Archive for the ‘Sports Cars’ Category
The Phillip Island Classic is already the largest annual historic motoring event in the Southern Hemisphere, but this year all the stops have been pulled out to ensure that prestigious title is not lost.
Capped at 550 entrants, the Classic covers eight decades of motor racing history up until the late 1980s. The three day, thirty three event program will this year be based on the theme of Australian Legends.
It is no secret that the UK manufacturing plant producing super cars for the distinguished Aston Martin brand is struggling to meet demands, with waiting lists stretching to as long as five years.
It has been revealed that several bidders are all vying for the position to produce some of the most beautiful sports cars in the world, meaning Aston Martin’s would for the first time be produced outside the UK.
“I honestly wasn’t expecting the kind of explosive performance that the VXR Turbo delivers, it’s a dead set point to point weapon”
Test Model: 2007 HSV VXR Turbo with six-speed manual transmission driving through the front wheels.
CarAdvice rating: 
Options Fitted
None. It’s pretty well appointed but the highlights are the huge 19-inch wheels and superb leather trimmed Recaro seats.
Recommended Retail Price: $42,990
There’s only one model in the VXR range and numbers are limited as they are fully imported from Vauxhall in the UK. An auto version would open this car up to many more punters in Australia and I’m told they do, or have done, an automatic version in the UK. So I’ll check on that and report back.
Where it sits
The VXR is the entry-level HSV car and it does the badge proud. There is a significant jump in price (around $20K) to get into an R8 ClubSport, which is the next price-point in the HSV line-up.
There are plenty of pretend sports models out there with try-hard sports badging and non-aerodynamic body kits that do more to retard a car’s performance than enhance it.
Worse still, is when carmakers use the term ‘race bred’ to promote cars which are more likely to be lapped by a Porsche FS Evolution bicycle.
The VXR Turbo is race bred all right. Try the hard core; take no prisoners racing that is the BTCC (British Touring Car Championship) where this car has run as part of Vauxhall’s (the GM brand in the UK) VX Racing team since 2005 when the VXR was launched.
And that’s not the only good news. That Gospel of handling, Lotus, was called in to tune both the suspension and steering with what was an already accomplished set up on the road going VXR.
This is a seriously quick hatch that can cook a Golf GTI and smoke Honda’s S2000 and Civic Type R, straight out of the box.
Starting this angry child for the first time is nothing spectacular. In fact, Suzuki’s mildly warm, Swift Sport, has a similar idle note from what I remember of that car.
But don’t be fooled. Under the bonnet of the VXR lies a red-hot 2.0i 16v ECOTEC-4 turbo punching out 177kW at 5600rpm and 320Nm of the all-important torque, from a low 2400rpm.
If you don’t quite get the value of these numbers. I’ll make it easy for you.
Volkswagen’s 2.0L Turbo Golf GTI puts out 147kW and 280Nm, which is good for a 0-100km/h sprint in 7.5 seconds in six-speed manual guise.
The VXR with run between 6.2 – 6.4 seconds, as maximum turbo boost nudges 1.2 bar or 17.5 plus psi.
It will even outgun Volkswagen’s normally aspirated V6 rocket, the R32 and that’s no mean feat.
By now, you’ll be thinking that’s a lot of mumbo for the front wheels to handle all by themselves and you’d be quite right.
When you blast off in the VXR, it’s not all-smooth sailing. There’s torque steer for sure, but it’s not a pig like the Mazda3 MPS. You just need to use a little finesse with the throttle and things will work out fine. Just take it easy in the wet!
Acceleration from second to third is ferocious and feels almost bike like (that’s like a Yammy R1) such is the surge in velocity. Third to fourth, even better, thanks to the wide torque curve. It even pulls hard in sixth. You seriously need to watch the Speedo when behind the wheel of this thing, that needle can get away from you!
You can hear the forced induction (Darth Vader style) every time you hit the clutch as you swap gear ratios with the speed and ease that this box allows.
England’s “A” roads (motorways) are generally very good as are parts of our major freeways here in Australia. I did say “parts of” whereas in the UK, you can pretty much stay on fast moving tarmac from London to Scotland.
But they also have their B roads, which are as rough as most of our suburban goat tracks and the Poms do like to whinge about their B roads, as much as we whinge about ours.
What I’m leading to here is that the suspension set-up on the VXR has been designed to run on these B roads with a reasonable degree of comfort in mind.
And they haven’t done a bad job, given the racecar like chassis and those extra large 19-inch alloys. Speed bumps and general potholes are absorbed via the old school McPherson Strut front suspension and a torsion-beam rear axle.
I’m no engineer, but I can’t help wondering what this car might be like or rather, how much better this car might be, with a more modern multi-link suspension system on board.
There’s also a small and rather insignificant “Sport” button on the centre stack, which I’m ashamed to say I overlooked during my time with the car. I’m usually first to hit these suspension stiffening devices but missed the opportunity entirely. Apart from the shock treatment, throttle travel is shortened and steering response is quicker. Just what the doctor ordered, I say.
The 19’s are shod with 235/35 Continental SportContact 2 rubber, and grip – with the exception of flat chat launches – is Velcro like. Don’t worry about body roll either- there isn’t any.
An IDS chassis control system with Electronic Stability Control utilising traction control, ABS and Brake assist work hard to smooth out what is a serious dose of torque levelled at the front wheels at times.
You also need some decent fade-free brakes to pull this thing up effectively when sheer youthful enthusiasm gets the better of you…
Don’t bother looking for fancy Brembo brake systems with multi piston callipers and that kind of kit on the VXR. There’s none of that. What there is though, are bright blue single piston callipers front and back, with some dinner plate sized rotors which have no trouble hauling in this ‘Fast and Furious’ like machine.
