Richard Porter reviews the 2017 Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus

LET’S BE clear, as politicians say when they’re not being clear at all: the Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus is a sensationally good car, but also one with a potentially ruinous problem. It delivers moments of enormous joy yet, like toothache on your wedding day, there’s a flaw that takes the shine off things.

Let’s start with the good stuff. You might be familiar with the general modus operandi of the R8, which is to take over where the original Honda NSX left off, proving that a mid-engined sports car doesn’t have to be brattish and recalcitrant.

Honda laid the groundwork by showing that an exotically engineered car didn’t have to cough and fart and widdle oil onto your garage floor, and the first generation R8 of 2006 built upon this user-friendliness, being no harder to drive softly than an A3 hatchback yet no softer when driven hard than an equivalent Porsche.

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A few years ago Audi introduced a second-generation model that continued the good work and now there’s the one you see in the picture today, which is, for now, the ultimate incarnation of the R8, marrying the scalped Spyder body to the Plus version of the V10 engine, delivering 601bhp — 69bhp more than the standard car.

It’s also, thanks to lighter wheels, carbon ceramic brakes and reduced-fat seats, about 25kg trimmer than the non-Plus edition.

The good news is that these more hardcore elements don’t damage the R8’s friendly and unthreatening nature, should you just need to get somewhere that isn’t at the other side of the Nürburgring. Lesser Audis are often blighted by needlessly stiff suspension and pointlessly heavy steering so that regional sales managers can kid themselves they have a “sporty” car. The R8, being the genuine article, has no reason to try so hard. As a result, at urban speeds the suspension pads gently over ruts and divots while the steering is uncommonly light.

“In the dying days of pure internal combustion, this V10 is one of its finest hours”

However, if you find yourself on a favourite B-road, the R8 is an extremely accomplished athlete, spearing through corners, its four-wheel-drive system clawing at the tarmac and giving you the confidence to keep the hammer down. Like all good sports cars, it floats and flows across challenging roads with an easy rhythm.

If you’re going to be picky, the electrically assisted steering sometimes lobs in a fake weighting that isn’t needed and the brakes can be a bit bitey but these are minor flaws in an otherwise polished chassis — all the better to use that V10 engine.

And what an engine it is. One day we’ll all be driving under hybrid or electric power, and for most cars, most of the time, that’ll be fine. But this is the sort of incredible mechanical engineering we’ll miss, with its texture and depth and a fire in its belly that just wants to turn petrol into furious power.

In the dying days of pure internal combustion, this V10 is one of its finest hours, combining all the soaring revs and soulful sensations of a multicylinder thoroughbred from the 1960s tempered with the flexibility that only comes with 21st-century engine management software.

It helps that, where most supercars now use turbochargers, the Audi is allowed to aspirate naturally, and there’s something very special about that, in the swelling power delivery and the responsiveness and most especially in the sound. It can seem a little flat at idle but give it a few revs and it takes on the hollow gargle of an old quattro rally car.

Give it a lot of revs — more than 8,000 of them if you can — and it makes a wonderful minor-chord wail, resembling an early 2000s Formula One car. At all points in between, it emits a soft, warm, bourbon howl, akin to the sound of the late Joe Cocker rehearsing.

Truly, the whole R8 Spyder V10 Plus is tremendous. Except for one key detail that potentially spoils the entire show; if you’re tall, or something close to it, you will not fit in this car. I mean, you’ll be able to get in, but I swear you will never be comfortable.

I did some research by asking a load of people to get in and get comfy. A colleague who’s 5ft 8in said he was fine. A chap of 5ft 9in reckoned he could have done with more space. And that’s important because you simply cannot enjoy a car, even one as exciting as this, if you’re not comfortable.

The problem is that, in taking off the R8’s head, Audi had to install a well between the seats and the engine into which the retracted roof could fold. The engine couldn’t move backwards, so the seats had to go forwards, with a sturdy bulkhead fitted behind them.

If you’re even a little bit leggy, this leaves you with two options; you can move the seat base forward a bit to allow a slight recline of the backrest and then drive along with your knees splayed and the right one thudding against the door. Or you can motor the seat base as far back as it’ll go and sit bolt upright, as if you’re awaiting a sermon from a particularly austere branch of Methodism, with your head making a bulge in the cloth roof above.

