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The Turbocharged Bentley four door models that emerged in the 1980s were the first moves towards giving the marque a separate identity from Rolls Royce, something it hadn’t enjoyed since the days of the R type Continental in the 1950s. The original Mulsanne Turbo of 1983 slightly misjudged the mood of the market, however, with 50 percent more power and torque from the big, all alloy pushrod V8, it was certainly fast, but Crewe’s engineers had decided that the soft, under damped suspension of the standard Mulsanne was adequate for this two ton (2036 kg) gentleman’s hot rod. The result was a car that could be an ungainly handful out on the road, especially when driven in the wet. They followed it up three years later with the Turbo R. This model, lowered and stiffened and fitted with wider tyres, showed that the Crewe company could build a cat that really handled. The top speed was limited to 140 mph (224 km/h) because there were no tyres available that could handle such a combination of weight and speed, but it was the car’s magnificent acceleration that really impressed, with 0-60 mph (96 km/h) taking just seven seconds. It has an engine of V8, 6750cc, equipped with Monocoque chassis and disc brakes, three speed automatic transmissions.

All the Bentley qualities of refinement and high class appointments remained, of course, and it wasn’t long before the Turbo R was out selling its Rolls Royce sisters models. It certainly be a classic super saloon of the future.

Posted January 19, 2010 Comments(0)

The Metro probably, the most discussed new car project ever. The British motor industry was effectively saved from bankruptcy by the government in 1974, with the result that ADO 88, a replacement for the famous Mini was the subject of much debate in the Houses of Parliament, in the motoring and national presses and in the saloon bars of many pubs up and down the country. ADO 88 was build as the car to save British Leyland. However, the first attempt was a stylistic disaster and only an emergency restyling some 18 months before launch saved the project and the British car industry form certain failure. Financial restrictions ruled out new running gear so the Metro, as it was eventually to be called relied on Mini subframes, suspension and the ancient four speed sump mounted gearbox. However, the old A series engine was somewhat updated, to become the A+. Despite the rocky road to production that it had to travel, the Metro was surprisingly decent car and one that deserves to be remembered fondly. Its utilization of space was second to none, and it was also the first car to feature an asymmetrically split rear seat. It handled with alacrity, even spawned MG and MG Turbo versions.

The Metro was given a comprehensive make over as a Rover vehicle in 1990 which put it at the top of the supermini league. The final version of the car, badged the Rover 100, stayed in production until December 1997, still selling at a decent rate. Although outlasted by the original Mini it was based on, it did indeed help to save the British auto industry.

Posted January 18, 2010 Comments(0)

Audi had long threatened to build a supercar to showcase its advance technology. Indeed, in 1991, the company showed two supercars within a couple of months of each other. The Audi Quattro Spyder was the first, shown in September at the Frankfurt show. It was entirely real world, powered by a mid mounted V6 engine, using many components from Audi production cars. A few weeks later, at the Tokyo show, Audi unveiled the Audi Avus Quattro. It was a dramatic design, built around an aluminum spaceframe with polished aluminum panels and a tribute to famous pre war Audi union racers. It was also powered by a conceptual engine made up of three banks of four cylinders. In the end, neither car was made. Audi showed another dramatic aluminum clad supercar concept in 2000. The Rosemeyer, named after one of the Auto Union race drivers was a dramatic, edgy design. But it was forth time lucky with the 2003 Le Mans Quattro concept, which would eventually become the 2007 R8 with only few stylish tweaks. In fact, the styling wasn’t far removed form the 1991 Spyder.

The racy interior was dramatically different to any other Audi, though. This mid engined supercar was built around the same basic aluminum spaceframe chassis as the Lamborghini Galladro (Audi had, by now, become the owner of Lamborghini) and benefited from Quattro four wheel drive. Powered by 4.2 liter engine and promise of bigger engines in the future. The R8 received rave reviews for its poise and place. It may have taken over 16 years, but Audi finally had its own supercar.

Posted January 13, 2010 Comments(0)

Mercedes was not alone when it decided to build a high tech city car in the early 1990s. The Volkswagen Group commissioned a 3litre car and handed responsibility to Audi. A ‘3 liter car is one capable of traveling 100 km on just 3 liter of fuel, 94 mpg in imperial measurements. It was just inspired by an environmental scare as the 1990s dawned a time when the phrase ‘global warming’ was first widely used. Audi decided to make use of its expertise in aerodynamics and lightweight aluminium construction. The main reason for the car’s odd looks was aerodynamics efficiency. Seen from above it has a pronounced teardrop shape. From the side, it has heavily sloping roof and flat sides. The interior was built to the same high standard as Audi’s larger cars, but the interior layout was not as versatile as the Mercedes A-class. It was very light, coming in at as little as 875 kg. Buyers had a choice of a 1.4 three cylinder engine or a 1.4 and 1.6 liter petrol engine. A special version powered by a 1.2 liter which did achieve 94 mpg.