Steering is via an electro-hydraulic power assisted unit, which provides superb feel and weight. It’s a big call, but it feels similar to that of the EVO 1X, in that steering response is very quick and accurate.
We didn’t seek permission to test this car on track but that’s the only place you could effectively explore the corning limits of the VXR.
The sculptured leather Recaros are top shelf and supremely comfortable although, quite firm. You also get a proper sports steering wheel, which is grooved and looks to be hand stitched. The shifter is also a showpiece. All the important stuff seems to be here.
I can’t be so kind to the largely Astra interior though. There’s way too much faux metal look plastic throughout the car. It covers the entire centre stack, some door trim and bits on the steering wheel.
It’s a pity Vauxhall didn’t pay closer attention to the Golf GTI, which is a class or two above when it comes to the quality of materials. Shame, because the VXR deserves better.
Mind you, there are plenty of the usual luxury items; electric windows, climate control air conditioning, six stack CD player (but no MP3 jack receptor as on the E Series Holdens) steering wheel audio controls, multi function trip computer, heated front seats and cruise control
I found the instrument cluster hard to read and suggest VXR drivers would benefit enormously from a digital Speedo readout (again found on the R8 ClubSport and GTS models).
There’s reasonable load space in the rear (312 litres) as the load bay is quite deep and the rear seats can split fold 60/40 or both flat for bikes and boards etc.
The full leather rear seats are more comfortable than most other performance hatches – they are well bolstered. Rear leg space is more for kids than adults though.
This car needs rear parking sensors as standard equipment, no ifs or butts. The rear window is tiny and next to useless as far as rear parking visibility goes.
Styling is definitely ‘go fast’ and extravert. You only need to look at the four colours on offer; Black Sapphire, Magma Red (as was our car) Star Silver and Arden Blue. They stand out.
The lowered stance with all round body kit and unique centred trapezoidal exhaust tip, do a lot to set this car off amongst the sports hatch club. The 19-inch, multi spoke spinners put it at the top of the category.
Fuel tank capacity is 52 litres, fine for a car which is shorter than a Ford Focus. The VXR likes premium unleaded, nothing wrong with that either, we use it in the family Liberty.
But here’s the thing, official fuel consumption is listed at 9.2L/100 km but don’t expect anywhere near that when you’re on song at 5000 plus rpm, more like 14 L/100 km. I’m not complaining mind you, it’s the price you pay for performance motoring. Just glad this thing weighs in at 1393kg and not a kilo more.
Safety is not forgotten either, and includes driver and passenger front and side airbags, as well as full-length curtain airbags.
There’s a song called “I like fast cars that go boom” by a band called Hellbent. The HSV VXR Turbo is one of those cars”
By Anthony Crawford
2007 Jaguar XKR Convertible Road Test
CarAdvice rating:
Recommended Retail Price: $249,900 - 6sp Auto only.
Options Fitted: Adaptive Cruise Control ($4,500); Luxury R Interior ($6,000).
The Jaguar XKR isn’t so much a car as it is an emotive experience – from approach, right through to the drive. Jaguar’s lifelong affinity with racing can be dated back to the ‘50’s with the C-type sports car. Over the years, the brand has evolved to cater for the needs of a large cross section of punters, ranging from those after luxurious appointments, right through to those looking for road-tearing performance.
Climb inside and behold lashings of carbon fibre and precise attention to detail, this is what the Jaguar experience is meant to be. Hit the starter button and this seemingly sedate cat fires to life. A bevy of electronics and controls are piloted through the LCD touch screen located on the dashboard.
Getting used to the Jag’s size takes a bit of time. The driving position is quite low, which is great for enthusiastic driving, but can become tedious in tight car parks or when trying to battle peak hour traffic. Forward and sideward (not to be confused with ‘sideways’) visibility is good for a convertible.
Line up a set of corners and prepare to be stunned – and that’s being modest. In-line with Murphy’s Law, it rained the entire week I had the drop-top XKR, none the less I was keen to give it a shot through one of my regular test routes.
Although the XKR is a sedate mover on the highway, everything changes the second you shift the gear lever into the ‘Sport’ position. The ZF Sachs 6-speed cog box does an absolute stellar job of taming the XKR’s supercharged V8. After a few minutes of monitoring the driver’s inputs, the gearbox literally reads the driver’s mind. Every time I jumped on the anchors for a corner, the gearbox was on the ready to grab a lower gear for the exit of the corner.
With a starting price of $249,900, the XKR convertible isn’t cheap. But, take into consideration that BMW’s M6 Convertible costs nearly $50,000 more than the Jag. Mercedes’ SL500 also costs around $50,000 more than the XK-R – making the Jag considerably good value in comparison.
After opening the forward facing bonnet, a 4.2-litre, supercharged V8 bears itself. At 6250RPM the screaming V8 produces a walloping 306kW, while at 4000RPM; the maximum torque of 560Nm is reached.
XKR standard features include: 20” Senta alloy wheels; cruise control; electric windows and mirrors; auto dimming rear vision mirror; heated seats; electronically adjustable driver and passenger seats; dual zone climate control; electrically adjustable steering wheel; front and rear parking sensors; adaptive bi-xenon headlights; tyre pressure monitoring system; leather seats; premium sound system with 6-disc CD changer; auto headlights and windscreen wipers; satellite navigation; Bluetooth functionality and keyless entry and start.
