part of the decision to axe the '75 was that its 1.6 litre Formula 1 derived engine suffered from similar endurance issues to an F1 spec unit. I.E that a maximum of 20000 miles could be achieved from the Cosworth unit before a complete rebuild was required! Legitimate reason to cancel the car?

Genius but fundamentally flawed twin charged power plant.

 A lot of resources and clever engineering went into the packaging of the Hybrid systems in conjunction with the 1.6 litre twin charged engine. I have to to concede that continuing the development of this car given that a rethink of the powertrain is almost a necessity is difficult to justify.  

(Full report on Wilton House classic and supercar to follow...)

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Today the 2014 BMW i3 was revealed simultaneously in London, New York and Beijing.

So i'm writing to do the generic tech-n-spec that the internet is awash with and discuss the i3 and what it means for the eco motorist or perhaps more importantly motorists in general.

The i projects as the motoring world should now be well aware of, are BMW's crack at creating an entirely new line of cars engineered specifically to be eco friendly and fuel sipping and to lead BMW and I suspect some subsidiaries into the future (If i tech doesn't reach mini's in a hip and green fashion in the near future I will be surprised). The much talked about i3 and i8 are BMW's vision of the future proof eco friendly car in both the city car and performance car contexts. They are part research project and indeed just as importantly a tester for how the envisioned car for tomorrow fits in todays motoring world.

BMW describe it as a "revolutionary step toward sustainable mobility" as its 22 kWh lithium-ion battery and 170bhp electric motor make it the first major series production zero emissions car who's pricing is accessible to... no wait. It isn't. 

The Nissan Leaf has been on sale for around a year now and the Renault ZOE rocked up not long after that. Their figures didn't appear to be competitive or at bare minimum practical by comparison as an alternative to fuel burners. The spotlight figure for electric vehicles bearing in mind that many new(ish) diesels are capable of covering upwards of a 1000 kilometers, is range. The ZOE has 100-150km range, the Leaf in 2014 guise is now capable of between 175 and 199km. The BMW is capable of between 130 and 160 kilometers. Not especially revolutionary in light of its EV contemporaries which have themselves met stiff criticism regarding their capacity for use. The i3 is pricey too, at just over £25,000 (after the 5k government grant). 10 thousand or more than the other two. 

However... 

Although the EV race for me should not be a battle of badges, but a battle of raw engineering prowess and innovation, there is something to be said for BMW specifically making this vehicle: the target market and the effectiveness of the PR. Recent visits to London and the exotic car ripe western areas I have noticed a great deal of advertising (including displaying the i8 concept itself) from BMW at their sites on Park Lane for their i branding. When looking over the i3 today this made me realize that BMW has in their sights, very cleverly, a particular customer base. The worlds affluent and trendy cities, the likes of which present the only practical playground for such short range Zero emission cars as the i3, ZOE and Leaf are largely populated by equally affluent and trendy young environmentally conscious people. To this demographic the i3 as opposed to the ZOE and Leaf, presents a far more attractive proposition. Saving the world, and traveling in style. The kind of handsome looks and badge appeal that makes the worlds journos crowd around and take heed will likely do the same to the aforementioned section of the populous. When you consider the i3 in this kind of context the range becomes less of a concern. 

Cool looking interior.
Large screen resides throughout the range.

Cute and bubbly. Rounded and practical.

A respectable looking electric car.
At home in an affluent urban setting.

As opposed to the Leaf and the ZOE the i3 is revolutionary for the world of everyman electric motoring, but not because of the technology it brings to the table. It is because there is something interesting and appealing about the car, besides its electric drive. It looks quirky, handsome and quite taut, whilst practical and grown up. The impression with the Leaf is similar to the Toyota Prius in that it is asceticism in motoring. You sacrifice your style and luxury for the knowledge that you're driving the future of our planet, and that every other road user sees that. I am one of the Tesla/Fisker/Lexus proponents that says eco-motoring doesn't have to mean the sacrifice of style or dare I say it performance. One might encourage reference to the Porsche 918 Spyder and the Jag CX75 for quantification of those claims, but another might equally refute it for obvious reasons.

Back to the point...

The i3 essentially makes electric motoring trendy for the image conscious masses. By and large we are a people who like to look and feel good in our outlays. The Leaf smacks of the sort of hearse hatch for the older folks that are ten a penny. Drab, boring and with little appeal. The idea of an electric vehicle is something to get excited about and BMW has made that so. A lesson for Renault here too is that half if not three quarters of the battle in this segment at the moment is PR and the quite cute and lovable looking ZOE was to my eyes not pushed to the same effect as the BMWi who have arguably grabbed the bull by the horns and I see that bearing fruit from them in the short term. In the long run it will indeed be the technology that will have to stand the test of time and speak for itself but right now it is the job of these pioneering companies to market electric and get it out there. BMWi looks to be doing that with greater success than its contemporaries. 

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From what I can tell, Automotive journalists are required to provide an objective view on a cars merits and foibles, throw in a bit of personal opinion on the vehicle in question, and sum up the proposition of owning said vehicle.