The A2 supermini was first shown as the AL2 concept at the Frankfurt show in 1997, two years ahead of its launch as a production car. By then, however, VW had decided to transfer its efforts on the ‘3 liter’ project to the smaller VW Lupo supermini. Huge strides in diesel engines meant an expensive, super light chassis was not needed. This left the A2 high and dry. It ended up as a beautiful engineered oddball in a market that had forgotten about the idea of global warming.

Posted January 12, 2010 Comments(0)

The term ‘iconic design’ is often misused, but the Audi TT does deserve the accolade. It first appeared as a concept design at the 1995 Frankfurt motor show, having been developed at the VW Group’s California studios. The simple, curved, styling theme was generally thought to have been influenced by pre war German engineering (especially the Auto Union D-Type race cars) and the ‘form follows function’ philosophy of the Banuhaus design school. Perhaps just as impressive was Audi’s achievements in bringing the three door TT to produce, especially as it was mostly based on the MK4 Golf platform. A two door cabrio with the cloth roof was the only other bodystyle produced. Inside, the interior design was just a fresh and simple, marked out by the four large, silver rimmed air vents. The drivetrains were also lifted from the Golf and Audi A3. The entry level engine was a 1.8 liter turbocharged unit in various states of tune from 180 bhp upwards. Top range models were equipped with the notably smooth and powerful 3.2 liter V6 engine. Both engines could be had with a part time four wheel drive system badged Quattro, although it differed from the system used in bigger Audis. Despite eight years of success, the TT almost fell at the first hurdle. Not long after the launch the car was involved in a number of high speed accidents, usually involving a loss of control on bends.

Audi engineers figured that the TT’s smooth rump was to blame, causing rear end lift if the driver lifter off the throttle a high speed or braked, causing the nose to dip. The TT was recalled and fitted with a small boot spoiler (to break the flow of the air over the tail) as well as modifications to the suspension tuning.

Posted January 11, 2010 Comments(0)

The launch of the 6.0n liter V12 DB9 can be regarded as marking the ground up rebuilding of Aston Martin. In 2000 Aston martin got new chief executive in the shape of Dr Ulrich Bez, who had previously been research and development of Porsche. Bez halted work a new compact, mid engine Aston Martin and on a front engined replacement for the ageing DB7. Instead, Bez instigated a new strategy, which would see all future Aston based on the same aluminum platform. This new chassis was called the VH (vertical/ Horizontal) and was a cheaper version of the Vanquish chassis that could produced in three different lengths. The first fruit of the plan was the DB9, which was unveiled in September 2003 after a gestation of just 36 months. As part of the wider Ford ‘Premier Automotive Group’, Aston was able to tap into engineering expertise form the Ford companies. For example, Volvo was responsible for the DB9’s airbag and safety systems and the car was also crash tested at Volvo’s engineering centre. Ford also invested in a brand new brand new factory (the first in the company’s history) and HQ for the company to the land Rover engineering centre.

The DB9 was initially styled by lan Callum, though Aston’s new chief designer Henrik Fisker influenced the final product. At the launched, Fisker said that Aston’s are not edgy cars…we wanted to the DB9 to look as if was milled form a solid piece of aluminum’. Huge strides were made inside, where the elegant dashboard, aluminum switchgear and the crystal glass starting button were a league ahead of anything Aston had done before.

Posted December 29, 2009 Comments(0)

Despite the encouragement provided by the arrival of the 164, Alfa’s progress as a maker of fine cars spluttered badly, but somewhat predictably with the introduction of the lackluster mid size 155 and the Golf rivaling 145/6. Once again it was left to an Alfa sports to give the famous marque a lift. The much meeded boost came in the form of the hard top GTV and its sister cabriolet, the Spider, two startling looking cars that demanded attention, inspired the imagination and succeed in generating a great deal of comment in both the motoring industry and the press. However, both vehicles were based on the ubiquitous Tipo structure, which also spawned the 155, 145, Lancia Dedra and numerous others. This inevitably led by the GTV being subject to some damaging compromises for a car in its class. Perhaps the worst fault was in the structure, which was unable to stay properly rigid without a roof. Despite this, the Spider was still an immensely desirable and attractive car; even it was not as good to drive as its sister, the GTV. The other compromise was the disappearance of the boot, because of the adoption of multi link rear suspension. However, the enhanced performance of the chassis made it a worthwhile sacrifice that balanced out the loss of carrying capacity. The well respected 2.0 liter, Twin Spark engine was the main powerplant, but Alfa’s 3.0 V6 units soon became an option.