Suffice to say – Jaguar’s new XKR is no pussy. The long-lived Jaguar stereotype of cardigan wearing chaps couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to this potent mix of power and ability.
The XKR takes what is an impressive car – the XK – and turns it into a nose-bleeding lout which relentlessly outdoes any misconception one could possibly have about the Jaguar brand. Although I haven’t driven the BMW M6 Convertible, or the Mercedes SL500, both would have to be pretty damn special to even consider spending the extra $50,000. I think it would be difficult, actually…make that very difficult to improve on the XKR Convertible’s proposition.
The new Jaguar XKR is a car that will most certainly not grow long in the tooth any time soon.
- by Paul Maric
Not everyone is destined to drive a Porsche in their lifetime – let alone own one.
Porsche owners describe driving a Porsche as a sensual experience, one that can’t be replicated by any other car. With cars ranging from expensive, to very expensive, there is a Porsche to suit every level of success.
It’s the same story with the five levels of driver training offered by Porsche at their tailor made driver training program – the Porsche Driving Experience. Each level offers a different and unique experience, ranging from beginner courses in cars like the Boxster, Boxster S, 911 Carrera and 911 Cabriolet, right through to advanced courses in vehicles like the hard core 911 GT3 and even track time in the 911 GT3 Carrera Cup race car.
Level 1 – Precision
Before you get thrown the keys, you are taught the basics of car control, such as the differences between understeer and oversteer, along with the way to manage – and avoid – hazards, if and when they arise.
After a bit of theory, participants jump in to sample hazardous situations first hand. Professional instruction is constant, with drivers experiencing every aspect of control.
The Level 1 course runs for one day at Mount Cotton (Queensland) and is priced at $1,265. This is the perfect start for beginners and offers the perfect opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Porsche.
Level 2 – Precision Plus
Level 2 training builds on the basis offered in Level 1. Level 1 training is therefore a prerequisite for Level 2 training.
Perfect for those punters who enjoy decidedly sports driving, the Level 2 course offers attendees training on how to handle a vehicle and respond correctly during a hazardous situation.
Participants learn how to master bends under the mindful eye of a professional instructor, with a focus on road traffic hazards. Drivers are then offered a chance to experience exercises which simulate loss of control, with an emphasis on retaining control while driving at the vehicle’s limits.
The Level 2 course is a single day course and is available at Mount Cotton (Queensland) and is priced at $1,265. Remember, prior completion of the Level 1 course is required before being permitted entry into the Level 2 course.
Level 3 – Performance
With Level 2 and subsequently Level 1 as prerequisites, the third level of driver training offered delves deeper into the track aspect of Porsche driving.
Participants in the Level 3 course receive tuition on maintaining the racing line at high speeds, along with load changing reactions the vehicle emits with varied braking and cornering techniques
Circuit lapping is concentrated on, as is keeping the vehicle steady throughout all parts of a race track. Drivers are also given the opportunity to hone and test their skills on a specially designed ‘challenge circuit’, set to sort the good from the bad.
Instructors monitor your performance from a lead vehicle prior to offering further advice. It’s then onto the solo lap where the reins are yours to punt a Porsche around the track to test all the skills learnt.
Both Level 1 and Level 2 driver training courses are prerequisites for the Level 3 course. The third course is held at Queensland Raceway and runs for a single day. Entry into the course costs $1,540.
Level 4 – Master
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is where the men are separated from the boys. The Level 4 course not only brings on further honing of race techniques, it offers drivers quite possibly one of the best training vehicles known to man – the Porsche 911 GT3.
The 911 GT3 is Porsche’s road legal race car – so to speak. Punching out 306kW from its 3.6-litre motor, the 911 GT3 features adjustable dampers, roll bars and race tuned suspension – coupled with the ultimate in race tread, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tyres. There is no better way to learn car control on a track than in the 911 GT3.
Level 4 participants drive 911 GT3s fitted with satellite tracking nodes that – after completing a race lap – can record precise information about the vehicle’s speed and braking habits, which are then compared to those recorded by the instructor.
One on one tuition with racing professionals, along with radio communication provides the perfect test bed to bring out the racer in you. Such an experience can only be found on a race track and there’s no better way to sample it than in a race-prepped 911 GT3.
Levels 1, 2 and 3 are prerequisites for Level 4. This one day event is held at Queensland Raceway and costs $2,997.
Level 5 – GT3 Cup
This is quite possible the ultimate driving experience on offer in Australia for a racing nut. Porsche’s Level 5 Driving Experience course offers up to six participants the opportunity to drive a race-prepped Porsche 911 GT3 Carrera Cup race car around Queensland Raceway.
This course isn’t open to anyone though. Drivers must have either completed training levels 1 – 4, or have a national racing license.
A professional instructor and Porsche engineer is on hand to work with you to improve your experience and explain aspects of the car and your performance around the track. After a few laps with the instructor to confirm braking points and racing lines, you are handed the keys to begin solo laps in manageable blocks – whilst being monitored from pit lane by the instructor and Porsche engineer.
At the end of this adventure packed day, participants will be provided with their own unique DVD which includes footage from in-car cameras to provide a memento to treasure for life.
Porsche’s Level 5 course is a one day event and costs $5,995 to complete. The event is held at Queensland Raceway.
For more information about Porsche Driving Experiences, please call Porsche Cars Australia on 1800 062 911.
The HSV Senator I drove a little while back didn’t do it for me, the six-speed gearbox felt a bit woollen and agricultural and just didn’t feel up to the task. With that, I gave HSV a call in a last ditch attempt to regain my faith in the marque.