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You can, of course, overcome the headroom problem by pulling the switch to retract the soft top but that’s not a practical option on a winter’s day, even though, weather permitting, I would lower it at every available opportunity to hear that V10.

To be blunt, if you’re more than 6ft, all the wonders this car has to offer are marred by the cramped and awful driving position. You’ll drive along, fiddling with the seat controls, convinced there must be some as yet undiscovered combination that will bring you relief, but there isn’t.

Somehow, Audi has made a brilliant sports car that can only be enjoyed by those of average height or less. If you’re tall, you’re stuck with the coupé.

Richard Porter is script editor for The Grand Tour. Jeremy Clarkson was away.
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Head to head: Audi R8 Spyder vs Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster

	Audi R8 Plus 5.2 FSI quattro S tronic Spyder	Mercedes-AMG 4.0 V8 GT C Roadster
Price	£149,820	£140,660
Top speed	204mph	196mph
0-62mph	3.3sec	3.7sec
Weight	1,695kg	1,735kg
Economy	22.6g/km	24.8g/km

 

CONTACT US
Write to us at driving@sunday-times.co.uk, or Driving, The Sunday Times, 1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF.

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source https://www.driving.co.uk/car-reviews/richard-porter-reviews-2017-audi-r8-spyder-v10-plus/

Porsche 718 Cayman GTS review (2018-on)

THE BANANA-YELLOW Porsche Cayman GTS arrived the day after I returned from driving its newest rival, the Alpine A110.

Porsche fans — and anyone who goes weak at the knees over any sort of sports car — might imagine that there could be no contest between a small, French car maker that has never managed to rekindle the success it enjoyed in the late ‘60s and early 70s, and one of Germany’s most successful car companies. And Alpine is owned by Renault. Game, set and match before the key has turned in the ignition, surely?

Well, no, actually. The Alpine A110 proves that there is a small, mid-engined sports car sweet spot somewhere between a Cayman and a Lotus Elise. It is devilishly good fun and competitively priced.

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So the new GTS version of the 718 Cayman, which if you remember was the first in the series to ditch the traditional naturally-aspirated flat-six engine in favour of a turbocharged four-cylinder unit, has a score to settle. It needs to show the cheese-eating surrender monkeys, as The Simpsons would put it, who makes the best sports car.

The choice of colour was silly, obviously. The last time I remember sports cars looking quite so mid-life crisis was in the early ‘90s, when the fibreglass bodywork of TVRs driven by bankers blowing another year’s bonus was painted in the same “look at me” colour. Naturally, other colours are available.

Of more significance, the ingredients for the GTS version of the Cayman have always been appealing. The 718 GTS sees the turbo engine tuned to 360bhp, which is 15bhp more than a 718 S. (It’s also 35bhp more than the old, six-cylinder GTS.)

There is a choice of a manual six-speed or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, and it comes with Porsche’s Sport Chrono Package, PASM adaptive dampers (with a lowered ride height of 10mm over the S), a sports exhaust, Porsche Torque Vectoring with a mechanical limited-slip differential and a smattering of cosmetic changes to shout about the fact that it’s more than your average Porsche 718.

The objective is to create the most thrilling 718 Cayman yet. In the model’s range, the GTS is currently the flagship, above the standard and S models. ‘Currently’ because the last Cayman and Boxster were expanded with GT4 and Spyder versions; new 718 equivalents are expected to arrive next year.

It’s a quick car: 0-62mph takes 4.6 seconds with the manual. But if drivers pick the PDK and used launch control, that drops to 4.1 seconds, which means you’re getting a car as fast as a Ferrari F40 for a fraction of the price.

Talking of the price, the manual model costs from £59,866.00 and the PDK from £62,169.00. That sees it rubbing shoulders with cars like the BMW M4 Competition Package (£62,080), Jaguar F-Type R-Dynamic P340 (£57,765) and even Audi’s RS version of the TT (£52,450).

It’s as fast as a Ferrari F40 but sounds like a fart

It all sounds so appealing, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, it’s the precisely the sound of this car that leaves you wondering where Porsche’s engineers went wrong.