Problems arise when controversies of great personal importance come up and there is a division in the automotive community. To maintain objectivity when contesting such issues is a task difficult to achieve. Much in need of good practice in this area, and very aware of how punchy and opinionated I can be I will lay out the problem of the 991 GT3 thus. Attempting to maintain objectivity throughout. 

Sad but this car or any of its successors won't see...

The 997.2 GT3 for me is a hero car. It represented the purist no compromise drivers car which in a world full of manettino laden paddle shift 458's and torque vectoring GT-R's, was a front to the computer age of recreational motoring. For this i respected, revered and loved the GT3 as time and time again no matter the comparison, out performed or not, the Porsche could not be matched for driving appeal. Naturally then upon hearing the news the the 991 would without argument drop the manual shift that it had become so famous for I was embarrassingly offended. This is something I shall attempt to avoid in my assessment here now. 

Aside from the omission of manual in favor of PDK, the 991 achieves a 475bhp maximum redlining at an impressive 9000 RPM (exceeding its Metzger predecessor by around 5 or 600). It's rear steer, wider front track and various suspension calibration upgrades as well as tyre upgrades have reportedly quelled the understeer qualms of old. Software and calibration have reportedly given the previously numb rack of the 991 Carrera feel and character sorely missing prior to the release of the GT3. Economy and efficiency are up and so Porsche have seemingly successfully replaced an outgoing model with something that bests it in most areas. They have with relative success ushered the GT3 name into the modern age. 

This however is not what a large demographic of enthusiasts want to hear. For sure, no matter how good the new car is, it will ever be without what is considered to be a core pillar of the GT3 philosophy, the manual three pedal shift setup. In the past the name GT3 was synonymous with a purity that gave cars wearing the moniker were considered some of the ultimate drivers cars. On this view the 991 GT3 is if anything representative of the commercialization of the GT3 name. Trading purity and heritage for mass market appeal with the use of PDK. 

One of these. 997 packing a 6 speed manual.

To begin with I was a wholehearted proponent of this view that the GT3 would never be the same. For sure the 997 and 996 resale values will be bolstered by the news that there will never again be a driver focused 911 with three pedals. However as time passed and the community gradually got its hands on and got to grips with the new car, the following plus points were identified in this new era. The PDK gearbox, though somewhat detracting from the experience 1 out of 10 times, will add everyday usability and the capacity to experience nine tenths of what the GT3 has always been, for 90% more of the time. The sweet flat six wail for 600rpm more of the time, the gorgeous creamy steering feel, all more accessible for more of the time. In my mind the more time I can soak up the greatness of the GT3 formulae, the better. The GT3 faithfuls initial reaction to the new car was  like it was a Carrera with a wing attached but the reality is far from the case. Every other aspect of what it is to be a GT3 has been enhanced and improved and as aforementioned bulked to contention for 2014. The new car from what I can tell is an evolution of the animal which throughout the past 4 iterations has serenaded our love of driving, only this time coming with new weapons with which to preach the good word of GT3. 

As much as I adore the 997 and everything it stood for, I respect that Porsche must usher in and improve on the old car by as far a margin as the technology of the day, as well as the hearts and minds of a following will allow. The PDK issue is a controversy and always will be but to a certain extent is a necessary evil. Objectively speaking, It is a fantastic car and will carry forward the GT3 torch, if a touch differently to its predecessors, with gusto. 

However the burning question for me remains... Could they not have offered the option?

I'd fork out 4k for a stick and third pedal personally. Lucrative, ay Porsche? 

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This has been on my mind for some time. What is the future of Hot hatches? Recent offerings have indicated there is somewhat a shift occurring in the market. Primarily exemplified by the new paddle shift turbocharged Clio 200.

The Clio however is not of relevance at this point. I am referring to an alternate line of hot hatches that has made a slow but sure rise to prominence in the marketplace. The mk7 Golf GTD was unleashed with a bloating power figure of 181bhp. Thats around 40 (give or take the performance package) less than the GTI. Bearing in mind that the GTI doesn't come as standard with that clever E-differential, the interesting question is thus. How much less car is the 181bhp GTD than the 217bhp (ish) GTI?

The figures make a case. A 40-50bhp trade of for MPG figures of 60mpg and up. A 10-15% power shrug for a 30-40% increase in economy. Furthermore the GTD packs a 280ib/ft Torque figure, besting the GTI by about 30%. 

A translation into english is appropriate I think. The GTD is slightly less powerful, a wedge more punchy at mid range speed and a lump more economical. Handling may differ but I suspect the VW wizards haven't made the GTD loose out too much on par with its higher pedigree stablemate, especially with a worryingly close price range (the GTI hitting the north side of 25k and the GTD the south).

My money would be on the oil burner to be honest and I would take great pleasure in lunching GTIs in the 30-60 sprint of a motorway onramp. 

What epic sleeper cars do you think are hiding amongst the mediocre ranges of the automotive world?