I went in of a Monday afternoon and there it was, a blue GTS waiting for me. I’ve gotta say, this thing looked pretty damn good. Sitting on 20” wheels all round and finished in a dark blue colour, I was looking forward to taking the manual driven GTS for a fang.
The interior is familiar HSV territory – in fact – spotting the differences between this and the R8 is anyone’s guess (aside from the leather clad seats). Surprisingly, the GTS is a friendly unit to drive. Although the gearbox is rough as nuts, the clutch is easy and light, while the brake pedal has a firm feel to it and the accelerator is spaced nicely alongside the brake for a bit of heel-toe action.
After driving a few other HSV vehicles – R8, Grange and Senator – I was also a bit disappointed with the audio track on offer. The manual GTS I drove on the other hand though was angry – bloody angry! North of 2500RPM, a dirty V8 racket creeps through the firewall to arouse the driver and passenger alike. Not bad methinks.
It’s quite clear HSV had their larger passengers in mind when designing the seats. The side supports are meaty, but with a figure like mine – you know…not fat – my body moves around the seat base spasmodically during cornering and doesn’t allow me to stay firmly planted while giving the GTS some stick. On top of that, our car had the black, plain Jane interior which looked a bit drab in comparison to the colourful red interior offered in red HSV GTS vehicles ($690 option).
Rear leg room is just astonishing. Whenever I hop into a VE – be it an Omega or a GTS – the rear leg room never ceases to amaze me. There is just a plethora of room available, with enough space to accommodate a trio of HSV’s seemingly target build demographic.
Driving a manual HSV is a totally different experience to the auto cog box. The whole process is so fluent and natural. Line up a straight stretch of road, dial up around 2300RPM and let the clutch out gradually with a bit of swift motion and hold on. Nail the throttle to the board and let the revs speed around to redline. Grab the small, stubby gear-shifter and give the clutch a stab, then slam the gear lever into second gear and let the clutch out. Soon after grabbing second, 100km/h hits in a gob smacking 5.55-seconds (although HSV claims 4.96-seconds).
Unfortunately, trying this more than twice didn’t bode well with the GTS I was driving. Along with just over 10,000kms on the clock, one of the magazines had probably just finished ‘driving’ my copy. After a couple of fully fledged 0-100 runs, the clutch became sticky and wouldn’t return to its upright position. Tread was also wearing thin on the rear tyres – for once, it wasn’t my doing! – making traction off the line a somewhat trivial task.
One of the main reasons I wanted to punt a manual GTS through some bends was for the MRC (Magnetic Ride Control). According to HSV boffins, the magnetic ride system employs a bunch of electro-magnets that can quickly alter the dampening of the suspension, variable upon driving conditions. Hit the ‘Track’ button and the system automatically firms up the ride, waiting for hard cornering before reacting with full force.
Line up a bend in second gear and turn-in feels extremely crisp and spot on. The steering is a little lighter than I would have liked, but it’s relatively precise and provides enough feel to understand what’s happening through the wheels. Nail it on the outset of the corner and the 275-wide Bridgestone Potenza ZR20s grip like the proverbial to the road and work in unison with the MRC’s gadgetry to provide mouth watering performance without the need for a deep set of pockets.
The best part about the GTS was its driveability. Although the gear shift will always be a nigh on two hand job, once you’re cruising in 6th gear, there is oodles of torque available and it’s dead silent – to a degree, you forget you’re cruising in a 307kW V8.
Step outside and the GTS and onlookers turn into drooling statues. The quad circular LED brake lights, along with the quad tail pipes finish off the HSV’s bloody aggressive stance. Coupled with a mean set of 20” wheels all round and cross-drilled rotors with red callipers, the GTS even impresses tree huggers who are against fuel guzzling V8s.
A few other factors that make the E-series GTS so impressive lie beneath the skin. Take the ESP (Electronic Stability Program) for example. Over the years I’ve been writing road tests, I’ve sampled many ESP systems both on and off-road. The setup used in the VE range, and more so the HSV range has to be one of the best in the world – I shit you not.
Lexus are criminal when it comes to their VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) system. It literally pulls 97% of power out of the engine and brakes wheels when even the slightest loss of traction is detected. It scares the living crap out of an unsuspecting driver and jolts the car in all directions. HSV’s ESP on the other hand lets you have a bit of free-play with the back end before it steps in. Even when it does step in, it doesn’t take its glove off and slap you in the face, it subtly brings the ass-end back into line and reduces power to the driveline if necessary.
The best part is that when you hit the symbol with the squiggly tyre marks, the system turns off all electronic nannies, leaving you with 6.0-litres of menacing V8 to play with!
Don’t expect any wonders in the wet though. Trying to manoeuvre this puppy in the wet is like trying to break dance in a jewellery store…things are bound to go wrong. Come into a corner too hot and you are met with chronic understeer; give it too much of a stab on the way out and the rear end wants to dance. Striking the perfect balance between traction and speed results in a slow and boring drive when the road is glazed with water. The GTS’s stomping ground is a dry race track, that’s when and where it performs at its full potential.
Under the bonnet, an LS2 V8 lives. Producing 307kW, this 6.0-litre behemoth makes 550Nm of torque and is claimed to jolt from naught to one-hundred in just 4.96-seconds. The claimed 0-100 time must have been achieved on a downhill stretch of road, with a back wind and Mark Skaife shifting the gears as nobody else has managed to achieve that time.