Like many Porsche fans, we still haven’t forgiven the company for replacing the naturally aspirated, flat-six cylinder engine of the previous generation model. The 718, by comparison, sounds like a loud fart, and at certain points in the engine’s rev range, there is some distinctly unpleasant noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

In the Cayman 718 GTS, that is only exacerbated by the sports exhaust. Simply put, all it does is make an unpleasant noise louder.

This means you aren’t inclined to work the engine through the rev range as though your life depended on it. Rather, you make use of the low-down torque provided by the turbocharger. You might as well be driving a diesel.

Strangely, given the Porsche has an engine configuration that should give more character, I found myself wishing for the subtle growl of the Alpine A110’s four-cylinder motor over the parp-parp of the Porsche

Happily, the rest of the package sees the GTS redeem itself as far as possible. This remains one of the sweetest-steering, best-handling sports cars on a race track. And it’s quick. Work your way past some initial turbo lag and the engine comes alive from 4,000rpm, surging toward the rev counter’s 7,400rpm red line with gusto.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t on a race track. I was on the road, where the majority of buyers of this car would spend the majority of their time.  The formidable reserves of grip from the wide tyres, and the suspension that has less give than a skateboard, mean you will rarely reach this car’s limits, which means you’ll rarely enjoy its adjustable handling at the limit of the tyres’ grip.

Whereas in something like the lighter, more malleable Alpine A110, you can have fun on the road almost all of the time, because the level of grip from its skinny-ish tyres makes it enjoyable at sane speeds.

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The action of the manual gearbox is a joy (even if the gear ratios are too high – second reaches 70mph) the brakes are terrific and everything about the interior, the driving position and even the bonus of having two boots – one in the nose and one in the back – is satisfying.

The shock verdict, then: between the 718 Cayman GTS and the Alpine, it’s the French car that I’d sell my grandmother to own (sorry Gran). The previous generation Cayman GTS was sublime. This one isn’t.

The post Porsche 718 Cayman GTS review (2018-on) appeared first on Sunday Times Driving.

source https://www.driving.co.uk/car-reviews/porsche-718-cayman-gts-review-2018/

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Bugatti Chiron: 10 Facts

Bugatti Chiron: 10 Facts You Need To Know

We’ve shown you several flavors of the new Bugatti Chiron. If you are reading this, you probably know the major details, but some of the most amazing attributes are often overshadowed. So here are our top 10 facts that will blow your mind.

10. Got Boost?

Turbo lag is something nobody likes to acknowledge. The Veyron arrived with 4 equally sized turbos that added up to the equivalent of epic size. The only problem with epic turbochargers is that it takes time to spool them up. So taking a page from the past, the Chiron makes use of a sequential design. Two smaller turbos make boost at low speeds and feed two massive ones for high rpm boost.

9. Top Speed

It took some fine tuning and aerodynamic upgrades to create the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse. As the ultimate evolution, it had a blistering top speed of 254.04 mph. Taking the lessons learned in their top speed record attempts, the Chiron arrives with a top speed of 261. Your insurance company might adjust your premiums…The normal key is limited to 236, so don’t forget the speed key for your daily commuting.

2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1: 10 Facts You Need To Know

8. Tire Technology

Unlike the Veyron, you won’t be paying $30,000 for tires. Instead of the proprietary design used in the predecessor, the Chiron uses a more traditional wheel & tire mounting. The Veyron’s rubber can’t be attached with normal methods, and new wheels are required after 3 sets of rubber. For the new car, Michelin worked with the factory to deliver 285/30/20 on the front and 335/25/21 for the rear. This will give you a few options if you don’t plan on land speed racing.

7. Power At Any RPM

The first modern Bugatti made maximum torque once the turbos were spooled up. It was a gradual curve like most other supercars, but the Chiron needed something more. The sequential turbos mentioned above allow the new car to make maximum torque of 1,180 lb-ft at only 2,000 rpm! And it stays there all the way to 6,000 rpm. Oh, and it also has 1,500 horsepower at 6,700, can you tame it?

6. Limited Production

Get yours before they’re gone. Each Chiron is built by hand in a dedicated factory. Every aspect of the car represents years of engineering, so Bugatti is only building 500 examples.

5. Deep Breaths

With the gas pedal reaches the floor, the Chiron is inhaling 2,118 cubic feet of air per minute. That is 2.5 times more than a 1967 Corvette L88. It also equals 15,843 gallons crammed into 8 liters of space by 16 angry pistons!