P.S A friend of mine had a year and a half experience of a Seat Ibiza FR TDI which proved to be both wonderfully economical and massively punchy. Incidentally he's now swapped it for a EP3 Type R. Swings and roundabouts. 

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Tonights Top Gear saw an interesting comparison. 

Im not referring to the 12C/458. Thats been done far too many times. They offer essentially the same package either minus the performance (in the Ferraris case) or minus the passion (12C). No, the real interesting point made here was with the presence of the R8. A £70,000 difference and yet i'm asking myself whether the R8 is £70,000 less car. Initial conclusions are a resounding no. 

Furthermore, when considering the term "budget supercar", I can't help but think that the Italian and the Brit are exactly the opposite. Nissans GTR, the R8, the 991 GT3/Turbo and even Corvettes/Vipers seem more at home under such a moniker. Realistically speaking though, if I personally were seriously in the market, on a budget, for something more special than your average runaround or motorway exec box i'd be looking nowhere near that kind of price range. Understated and economical are two things those cars are designed exactly not to do. The new generation Boxster/Cayman seem to offer budget top drawer drivers car credentials with a dash of mid engined substance coupled with handsome yet understated looks that in most cases would barely warrant a double take. If thats not your thing theres a world of other far higher than average working money machinery out there worth a look. Theres a legion of German scunkworks out there happy to inject steroids should the business box have some sort  of appeal.  

The term "Budget supercar" is a bit of a juxtaposition really. I am well aware that most scripting on Top Gear is a comedic facade for an excuse to run three beasts in the interests of good television, but the subject got me thinking. Something special, but not right out there, and not tantamount to a kneecapping for the bank manager...

What would you go for....?

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My first post, and i'm getting stuck in. 

Too often it is the case in the automotive world, that absolute gems are forgotten about all too quickly, and or are simply ignored. I may or may not be getting too misty eyed and romantic about this but bare with me for a moment...

 Passing through the Staines/ Egham area a couple of days ago I happened across Ferraris "Maranello" dealership installation in the area and so naturally I pulled in for a peak at who or what was floating around. Out front were a plethora of 458's, 430's, an FF and a couple of used Gallardo LP's. Nothing thus far out of the ordinary. Things usually only get interesting in these places when you investigate what is on display behind the glass. It is at this point that I lament our arrival at around 20 minutes past the industry standard five o'clock closing time for dealerships as sitting inside was an utterly gorgeous and nail bitingly rare Ferrari 599 SA Aperta. The GTO engined pop out roof fifty example special that Ferrari used to sign off its late great flagship into the history books.

 Sitting here in a creamy white with a black and red wraparound bonnet stripe, black wheels and a beautifully garish bright red and white interior, it looked slightly out of place. Especially sitting next to its jackhammer of a successor, the critically acclaimed F12 Berlinetta. The F12 even in its interesting dark woodland green, grey stripe and similarly accented "GTO" wheels seemed to my mind, be utterly outclassed by what I consider to be a living legend and one of what is a rare sight nowadays, a car produced by Ferrari in recent times that is actually pretty.

Haven't warmed to F12.. yet.
This interesting green example helped things along.

 Gorgeous Aperta had me on my knees at the window.

 I personally gauge a Ferrari's beauty by whether I would take it in the generic Rosso Corsa red color. None of the recent crop really wear the color well.. bar one. The F50, 355, 360 and at a pinch 430 Spider are, in my humblest and can I stress most subjective opinion the prettier cars of Ferraris recent history. Those and the SA Aperta. I don't know whether its the rarity or just the groundbreaking effect that a few details can have, but the Aperta just seems so mystifyingly elegant. A TRUE beautiful Ferrari, if I may amend my previous statement, can be said to look  jaw dropping in any and all colors. 

 The Aperta, IMO, fits that most rigorous of criteria. All sounding nauseatingly over romantic and delirious but there is a point behind this. The Aperta is nothing short of one of Ferraris greatest cars. Not because it is the best, but for the sake of its existence. Their latest products have been slated for being too technical and "nerdy". Some might call this purposeful given that dynamically speaking, they are almost without par. But it is for this reason,"existing for existence sake", that the Aperta I think, carries so much mystique. 

Its beauty and exclusivity as well as the dedication it takes each prospective owner, in conjunction with Ferrari, to design and craft each example. The 550 Barchetta and 575 Superamerica had this kind of transcendent appeal over the production mill coupe's upon which they were based. But with exclusivity comes the price of not having time on its side. Cars like this as soon as they are announced, are gone again. Sold out via the back channels of the ultra exclusive and mega rich and replaced just as quickly. So it came to pass that the Aperta received as much publicity as the F12 did in its first three weeks of prototype testing. A special special car that went as quickly as it came. I strongly feel that, even though they're "gone", these sorts of cars deserve much more than to be eclipsed by their makers latest showroom earners. Please feel free to comment and contribute. 

What cars would you say have a role unto themselves, with no duty to perform but just to be :). 

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