The HSV GTS is available in two guises – automatic and manual. The manual GTS is available for $75,990, while the automatic weighs in at $77,990. Standard features in the GTS include: 20” alloy wheels; fog lamps; rear parking sensors; cruise control; electric windows; automatic headlights; trip computer; dual-zone climate control; Bluetooth connectivity; 6-disc in-dash CD player with MP3 compatibility; 8-way electric seats and MRC (Magnetic Ride Control).
Safety features include: Electronic Stability Program (ESP); dual-stage driver and passenger airbags; front side impact airbags; side curtain airbags; active front head restraints and ABS brakes with EBD.
Suffice to say, the manual version of HSV’s hero car has yours truly impressed. Where else do you get ball-tearing performance for a fraction of the cost of big Euros who demand things like 20” wheels and a mean set of brakes as options…?
Out of all the cars I’ve driven, the GTS also has to be one of the easiest to hold at – and beyond – the limit. Drop the rear end out and small and precise movements of the throttle and wheel hold it out for all and sundry to see. On top of that, the MRC provides bugger-all body roll through the bends…is there anything else a car nut could want? Nup, I sure as hell don’t think so.
CarAdvice rating (out of 5): 
- by Paul Maric
“It’s 2007 and Aston Martin is still building the most beautiful cars in the world – by hand. The DB9 Coupe represents the sum total of 93 years of pure automotive passion, and we feel privileged to have driven it.”
Test Model: 2007 Aston Martin DB9 Coupe (touchtronic auto)
CarAdvice Rating: 
Options Fitted:
Recommended Retail Price: $345,500 (excluding options) Probably the least expensive of the Super GT/sports cars on offer.
The DB9 Coupe with 6 speed manual transmission is $337,250
Where it sits: The DB9 currently parks in the boss’s space in the Aston Martin garage after production of the super Aston, the Vanquish and Vanquish S, ceased this year. The soon to be released DBS, as seen in the latest Bond movie, Casino Royale, will temporarily fill the top spot in the fleet, until the rumoured return of the Vanquish in 2010.
The DB9 Volante (Roadster) is available at $365,250 with a 6-speed manual and the touchtronic auto for $373,500.
Entry price into the bespoke Aston Martin club is $245,000 for the V8 Vantage Coupe.
A bit of History:
Aston Martin is one tough British car company which has ‘stayed the course’ despite many hard fought battles to keep business alive.
The name Aston-Martin comes from one of the two founders, Lionel Martin, who raced hill climbs at “Aston Hill” in Buckinghamshire, which sadly, is today a Mountain bike venue.
Lionel Martin - Robert Bamford
Singer (not bad actually)
Martin partnered up with Robert Bamford in 1913 to sell “Singer” brand cars as well as servicing other makes before producing the first Aston-Martin badged car in 1915.
It was all about racing and racing cars alone, for Lionel Martin. That passion for the sport, and the desire to build successful cars is what shaped the world’s most alluring car company.
Martin’s original specification for the cars was “a quality car of good performance and appearance: a car for the discerning owner-driver with fast touring in mind.” Remember, he wrote that in 1913, but it pretty well sums up what Aston Martin is about today!
But that passion was also the very thing that sent the company bankrupt in 1924 and so began a roller coaster ride of owner after owner after owner, which continues to this day.
By far the most influential owner of Aston Martin was David Brown who bought the company in 1947 after two world wars had once again sent Aston to the wall.
There’s no question that Brown had an ego and a big one. But who’s complaining, he kicked in his initials and the DB legend began.
The DB2 was a superb looking car, still is. The DB Mark III and DB4 followed, which led to the most famous of all Astons, the DB5. Sean Connery as James Bond drove this car in the 1964 Bond movie, Goldfinger.
Aston Martin has been the chosen company car for the British Secret Service agent for most of his missions over the last 44 years, except for a brief but dark period, when the money hungry producers switched sides and ran with BMW. Shame on them choosing the ugly duckling over an automotive supermodel.
The company struggled throughout the 70’s and most of the 80’s until Ford bought a controlling stake in 1987. They picked up the rest in 1994 and planned a road to profit.
Without Ford, Aston Martin may not have survived, so we thank them for Aston Martin’s current success and financial stability over the last few years.
But Aston Martin has always been about the right people and again, it’s Ford who installed Dr Ulrich Bez as the Chief Executive. Bez was a former engineering chief at Porsche and BMW who has well and truly sorted things out and intends taking the company to far greater heights.
Let me explain. In 2000, a total of 1029 cars were made. In 2006, over 7000 Aston Martin’s were shipped and the company is on target to move 10,000 cars a year, by 2010.
And here’s the punchline, Ford sold Aston Martin back in March this year. You would too, if it were bleeding cash at the rate of USD$12 billion a year. There was a queue of highly successful business groups (including our own James Packer) ready and willing to fork out just on US$1billion for the company.
The successful consortium paid USD$848million and is headed up by Dave Richards (chairman of successful UK motor sport engineering firm Prodrive) with backing from two Kuwaiti investment companies and a US based Aston Martin collector/banker.
The good news is, Ford have maintained an 8.32% stake in Aston Martin and Ulrich Bez has signed a five year contract to continue running the company.
Prior to Ford’s sell off of the company, some Ford suits were believed to have rated Bez not so highly, the reason – he was too focussed on Aston Martin. Sounds like the prefect man for the job!
After driving the HSV Clubsport R8, what better than to punt it against one of the best from the FPV stables - the F6 Typhoon.
When you look at the power and torque figures these two boast, the match up seems slightly unfair. On one hand there is the bellowing LS2 juggernaut from the lion’s den, whilst on the other hand there is a seemingly quaint inline six-cylinder – from the blue oval – with a blow dryer attached. Surely a whiney, turbocharged taxi is no match for a man’s brute with a dirty big V8?