4. Clean Exhaust

Every car is required to have a catalytic converter in the exhaust. They are filters used to reduce nitrogen-oxides from reaching the tailpipes. Your car probably has one, so the Chiron has 6. The honeycomb of rare metals is used to burn off the harmful oxides, and each car has 2,478,562 square feet of the catalyst material. Combined, the cats have an area equivalent to 24 home improvement stores.

3. Tuned Tweeters

If you need the ultimate in factory audio, each of the Chiron’s four tweeters is capped by a one-carat diamond.  Not just for bragging rights, the precious stones offer clean highs without distortion.

2. Cargo Space

Every time I leave my Veyron in long-term parking, my only wish is that it had room for my luggage. Bugatti must have heard my cries, so the Chiron arrives with enough room for a small rolling bag. Make sure your dealer opts for the matching luggage. The leather set is designed to optimize the front storage area.

1. High In Fiber

The factory claims the Chiron’s carbon fiber body is more rigid than most race cars. That is because it is formed and baked as one piece in a giant autoclave. So in theory, if you pulled one strand of the fiber it could unravel the car. But the length of this strand is equal to nine trips to the moon. That is why the Chiron is a mic-drop to every other car. The engineering is orders of magnitude ahead of anything else on the road, and that is why you need one.

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 Buy or sell your exotic car at duPontREGISTRY.com and check back with Autofluence.com for more supercar news.

 

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RM Sotheby’s Scottsdale 2018 Preview

Always kicking off the collector car auction season on a strong note, RM Sotheby’s returns to the vibrant grounds of the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, 18–19 January, for its 19th annual Arizona sale.

RM Sotheby’s 2018 Arizona sale is set to continue the company’s strong track record in Phoenix, presenting more than 100 blue-chip automobiles from the world’s most iconic marques. Hand-selected by RM Sotheby’s international team of specialists, the catalog will span the spectrum of the market, from pre-war classics and contemporary supercars through important sports and racing cars.

Highlights include this 1954 Jaguar D-Type Works (Estimate: $12,000,000–$15,000,000), which was the principle team car driven by Stirling Moss and Peter Walker at the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans and served as the factory development car for the 1955 season. A veritable cornerstone of Jaguar’s racing history, the car is extensively documented, including Le Mans entry forms, factory time sheets, and test reports, as well as FIA papers.

Also headlining the auction, and offered from an esteemed private collection with only four owners since new, this 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra ‘Semi-Competition’ (Estimate: $2,000,000–$2,400,000) is one of the finest, most original examples. A matching-numbers car, the Cobra has benefitted from a sympathetic restoration by renowned Cobra expert Mike McCluskey. This is an excellent opportunity to own one of the world’s best Cobras.

In addition to the Jaguar and Cobra on offer in Arizona, the sale is highlighted by a number of other fine sports and grand touring automobiles, including the oldest extant Alfa Romeo in the world, a 1921 Alfa Romeo G1 (Estimate: Available Upon Request). Offered without reserve from ‘A Century of Sports Cars Collection,’ it features a restoration completed in 2014 and was shown twice at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Another impressive offering is a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (Estimate: $950,000–$1,050,000). It is one of just 554 produced for 1957 and is offered with Baisch fitted luggage.

Among the other Ferraris on offer in Arizona, highlights include a Ferrari Classiche-certified 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS by Pininfarina (Estimate: $1,800,000–$2,200,000), one of only 99 built, and an award-winning 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso by Scaglietti (Estimate: $1,800,000–$2,200,000). Offered without reserve, it is the 275th of 350 examples built and features restoration documentation as well as a history report by Marcel Massini.

View all the stunning motor cars headed to Arizona this 18–19 January by visiting our website. Register online today to bid in person, by phone, via the Internet, or by absentee bid through an RM Sotheby’s representative.

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780 HP Ferrari 488 GTB vs 802 HP Audi R8

Monday Motivation: 780 HP Ferrari 488 GTB vs 802 HP Audi R8

We pride ourselves on bringing you the most unlikely comparisons in exotic cars for sale. Top speed runs are all the rage these days, but outside of a race track, they are only legal on the Autobahn. So our friends at AutoTopNL found two of the fastest cars in Europe for a proper showdown.