Dramatic styling was again the mark of a big step forward for Alfa, and this was undoubtedly one of the main reasons that the GTV earned itself so many fans. The aggressive wedge shape, broken by a deep swage running around body was, like its SZ predecessor, a real shock for a lot of people when the vehicle was launched. The four lamp nose was something of a trick, however. Behind the four holes in the bonnet were two large, squared off headlights units.

Posted December 15, 2009 Comments(0)

Like the Clio, the Mini John Cooper Works frustrates and delights in equal measure. On the positive side, the engine is utterly ballistic. Mini quotes 208bhp and 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds but, in reality, the Ayres Rock of a torque curve (192lb ft from 1850-5600rpm) makes it feel way, way faster. Few hot hatches pick up their sideskirts and headbutt the horizon like the irascible JCW. The downside is a considerable amount of torque-steer- for us the cause of much argument and consternation. Some hated the way the JCW forces the driver to make constant steering correction; others loved the increased level of interactivity and general naughtiness from the Mini’s nose. Crucially, underneath the Mini’s raucous torque-steering front end is a steady backline of information- directly proportional to speed- streaming from the road to the driver. Whereas the Astra and Clio surrender steering feel as you increase speed.

the Mini simply delivers more and more. The Mini has a neat little secret weapon among its considerable armoury too- an electronic differential lock that imitates the task of a mechanical LSD by redistributing torque across the front axle. When the JCW senses a spinning front wheel, it subtly applies the brakes to that wheel thus increasing traction. On our slippery Angelsey track, EDL proved to be a revelation; subtly increasing overall pace without neautralising overall feel.

Posted December 2, 2009 Comments(0)

The Impreza’a biggest crime is its styling. Previously STi may have been ugly but their grotesqueness was part of their allure. They had charisma, the appeal of their ballistic pace heightened by their visual oddness. The Impreza is impossibly bland. Even in fahkinhell 296bhp type UK spec it looks eminently forgettable. And, after the Impreza lineage that went before, many will find its generic hatchback style almost insulting. Let’s hope the man who signed off the design has since had his hands flattened by a stemroller to prevent him form ever going near a marker pen again. This mundane styling is a pity because the STi goes damn hard and fast and still possesses that ability to cover ground for more quickly than seems physically possible. Around Lahore, it feels just like a fast Subaru should. The disconcertingly light steering that initially feels vague and detached is anything but, its pinsharp and talkative-not as chatty or as attention seeking as the EVO’s agreed, but its still the next best thing to putting your hands on the road. The boxer burble may need a cupped ear to be heard but that’s incredibly smooth and relentless elastic band snap of acceleration the catapults you forward is still there, allied to a chassis with superb balance and grip.

Punt the Scoby into the a tight bend, get on the juice early and you can feel the torque sensing electromagnetic centre differential working with the front and rear limited slip diffs to haul you out of the corner and onto the next as quickly as possible. At the speed there’s a lovely machined feel to put the gearshift, the firmly damped suspension is ideally calibrated, the pedals are perfectly placed for fast footwork, the brakes are whole package feels honed and integrated. And, of course, form the driver’s seat you can’t see how drab it looks. It’s also refined, comfortable and smooth enough to make motorway travel a doddle.

Posted November 28, 2009 Comments(0)

Few cars have captured the imagination of the performance world as the Cobra did in the mid sixties and the legend has lived on through the many replicas to emerge again in the Viper, its spiritual successor. It was the time honoured recipe of getting the biggest possible engine into the lightest frame that could handle the power and clothing it in an attractive two seater body, preferably an open top for maximum enjoyment on the open road. While the AC marque was founded back in 1901, the Cobra story starts with 1953 introduction of the second generation Ace. Engineer John Tojeiro had created his own sports two seater modeled on the Ferrari 166 Barchetta(little boat), the car was powered by MG or Bristol. He sold the design to AC who installed their own 85bhp 2 liter six cylinder engine; in 1957, a Bristol 2 liter version was introduced giving another 30bhp and maximum around 115mph. a ford 2.6 liter version followed in 1961 with anything from 100-170 bhp. All was to change in 1962 when Carroll Shelby, impressed by the performance of the AC Bristol’s in American racing, persuaded AC to drop a Ford V-8 into the spacious engine compartment. Fitting the initial 260cu.in (4.2 liter) lightweight engine was little problem but the suspension and drive train needed considerable beefing up to take double the previous power output. AC were soon turning out five engine less cars a week for the Shelby to install ford engine and gearboxes; the 4.2 liter would soon be replaced by the 271bhp 4.7 liter (289 cu.in)

Not content with a mere 270-350bhp from the small block ford, Shelby wanted even more power, so the 7 liter Ford (427 cu.in) was inserted, but only after the chassis had been given the Ford computer treatment. The standard output for the 427 was 425bhp, but they could also be bought in street/competition from with 458bhp.

Posted November 14, 2009 Comments(0)