Well…that’s what I thought – until I set foot in the ‘phoon.
The interior’s nothing to write home about, it looks much like any other Falcon’s interior, only adding a sports steering wheel, gauge pod (with boost and oil pressure) and fancy starter button. The difference lies within the handling and sheer performance characteristics.
Although the Typhoon only produces 270kW of power, it’s good for a staggering 550Nm of torque – identical to the HSV’s 6.0-litre V8. All that torque comes on hard and bloody strong from around 2000RPM, all the way to redline – which isn’t actually marked on the tachometer funnily enough.
One thing’s for certain, you’ve got to be on your best behavior when steering the ‘phoon. It’s got to be one of the liveliest cars on the road. With a set of 245-wide licorice strips at the rear, it constantly grapples for grip. Nail it from a standing start and watch as the traction control light flashes like mad until you back off the throttle. The noise this thing makes under full-throttle acceleration is enough to give any motoring tragic a hard-on. It sounds like a jet fighter gathering all its breath, right before slamming a tidal wave of torque into the driver and passenger’s chests.
The exhaust has been tuned within earshot of perfection and lets out a billowing wail under acceleration. On top of that, the noise from inside the car is just as good, giving the driver that feeling of excitement. The HSV on the other hand doesn’t sound as good from outside in comparison to the ‘phoon, but that’s nothing a new exhaust won’t fix (click to check out the HSV Clubsport R8 review with TOMCAT exhaust).
The regular 4.0-litre inline six-cylinder makes plenty of torque to begin with, adding a turbo is just downright naughty. After getting acquainted with both vehicles, we set off to the hills to see what the HSV Clubsport R8 and FPV F6 Typhoon were all about.
Not long after setting off, it’s obvious that the FPV’s steering is quite heavy in comparison to the HSV. That’s not such a bad thing though, both vehicles have perfectly sculpted steering wheels to allow plenty of grip space, along with room for turning when pegging through bends. In comparison, the HSV’s steering is as light as a feather, the ‘phoon allows the driver to feel the road and know exactly what the tyres are doing.
The brakes are far from an afterthought. The cross-drilled Brembo stoppers used on the Falcon do a phenomenal job of keeping everything in check. During the run through the mountains, they never showed any sides of fade or lack of pedal feel, reiterating the car’s ability throughout braking intensive courses.
A six-speed gearbox is common to both vehicles, but only one stood out in all aspects of driving. Ford’s ZF gearbox (produced by ZF Sachs) did a stellar job of powering the ‘phoon through stop-start city traffic and also through nail biting twists and bends. The seemingly bulletproof gearbox shifted quickly and precisely and always seemed to be in the right gear. During harder driving, the sport mode intelligently chooses the right gear and can even hold gears indefinitely if required. During hard braking, the gearbox actively shifts into a lower gear to aid braking and also allowing maximum power out of corners after the braking effort.
Although the Typhoon has a potent ability to light up the rears, it managed to drill all the power down to the ground when tackling the twisty stint of road, testament to the car’s handling dynamics. Body roll was slightly more prevalent in comparison to the Clubsport, but that’s nothing a firm set of springs wouldn’t fix.
The driving positions are totally different in both vehicles. The HSV has the driver slung low to the ground, whilst the ‘phoon sits the driver high up – very high up in fact. It takes a little while to get used to the FPV as the driving position feels almost unnatural to begin with. After a few clicks it becomes second nature. Neither driving position – in the HSV or FPV – is better nor worse, it’s just something that was quite evident when driving both vehicles back to back.
In terms of straight line performance, the R8 and Typhoon don’t get any closer. Off the line, the Typhoon battles for grip as the turbo force-feeds air into the engine, but once it gets moving, they both unilaterally accelerate to 100 clicks per hour. Through the corners, it’s a similar story. Both of the vehicles grip tight and drill down power without many dramas. The only gripe lies with the ‘phoon’s mild amount of body roll.
At $61,810, the FPV F6 Typhoon undercuts the Clubsport R8 by some $1,000. But, the Typhoon misses out on several features that should be mandatory on this type of vehicle – such as an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and rear parking sensors, which are both standard on the HSV Clubsport R8.
Although we didn’t get a reply from Ford during the production of the article, it’s believed that FPV haven’t fitted DSC to the FPV range due to the extensive engineering and testing requirements that need to take place before such a sophisticated system is prepared. As such, we think that Ford will simply wing it until the 2008 Falcon arrives, which should - if Ford’s thinking clearly - be fitted with DSC as standard equipment throughout the range.
Click for larger version
Overall, both of these cars offer brilliant bang for your buck. On one hand you have a deep-throated growling V8; whilst on the other lies an air-snorting turbocharged six. At the end of the day, the only choice you need to make is your brand allegiance, as both of these things will annihilate almost anything off the lights, this side of $80,000.
At the end of the day though, the HSV manages to offer more equipment - both in terms of safety and features - than the FPV. But, only so much can be expected when you consider this series of Falcons has been around for nigh on six years, whilst the E-series HSV range has only been around for about 6-months. If you’re a Ford tragic though, there’s no going past this intoxicating force-fed six. If the noise won’t do it for you, the aggressive looks and potent driving experience is bound to.