In a YouTube video uploaded on Saturday, we see a 780 horsepower Ferrari 488 GTB take on an Audi R8 tuned to 802 horsepower. In a proper use of the scientific method, the cars were tested together and also separately to showcase their abilities. Fighting for Deutschland, the home field advantage would seem to go to the R8. It packs a 5.2 liter V10 coupled to the quattro AWD system. The Italian Stallion is the latest from Maranello, with a 3.9 liter V8 coupled to twin turbos behind the cockpit.

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Both cars are modified, but the extent of the upgrades are unknown. What is clearly evident is the aerodynamic abilities at top speed. Audi and Ferrari have a very different view on differential gearing, which can make or break your acceleration on the highway. The dash cams tell a story of boost vs displacement, so tell us which car you would own and stay with us for more fast-paced footage here on Autofluence.

Monday Motivation: 780 HP Ferrari 488 GTB vs 802 HP Audi R8

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World’s First Electric G-Wagen

Arnold Schwarzenegger Shows Off the World’s First Electric G-Wagen

Once known for bodybuilding a, being the governator and hunting the Predator, Arnold Schwarzenegger is now taking on the electric automobile industry. With help from Kriesel Motors, an Austrian company that has been aiming to be a shaker and mover in the world of electric cars. Recently, Schwarzenegger visited Jay Leno’s Garage to give the host a close look at the world’s first electric Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen. The SUV is powered by electric motors that can be both charged by plug-in and repowered through regenerative braking. With a lighter weight than a standard G-Wagen, this electric SUV can run 0-62 mph in just 5.6 seconds. That’s just 0.2 seconds slower than an AMG G63, which is impressive considering this is not an AMG model. The video below is just a teaser, so stay on the lookout for the full video to come out in due time.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Shows Off the World’s First Electric G-Wagen

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Overfinch’s 2018 Range Rover

Overfinch’s 2018 Range Rover: Most Luxurious SUV Ever Created

Overfinch has revealed its stunning designs and enhancements of the new 2018 flagship Range Rover making it the most luxurious SUV ever created.

Overfinch’s 2018 model is instantly recognizable due to a deeper and more assertive front-end style incorporating an exposed carbon fiber air dam.

Overfinch’s signature LED running lights further provide a more confident and cohesive stance.

At the rear, the carbon fiber bumper includes a new and improved diffuser that is complemented by subtly engraved exhaust tips.

The color coding, sill moldings and bespoke palette options provide a greater freedom of personalization than ever before.

The upgrades also feature an array of new interior options taking SUV luxury to an unparalleled level.

Seats, which are wider with deeper cushioning, are crafted in the finest of British leathers with an increased range of trim and enhancement options offered.

Prices start from $129,500 for a 3.0-liter Supercharged V6 and $144,850 for a 5.0 Supercharged V8 Autobiography.

Pricing for bespoke commissions and armored vehicles is available on request.

Overfinch Chairman, Kevin Sloane, said: “For over 40 years Overfinch enthusiasts have received our latest creations with great excitement and the 2018 model year will be no exception because they will have more choice than ever before to create a personalized vehicle.

“When our enhancements are coupled with the design and engineering updates made to the standard Land Rover vehicle, this Overfinch conversion will be the most luxurious SUV to date.

“The visual impact of the vehicle has been maximised giving it a stronger on-road presence with an interior enjoying elevated levels of sophistication.

“Such bespoke craftsmanship is synonymous with Overfinch and the result of the 2018 model year is a distinctive, elegant interpretation of the flagship vehicle that is as exclusive as it is desirable.”

Overfinch’s enhancements come in addition to the standard Range Rover updates that include optional pixel-laser headlights and simplified taillights.

Overfinch’s 2018 Range Rover: Most Luxurious SUV Ever Created

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New Nissan Tech Will Actually Read Your Mind

New Nissan Tech Will Read Your Mind

 

The technology you see in futuristic movies is coming to real life at a rapid pace and this year’s CES show is will have a bevy of future tech on display. Nissan will be showcasing their “Brain-to-Vehicle” (B2V) technology that will give the car a glimpse into the brain of the driver.

Why You Should Buy A Nissan GT-R

The B2V tech will use signals that the driver’s brain puts out to better understand the person behind the wheel. When certain moods or waves are recognized, the B2V tech will adjust the vehicle’s systems to provide the most pleasant and reactive drive possible. Basically, the car will know what you plan on doing before you actually perform the action. Because of this, your reaction times behind the wheel will be faster than… humanly possible. Could this mean launches in the GT-R will be faster than every car out there? Now that would be nice. You can learn about the tech in the video below from Nissan.

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BMW 8-Hour M5 Drift

BMW Is Preparing For An 8-Hour M5 Drift

Nothing beats a quick drift on your daily commute. Front wheel drive enthusiasts might want to rethink their daily drivers because BMW is aiming to break the world record for the longest drift. The event will take place tomorrow and it is being sanctioned by Guinness World Records.

In a YouTube video uploaded this morning, BMW has shocked everyone with an unprecedented level of preparation. Sure it would be easy to install one giant fuel tank to break the record, and Guinness even allows for quick stops for fuel and driver swaps. But BMW never chooses the easy path. That’s why they took inspiration from military aircraft and developed a drift-capable refueling system.

Top 10 Fastest Quarter Mile Times

Utilizing an auxiliary fuel cell in the back seat, the driver will be able to transfer fuel between the main and secondary tanks to keep the car properly balanced. The new tank will be fed by a high-pressure hose from another car drifting alongside. Engineers machined a scaled-down version of aircraft components, complete with dry break-aways in case of emergency. Their goal was 18 gallons in under a minute, and they have the process down to 50 seconds.

The 2018 BMW M5 shares almost nothing in common with its predecessors. Gone is the dual-clutch transmission, so say hello to the same 8-speed automatic ZF builds for many other performance cars. It has been beefed up to handle 592 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. The front tires can now have fun thanks to the M xDrive AWD system, which arrives with an RWD-only drift mode. We wish BMW the best on this epic undertaking, and as soon as the footage is released you will see it first here on Autofluence.

BMW Is Preparing For An 8-Hour M5 Drift

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The Clarkson Review: 2017 Hyundai i30 N Performance

I WAS driving along in a dreary, ugly and unnecessary Mini Countryman the other day when an important message flashed up on the dashboard. And, after I’d ferreted about in my pockets to find my spectacles so I could read what it said, I was a bit alarmed.

I don’t recall the exact wording but, in essence, it said there was a fault with the steering system and that as a result, I should drive “moderately”.

I wonder what that means. Because Lewis Hamilton’s idea of “moderately” is rather different from James May’s. And anyway, if there’s a fault with the steering, surely it’d be better to say: “Stop immediately and flee.”

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Losing your ability to steer is worse than losing your ability to stop. I know this because I once drove a brake-free lorry across Burma and I just about managed. But when the steering locked while I was in a Renault A610, I crashed almost immediately.

The problem is, of course, that to save the polar bear, the Mini Countryman has electric power steering. And when something is electrical, you can be certain that one day it will break and you’ll have to turn it off then on again to mend it. That’s not so bad when it’s a wi-fi router but the steering on a car? When you’re driving? Hmmm.

Charles Babbage, the father of the computer, talked once about the unerring certainty of machinery. But we don’t use machinery any more because we’ve got it into our heads that circuit boards and ones and noughts can do the job better.

They can’t. A point proved by the Countryman, and by a feature you’ll see in the current series of The Grand Tour. We took some fun-sized SUVs to Canada, where they failed to do anything very well. And when we asked them to do some actual four-wheel-drive work, they responded by not working at all. The electronics simply couldn’t cope.

And that brings me on to the subject of this morning’s missive, the Hyundai i30 N, which has two speedometers. I don’t know why. One is analogue and one is digital. And at no time could they agree on how fast I was going. There was always a 3mph difference. And if they’d both been connected to the wheels with an actual cable, rather than some nerd’s wet dream, this wouldn’t have happened.

There was another issue I had with this new hot hatch. Its name: i30 N. There are certain letters that work well on the boot lid of a car. G, T, V, R, I and S are fine; B, D, U, J and L are not. But the worst letter of them all is N. I know Hyundai will say it used an N because the car was developed at the Nürburgring but we don’t need reminding. We can tell.