CarAdvice rating (out of 5):
- by Anthony Crawford and Paul Maric
2007 HSV E series ClubSport R8 Road Test
“HSV’s ClubSport R8 is a first class sports sedan with breath-taking performance and sensational looks. At $62,890 it’s also the cheapest supercar on the planet”
Test Model: 2007 HSV ClubSport with optional 6-speed automatic transmission
Options fitted: 6-speed auto - $2000
Standard kit aboard the R8 is not quite luxury spec, but delivers most of what you expect in the way of creature comforts. HSV gets an “A” for providing the ability to simply plug your MP3 player into the centre console and enjoy the sounds through the car’s audio system, something still missing on many Euro cars costing twice the price.
Recommended Retail Price: $64,890 (for the auto)
Where it sits: The most affordable 4 door sports sedan in the HSV range. There’s a reasonable jump to the GTS 6-speed manual, which retails for $75,990 and the auto version will set you back $77,990 which is the same price as the Luxury spec, Senator Signature.
If you’re a HSV diehard but these numbers are still too rich for your budget, you can always step into HSV’s VXR Turbo (HSV’s version of the Holden Astra) for $42,990. This is one very quick car, which we have driven, and will post the review shortly.
A Bit of History: Steep fuel prices don’t seem to have affected sales of Holden Special vehicles. 2007 May sales alone hit 435 cars, which is a remarkable result for a company, which launched their first car just 20 years ago.
One-hundred percent owned by the shrewd, Aussie-loving, race car mad Scott, Tom Walkinshaw, this “go fast’ car company knocked up its 50,000 car back in 2006, and with the current range of E series cars not yet fully launched, the future appears bright for this well established Australian car company.
There are around fifty-four HSV dealers in Australia, a sizeable number in anyone’s terms, with another 7 dealerships in neighbouring New Zealand. Interestingly, around 10% of all Holden cars sold in NZ, are HSV’s.
The UK is another big fan, with an annual allotment over the next 2-3 years of 300 cars per year. But they won’t be badged HSV, as the brand has little value in the old country. Instead, they will be known as the Vauxhall VXR8, and will be almost identical to the current R8 ClubSport here in Australia. The one thing I have noticed on the UK editions is a very cool race car like stop light in the middle of the rear diffuser skirt. If I am correct, then I’m a little peeved that the R8 ClubSport has missed out this very stylish feature.
You don’t enjoy this kind of success without some serious talent on the payroll, and HSV has had their share, particularly in the design department.
You might remember the legendary SV5000 in 1990? I had a minority share in one, along with my partner, the ANZ bank. It was the first Australian built car with 200kW under the bonnet, as well as a host of other engine and suspension modifications.
It was designed by Englishman Peter Stevens, of Lotus Esprit (1998 redesign) and McLaren F1 road car fame (get down on your knees and bow your head). Another design superstar, Ian Callum was next on the HSV podium. Ian drew the stunning Aston Martin DB7 and Vanquish. He’s currently design chief at Jaguar, where he created the current XK and XKR. When you’re hot, you’re hot.
It doesn’t end there. In 1999 Chief Designer at TWR UK (Tom Walkinshaw Racing) Neil Simpson took over the design reins at HSV until 2004, when current pen master, Julian Quincey came aboard. In my humble opinion, this likeable pommy has taken the company to new design heights with the R8 ClubSport and GTS models.
After seeing this thing on display at the Melbourne Motor Show this year, I knew Honda were making an attempt at impressing their Aussie supporters, along with reviving a brand name that is synonymous with style, performance and affordability
From behind, one of the first things you notice is the set of dual exhaust pipes shaped like triangles. This Civic is unlike any other, it takes on a unique design only available in Europe.
Open the door and an obviously race inspired interior ensues. Aluminium clad pedals and a big red starter button headline the driver visible aspects of the interior, whilst a set of ‘Type R’ labelled seats support both driver and passenger alike in the utmost fashion. The gauge cluster does away with any pointless nomenclature and features a big tachometer, along with digital speedometer and auxiliary gauges. Similar to the Toyota Supra of yesteryear, the Type R’s dashboard is driver oriented, angled toward the driver and visible from all angles and heights.
Rear seat room is about on par with its competitors – XR5 Turbo, SRi Turbo and Golf GTI – whilst boot room matches – if not exceeds – its competitors, allowing for the haulage of shopping and/or bags.
The part I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for – the drive. I must say, this thing is f’en quick! The whole package is almost perfect in every regard. The engine is extremely responsive, whilst the clutch and gearbox combination can only be described as divine. The steering allows the driver to feel every aspect of the front wheel’s movement and also provides perfect feedback under harder cornering.
From a standing start, slip the clutch slightly with a few revs on board and the traction control battles with the tyres to keep them under control. After a moment of hesitation, you’re off and racing, hitting the 8000RPM redline with no time to spare. A quick dab of the clutch and slam of the gearstick has the tyres chirping into second gear, moving well on the way to 100km/h. Believe it or not, the Type R moves from naught, to one hundred in just 6.6-seconds and there’s no turbo to be heard of.
The Type R does away with any form of forced induction and uses Honda’s renowned VTEC, variable valve timing technology. At 7,800RPM, the 2.0-litre DOHC motor produces a spritely 148kW, whilst at 5,600RPM it’s ramming out 193Nm of torque. Although the figures don’t sound all that impressive, the power delivery is extremely smooth and constant. The Type R also beats all of its rivals (except the Mazda3 MPS) in the 0-100 dash, proving that force-feeding isn’t the be-all and end-all in hot hatches.
There’s absolutely no dire torque steer to be heard of (unlike the SRi turbo which tries to steer you off the road after an enthusiastic jab of the throttle), which is one of the downsides of front-wheel-drive turbocharged vehicles. The sound track isn’t too bad, but it doesn’t have the burble or bark that a Golf GTI or XR5 Turbo does, but that’s something that an aftermarket exhaust would easily rectify.