Hyundai — which has never made a hot hatchback before — has bought a book called How to Copy a Golf GTI and stuck rigidly to the recipe. It’s taken its ordinary five-door hatchback — the sort of car that’s bought by people who wear hats — lowered it, given it a 2-litre turbocharged engine and added some red styling details and hey presto. One hot hatch . . . that no one wants because they’d rather have a VW Golf, thanks very much, or a Renault, or a Ford.

“Reasons why you would not consider the N? First, you’d have to tell people that you’d bought a Hyundai, which, despite its successes in rallying, is a bit like saying your bladder has broken”

There’s more, I’m afraid, because instead of going to suppliers that know what they’re doing, Hyundai has got everything it needs to make this car — brakes, suspension and so on — from Korean firms no one has heard of. And that’s like having a Korean shotgun or a Korean watch.

The only way you’d be tempted is by a very low price. And on the face of it, you don’t even get that. However, if you look carefully, you will notice it includes all sorts of things that are options with a Golf GTI. Furthermore, this car was developed, in 15 months incidentally, by one of the men responsible for all BMW’s M models in recent years. He’s a man who knows what he’s doing and that shows because this car, despite its on-paper problems and an inability to work out how fast it’s going, is utterly delightful.

On an ordinary day, on an ordinary road, it’s beautifully understated. It’s quiet and comfortable and there are many toys to keep you amused. My favourite was the button that makes the exhaust go all noisy. Because then you do get people looking. And what they’re thinking is: “Why is that hat transportation device making such a rumbly sound? And why is it barking every time it’s asked to change gear?”

It’s like looking at a Secret Service agent. He’s wearing a nice suit and has a neat haircut and he could be a Wall Street functionary. Except, if you look, you can see the earpiece and if you listen hard, you can hear his controller talking about shooty stuff.

The Hyundai is very good at shooty stuff. It’s provided with an electronic system — which will break, obviously — that allows you to choose from a whopping 1,944 setups. There’s Sport and Sport+ and all sorts of individual custom programs that allow the driver to tailor each aspect to his or her personal preference, and it doesn’t matter what you do, this is a car that just works.

Maybe, if I were to pick nits, I’d argue that a hot Renault is a bit more feelsome and that a Golf GTI with a front diff is a bit more sticky in an uphill, tight, first-gear bend but as an overall package, the i30 N is a sweetheart. Even in Nutter Bastard mode, it’s not even remotely bumpy or unpleasant.

I especially like the rev match function. It was first seen on the Nissan 370Z and I’ve always wondered why more car makers haven’t copied the idea because what it does, as you change down, is rev the engine so the gearchange is smooth. It’s double declutching for you. And it’s doing this mechanically, so it’ll still be working long after the Apple CarPlay and sat nav system have gone haywire.

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Some say the bite on the clutch pedal is too high and that they wouldn’t buy this car because they kept stalling it. But that can be adjusted in about five seconds. Because it too is mechanical. And then it would be fine.

As I see it, there are only a couple of reasons why you would not consider the N if you wanted a five-door, family hatchback with a folding rear seat at the back and plenty of ponies at the front. First, you’d have to tell people that you’d bought a Hyundai, which, despite its successes in rallying, is a bit like saying your bladder has broken.

And then there’s the problem of Kim Jong-un, whose wobbly rockets may well affect your warranty one day. If you think all is well on that front, because Donald Trump would be on hand with a calm, measured response, then the i30 N makes a deal of sense. It’s come out of nowhere, this car, and is immediately a force to be reckoned with.

Tweet to @JeremyClarkson Follow @JeremyClarkson

 

Head to head: Hyundai i30 N vs VW Golf GTI

	Hyundai i30 N Performance	VW Golf GTI Performance 5dr
Price	£27,995	£30,475
Economy	39.8mpg	42.8mpg
CO2	163g/km	150g/km
0-62mph	6.1sec	6.2sec
Top speed	155mph	155mph
Boot space (seats up)	381 litres	380 litres

 

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The post The Clarkson Review: 2017 Hyundai i30 N Performance appeared first on Sunday Times Driving.

source https://www.driving.co.uk/car-reviews/clarkson/clarkson-review-2017-hyundai-i30-n-performance/