Braking is taken care of by 300mm front and 260mm rear disc brakes. The Civic Type R leads the stakes in terms of braking potential. When compared to its competitors, the Civic Type R out-brakes the BMW 120i and Volkswagen Golf GTI by some one and two metres respectively. VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) – Honda’s version of Electronic Stability Control – is standard equipment in the Type R, which receives a custom tune tailored toward sporty driving. During the drive, VSA stepped in on a few occasions but rarely caused a fuss or interrupted driving dramatically.
Fuel consumption is quite commendable. Using just 9.3-litres/100km, the Type R rates as one of the most fuel efficient in its class. Accepting a recommended 95RON, the Type R can run on 91RON petrol, but it’s not recommended for optimal performance.
The steering wheel feels great; it’s slightly meaty and fills the hands nicely. A couple of downsides inside the vehicle include the task required to reach the seatbelt. The seat’s side bolster gets in the way of reach to the seat belt, making it a slightly strenuous task. The spoiler also sits directly in the line of traffic, making it a bit tricky to see following traffic, along with reversing. Aside from that, the interior feels extremely well built and the fit and finish is spot on.
There is no independent rear suspension featured in the Type R. The Type R uses a torsion beam type suspension setup instead, which increases rigidity during cornering. Built alongside Europe’s Civic range in the UK, Honda expects to sell 100 Civic Type Rs per month.
Starting at $39,990, the Civic Type R is only available with a 6-speed manual transmission. There are three colours available – Milano Red (non-metallic), Alabaster Silver (metallic) and Nighthawk Black (metallic) – with metallic colours incurring an additional cost.
Standard features include: Adjustable headlight height; 18” alloy wheels; trip computer; cruise control; drive by wire electronic throttle; engine immobiliser; keyless entry; electric mirrors; heated mirrors; folding door mirrors; fog lights; dual zone climate control; power steering; leather wrapped steering wheel; rain sensing windscreen wipers; power windows; Type R Alcantara sports seats and single disc CD player with MP3 compatibility.
Safety features include: Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA); ABS brakes; dual front airbags; dual side airbags; dual curtain airbags (front and rear); Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD); Emergency Brake Assist (BA) and side impact protection beams.
So what’s the final verdict on the all new Honda Civic Type R?
It’s impressive…very impressive. In fact, at such a price along with the brilliant fuel economy and near perfect on-road dynamics, there’s really no way to fault the Type R. The first steer had me quite impressed and I think Honda will have people queuing for some time.
The Civic Type R looks unlike anything on the road at the moment and in my opinion, will sell in droves. It simply has to be test driven to be believed, so head into your local dealer and get the pedal to the metal, it’s sure to impress.
- by Paul Maric
You might have been slightly surprised that I decided to give the number 1 sports car for 2006 prize to the Mazda RX-8, not only because the car has been available since 2003, but because its such an.. odd.. sports car. It uses a rotary engine to begin with, making it the only car sold (in mass) in Australia that uses this type of engine. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept click to read more about Rotary Engines.
Nevertheless, the Mazda RX-8 is Car Advice’s Sports car of 2006 because it is not just an Icon but a technological masterpiece and more than anything, the point of a sports car is to not only be fast, and handle well, but also attract as much positive attention as humanely possible and the RX-8 does that quite well.
Unfortunately, the only downfall of the RX-8 is its lack of power, sure the 177kw of power and 211Nm of torque propel the car from 0-100 km/hr in just 6.2 seconds, but compared to the old Mazda RX-7s or even the Mazda 3 MPS, the RX-8 feels slow. Now why would Mazda fail to Turbo charge the RX-8? Because Turbo charging the RX-8s Rotary engine would have meant that Mazda couldn’t sell the car due to emission laws. What a shame! Because the RX-8 would have been even more of a screamer had it come with a Turbo.
The most important reason this car is number 1 is because it is a true practical sports car. With the looks, the room, the equipment, the performance and the attention grabbing road presence, the Mazda RX-8 is just superb. If you are into modifications and don’t care much about the planet, aftermarket turbo kits are available for the RX-8 which boosts the power considerably.
The Suicide doors are also a nice attention grabbing feature of the RX-8, Mazda likes to call them otherwise, but Suicide doors is the term, and the RX-8’s doors give a generous amount of room to get inside the car for front and rear passengers. However for those unfortunate enough to find themselves in the rear seats of a RX-8, the problem of actually seeing where the driver is taking you is apparent. Nevertheless, those little windows in the back seats do actually open so at least you can get some air!
If you find yourself complaining about turbo lag in Turbo charged cars, it is worth noting that the RX-8 peaks at around 6000 RPM! The sound of the rotary engine is second to none and at those revs the car really starts going. For those of you who can’t be bothered to change gears, the RX-8 is not for you! Mazda down tuned the Automatic RX-8 to just 141 KW (about the same as your Toyota Camry) since the gearbox couldn’t handle the revs and Mazda decided to go for more mid range power than high end power.
The weakest part of the Mazda RX-8 are the brakes. Even with the electronic brake distribution and ABS controlled with ventilated brake rotors that are fairly large at 12.7 inches in front and 11.9 inches in rear, the brakes are too soft and the stopping distance is not one to lose any sleep over.
Being a rotary you wouldn’t expect the RX-8 to be the most fuel efficient sports car there is, weighing only 1337kg the RX-8 uses 12.6L/100km for city and highway driving but given you are driving one of the most beautiful cars for less than $65,000, I wouldn’t complain!
Full list of standard equipment follows:
