SAAB 9-3 XWD

First impressions

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This Saab doesn't look any different to the 9-3 Aero we tested late in 2007, you're thinking. And you'd be right. So how come we're saying this is a first-drive? Because, beneath, it's a car of real significance, that's why. Here, readers, is the first-ever four-wheel-drive Saab. The Swedish maker has long sworn by front-wheel-drive, of course. An engineer told me that the difference between front-drive and rear-drive in snowy Sweden is that front-drive keeps people mobile. All-wheel-drive naturally is even better at this, but it's a very expensive way of doing things, particularly if you're perennially underfunded, as Saab has been for years.

But, engineers being engineers, they tinker. What, they mused, would a 9-3 be like, using the Haldex 4WD system that turns front-drive Golfs and TTs into all-drivers? The platform wasn't designed for it, but they're engineers, so solutions could be found. Find them they did. And cigar-chomping GM bosses were so impressed, they handed over responsibility for all GM's front-drive-based 4WD models to Saab. Bingo. Sufficient funds duly released, Saab's been able to give the 9-3 a late-life flourish, with its most technically interesting model in decades. The tech is first seen on the special-edition Turbo X, but the XWD is the mainstream model, arriving later in 2008.
Performance

This super-smooth engine may lack character, but it's a technological marvel. Twin turbos contrast the V6's basic lack of torque (you can feel it if you ask, well, anything of it off-boost) with fantastic shove (up 15 per cent here), while impeccably smooth-running means gunning it is like dropping into a swimming pool full of silk. Listen hard, and there's even some of the Astra VXR's Darth Vader exhaust roar. Shame the notchy, long-winded manual gearbox remains pretty poor; the auto, with tactile steering wheel paddles, is easily preferable. But the most significant change here is this: you can use this power.

VOLVO C 30

First Impressions

How cool does this Volvo C30 look? With lowered suspension, a multi-spoiler rear and large, glinting alloys, it's every inch the sporty range-topper. How surprising, then, to actually discover it's Volvo's eco car. The greenest car ever built by the Swedish company. It's the C30 DRIVe - Volvo's Prius-beater.
Instead of using hybrid technology to save fuel, it takes the Volkswagen Bluemotion approach. Improve on what you've got, rather than debut expensive new tech. Volvo's fitted longer gear ratios, low-resistance tyres and a gearchange indicator. The power steering saves a tiny amount of fuel. Different gearbox oil has even smaller, but still useful, savings.

The biggest changes are to aerodynamics, though. The underbody is now totally smooth, so it has less resistance to airflow. There's a special rear spoiler and a bespoke bumper with built-in diffuser. Even the alloy wheels are a unique 'airflow' design - all to ensure the C30 passes through air as cleanly as possible.
All this comes at little cost, relative to hybrid expense. The C30 DRIVe range starts at £15,000 - indeed, now you can't buy a standard 1.6D model in non-DRIVe guise. Volvo's made it standard across the range. Only the racy R-Design misses out on the changes - but, so stylish are the DRIVe cars, is there even a place for that version anymore?
Performance

The 1.6-litre turbodiesel is pretty much unchanged. The main differences are modifications to the electronics, so it runs smoothly at low revs. Why? Because 3rd to 5th are 'longer', meaning the engine spins fewer revs at speed. This is good for economy, but often not for response. Luckily, this engine has clean pull at low revs.
It responds well to the accelerator and never feels like it's bogging down. It's actually slightly faster to 62mph than the outgoing non-DRIVe version, too. This is because 1st and 2nd gears have been made a bit sportier, so the gaps to the higher gears are spread out better. An inherently smooth-revving engine, it's refined and pleasant to use.

Rolls-Royce Phantom

First impressions

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It was inevitable that Rolls-Royce would build a convertible version of its Phantom saloon. Historically it is a path it has followed many times before and, traditionally, the Drophead has always been reassuringly more expensive than the four-door. In this latest incarnation the Drophead is also full of drama. Based upon the 100EX show car from 2005, it’s surprising that so much of the spectacle of the design has been carried through to the production car. With lights like these, the Phantom Drophead Coupé is hardly a thing of beauty, but it has unsurpassed visual impact. Mixing new technology with traditional values, this is a car that Rolls will have no trouble in selling the 200 it plans to build each year.

Performance

Somewhere in its history, Rolls-Royce moved from being cars of sedate luxury to something altogether more vigorous. Perhaps it was the influence of Bentley, which always had a sporting edge. As, for years, the cars were fundamentally the same, Rolls-Royce got pulled along on Bentley’s coat tails. Now the two brands are spilt apart, Rolls-Royce owned by BMW and Bentley by Volkswagen, and neither can afford to lose face. The Drophead comes with the same 6.75-litre V12 that powers the saloon, coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission. There’s nothing as brash as paddle shift or even a Sport function. You just move the steering wheel lever to Drive and perambulate off in near total silence.

But there’s much more to the car than this. Work the long accelerator pedal nearer the floor and with a slight lift of the nose, the Phantom simply takes off. The fact that it will reach 149mph is not really significant – a quick Astra will do that. Zero to 62 mph in a mere 5.9 seconds is pretty stunning though, for a car that weighs in nearer to three tonnes than two. And it continues to perform like this in near silence. Is it exciting? This is a very big car, 5.6 metres long and 2 metres wide. Punch it down a road which is even slightly limited in width and it certainly sends a tingle down your spine.

Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart

First Impressions

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The new Evo X is an amazing car but it's also an expensive one, suitably specced examples now costing £30K or more. So Mitsubishi has responded with this, the Lancer Ralliart. Based around the forthcoming five-door Sportback Lancer it's got Evo essentials like four-wheel drive and a ballistic turbo engine for a much more affordable price.
What counts as affordable though? Well, prices are yet to be fixed but expect it to cost around £21,500 when it goes on sale early next year. So we're talking Golf GTI money here, pitching the Ralliart against the Impreza WRX, Megane R26, Focus ST, Mazda3 MPS, Astra VXR and others.

And against these rivals the Ralliart has some significant advantages. Its Evo bloodline means four-wheel drive is a given. And although it runs a detuned version of the Evo's turbocharged 2.0-litre engine it's still got 237bhp and will crack 62mph in just seven seconds. But the big news is the gearbox, the Ralliart coming as standard with Mitsubishi's SST dual-clutch transmission.
That's a serious spec for this price point, considering a 227bhp Golf GTI Pirelli with a DSG gearbox would cost you £24,385. The Ralliart bathes in the reflected glory of its Evo brother too, sharing the bonnet scoops and aggressive face and pairing it with the new hatchback Lancer body. It ain't pretty but it certainly has presence.
Performance

To Mitsubishi what STI is to Subaru, Ralliart is the in-house competition and tuning department. And its name wasn't about to be used in vain. It might not be an Evo by badge but this new five-door is certainly Evo by nature and the turbocharged four-cylinder delivers its 237bhp with real vigour.
It uses a simpler turbo set up than the Evo. And although the MIVEC variable valve timing attempts to smooth the power delivery there's no hiding the forced induction character. Which is a good thing, the boost arriving in an invigorating torrent in proper, old school turbo fashion.

There's an appropriately raw edge to its power delivery too. It's just a pity it sounds so boring, with none of the Focus ST's charisma and rather less refined than the slick VW T-FSI turbo engine in the Golf GTI. If it makes you feel any better it sounds a lot better on the outside.
It does struggle with the Ralliart's hefty 1550kg kerbweight though, the four-wheel drive gubbins adding at least 200kg to the standard front-wheel drive Lancer Sportback. As such it feels rapid but perhaps not quite as ballistic as you might hope, and you really need to work the engine hard to extract it best.

MAZDA 6

First impressions

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Sick of Mazda's Zoom Zoom advertising campaign? Bad luck - you'll be hearing it everywhere as the Japanese firm pulls out all the stops to publicise the launch of its crucial new D-segment player. The sharp handling current 6 has won lots of friends and done wonders for Mazda's sales in the UK. But it looks a bit dull and the interior plastics are a bit of a let down. And with quality competition from the likes of the new Ford Mondeo and Renault Laguna, Mazda needed to up its game. Konnichiwa then to the all new 6, launched at Frankfurt last month and revealed to the press this week in an exclusive preview event.

In the crowded halls of Frankfurt the 6's debut slipped by barely noticed. But in the autumnal sunshine at the small Hungarian race circuit hired for this preview the new Mazda is a lot more striking. There are hints of Lexus in the detailing but the family resemblance to the new 2 and sporty RX-8 is also obvious. It looks good, cleaner and less fussy than the Mondeo and sharper and more distinctive than the Laguna. Interior quality and space are improved and, as with the 2, Mazda has worked hard to save weight, claiming a saving of 35kg over the current model.

The 6 will be available as a saloon, hatch or estate, the four-door coming first when the car reaches the UK early in 2008. Although it only accounts for 4% of sales in the UK the saloon is arguably the best looking variant, although all three are sharply styled with taut lines and clear Mazda DNA. And despite the common perception the 6 shares much with the Mondeo. Although Mazda is adamant this car is 100% its own work. As such the designers boast of the car's clear Japanese identity, the inspiration coming from cool industrial design and the brutal functionality of a samurai sword rather than chintzy kimono silks.
Performance

The lightness of touch means the 6 punches above its weight on the move. At launch there will be three petrol engines of 1.8, 2.0 and 2.5 litres with a 2.0-litre diesel following shortly after. If the current shape car is anything to go by this will be by far the biggest seller but for the preview it was petrol engines only. All are keen, revvy units and fundamentally the same as those in the current car, with the exception of the 2.5. Best all rounder, however, is probably the 2.0-litre, with 145bhp and 136lb ft of torque. Like all the petrol engines it is refined at low revs and a little boomy when you approach the redline.

First Drive: AMS Murtaya

First Impressions

Adrenaline describes the Murtaya as an everyday supercar, and it certainly lives up to that tagline, thanks to 911 GT3-humbling pace combined with decent practicality and reliable Subaru underpinnings. There are few cars which can match its all round capability and even fewer at the same sort of price.
The Murtaya demonstrator, based on a near-standard Impreza WRX, has been officially timed at 3.5 seconds to 60mph. From a standstill it will hit 100mph in 7.5 seconds (around the same time as a Koenigsegg CXX) and top speed ranges from 145mph to well over 170 depending on the gearing.
Performance

So it's fast, but what's truly addictive is the way in which that performance is delivered. Initially it seems modest, a little tame even, but then suddenly the turbo reaches full boost and the Murtaya is catapulted down the road at a ferociously rapid pace.
One AMS customer also has a tuned Porsche 911 GT3 and claims the Murtaya is faster. It's not hard to believe. The abrupt delivery takes some getting used to. You have to be wary of accelerating mid-corner, but once you learn to work with it, the turbocharged rush becomes highly addictive.

Chrysler Grand Voyager

First impressions

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Honestly? The very first thing we noticed about the all-new Chrysler Grand Voyager is that Chrysler has managed to make its big MPV look much more like a van. Previous generations have always had a swoopy, almost futuristic, look about them. Very distinctive, to the point where we wonder just how much of their success was down to this exterior visual appeal. Because make no mistake, the Grand Voyager has been a massive success - with over 12 million sold world wide, including over 51,000 in the UK. Despite less than brilliant Euro NCAP scores, and some poor quality interior plastics.

So, putting the looks to one side - very much subjective, after all - what else is new? Well, Chrysler says there are "more than 30 new features" for the 2008 model, including some impressive in-car entertainment options, improved safety equipment, and a new six-speed automatic gearbox that replaces the old four-speed unit. The clever Stow 'n Go seating system also makes it to the standard equipment list on all three trim levels. This enables both rear seat rows to disappear into the floor, creating an enormous, flat load area, a trick that none of the Grand Voyager's competitors can currently match.
Performance

All the cars on launch were fitted with a 2.8-litre CRD turbodiesel engine. Top spec Limited is available with a 3.8-litre V6 petrol, but since this only manages 22.2mpg combined, and is no cheaper than the equivalent diesel, it probably won't be too popular. The diesel produces 161bhp and a useful 265lb ft of torque - shrugging off the Limited version's 2175kg kerbweight with aplomb. 0-62mph takes 12.8 seconds, top speed is 115mph. Seven passengers plus luggage will slow things down though, and even empty the refinement is distinctly old school diesel. The six-speed autobox is a huge improvement, however.

Ariel Atom 3

First impressions

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It's the middle of November, the temperature is hovering around the five-degrees Celsius mark and there's an intermittent drizzle of rain. Not quite the best of days to be testing the new Ariel Atom 3 then, because this no-nonsense road racer doesn't even have a windscreen, never mind doors or a roof. I'm quite well prepared, though; I had the foresight to bring a helmet, gloves, a waterproof coat and a flask of tea to bring me back to life. But when I see the skeletal Atom parked up, two seats, a steering wheel and the most basic collection of controls ever, I begin to realise that testing this car today wasn't the wisest decision I've ever made.

However, I'm not about to wimp out now. Getting into the Atom is relatively simple; step on the seat, slide your feet into the footwell, lower yourself into position and buckle the simple harness. Once in place it's amazing how wide the Atom feels, a sense that is heightened by the open-wheel design and the thick metal poles that basically hold this car together, interlaced with nothing but air. Behind you is a huge sucking air vent, and below that the engine, a Honda Civic Type-R engine that has been cranked up to 245bhp. We are in for some fun today!
This is actually the new car, although spotting the changes takes a keener eye than mine. Apparently the chassis has been completely rebuilt making it stiffer than before. It has also been widened to give a bit more shoulder room in the cabin, and the dampers are now adjustable to allow you to set it up perfectly for track and road use.
Performance

Thumb the big starter button and the Atom doesn't bark, pop and beat its chest like a Caterham R400 (look out for a twin test very soon). The noise is really flat and civilised, actually. We edge out of the Ariel car park, and the car's controls (throttle, steering, gear shift) are all light and friendly so there is no lurching and hopping like you get in a lot of cars of this ilk. It's still a bit damp, so we take it easy for the first few miles until we hit some hilly roads that are a bit drier and open the taps.

Within an instant my brain has been turned into scrambled egg and we're warping across the Somerset countryside like a low-flying fighter jet. Bury your foot in any gear and the engine responds instantly; I now understand why no supercar would stand a chance against an Atom across roads like these. The sound, too, changes into a deep roar that reverberates off your chest when you bite into the Honda engine's Vetec power band. I can't quite comprehend how stupendously fast this car is - and this is the slow one. There's a supercharged version as well.

Infiniti FX-50

First Impressions

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Does the name Infiniti mean anything at all to you? Nissan has gambled that within the next year it will make a big impact. It's been around for some 20 years as the luxury arm of the Japanese manufacturer, with sales largely confined to the US. They don't even sell Infiniti in Japan.
Now the cars are coming to Europe, and though the UK launch seems to keep sliding back, the cars are promised by early summer 2009. The marketing tack seems to have changed too. The impression that Infiniti is to Nissan what Lexus is to Toyota - with the emphasis on luxury and quality to tackle the German brands - has been superseded by the highlighting of the performance aspects of Infiniti.

There's good reason. The smallest engine currently on offer in any Infiniti - G27, a 3-Series-sized saloon, the Q5-baiting EX37 SUV and the giant FX- is a 3.7 V6 with 316bhp. The FX also gets a 385bhp V8. These are hardly the specifications anyone would dream up at this time of global financial crisis, but there is a ray of encouragement in the form of a new 3.0-litre turbodiesel that has just been launched in the Renault Laguna Coupe. The saloon won't get it though.
This FX is selling very well in states where fuel costs are less of an issue; the Russians love it, apparently. And it does look pretty damn good. Lower than any rival 4x4, there's a long curvaceous bonnet and swooping passenger compartment to make this a stand out machine. The interior is equally tantalising, real gentleman's club ambience and comfort.
Performance

The FX is, surprisingly, something of lightweight for an SUV. Weighing in at around two tonnes, it uses aluminium panels to help keep the weight down and the performance up. With its long bonnet and the front wheels pushed well forward, it looks fast even at the kerbside. And quick it certainly is. The 5.0-litre V8 is eager and responsive, and you just need to floor the throttle to get instant V8 excitement.
The engine revs to 6,800rpm and the variable valve time encourages you to make full use of the rev range. The seven-speed auto is terrific, within a sport mode that hangs onto gears longer and predicts downchanges before you do. There are also some fancy magnesium paddle shifts behind the steering wheel, and these are a real pleasure to use too.

Bugatti Veyron

That’s perhaps disappointing if you want to brag to your pedantic gazillionaire pals that your car’s packing over 1000bhp. Until you realise that 1001hp is a minimum figure, set in the worst conditions. To be sure it never produces less than its claimed output, Bugatti quietly suggesting the mighty 8.0-litre, 16-cylinder engine actually develops around 1050hp, or 1035bhp to you and me. And that’s plenty. It’s enough to make this carbon-fibre machine produce some scarcely believable figures. On the way to that headline 253mph top speed it’ll reach 62mph in just 2.5 seconds, 124mph in 7.3 seconds and 186mph in 16.7 seconds.
To put those figures into perspective, the last really fast car I drove was Ferrari’s 599 GTB Fiorano. Hardly a slouch, the 599 reaches 62mph in 3.7 seconds and 124mph in 11 seconds. But drive the Ferrari 599 past a stationary Veyron at 62mph during its 11 second 124mph sprint and the Bugatti will catch up by the time the Italian reaches 124mph. From a standing start. That’s performance that’s difficult to comprehend, and I’ve just had my first taste of it. I’m not in the driving seat yet, Bugatti’s ‘Pilote officiel’ Pierre-Henri Raphanel taking the wheel to familiarise me with it prior to swapping seats for a while.
Mind-blowing
He pins the accelerator on the first straight stretch of road outside the Molsheim plant. The effect is absolutely extraordinary. I’ve never felt acceleration like it. It literally takes a second or two for my brain to comprehend what’s going on. The trees lining the typical French country road blur into a solid tunnel of foliage, the Veyron pulling me into my seat with the sort of violence a parachutist feels when pulling the rip-cord. Any attempt at remaining calm is lost when the Veyron does its party trick. I’m left both giggling like a schoolboy and swearing like a trooper, the expletives unconsciously yelled out in utter amazement.

Hummer H3

First impressions

Sick of the humdrum? Then you need a Hummer. The Arnie-mobile is now officially on sale in the UK and what's more, like the actor-turned-politician, it's now right on. As in, right-hand-drive, right-sized for UK, and right-priced, too. Yours for £26,495, and enjoying the full marketing support of the mighty GM UK, it's now more viable than it has ever been. Well, as viable as a big petrol-engined SUV can be in these ecologically-enlightened times. That bit is not quite so right-on. But as Hummer rightfully points out, it's like nothing else. Righting the planet is not why you'll buy an H3. At least, as we'll see, not yet.

H1 and H2 Hummers are massive behemoths that won't even fit in a UK parking bay. This H3 will, though. What's more, onlookers will no longer flee in terror when they see you. Oh, sure, they'll still gawp; with all that chrome, the distinctively square-set profile and the sort of ground clearance that allows Labradors to gallop beneath, they can't fail to. But militaristic might has been civilianised. You'll no longer see one on the road and fear a coup. You may even admire the chrome detailing, the moodily-shallow windows, the Meccano-look underpinnings. Will you from behind the wheel, though?
Performance

Hummer doesn't yet offer a diesel H3. It will do in time, but for now it's a 3.7-litre five-cylinder petrol, producing 244bhp and 241lb/ft of torque. These are decent stats for the class, if not for such a large engine. And fittingly, Hummer only quotes off-road performance stats; there are no acceleration times available. So what's the subjective impression? The parpy-sounding powerplant is raucous during acceleration, still there but less offensive at a cruise. Lift off the throttle and, in our test four-speed auto, the revs drop appreciably, before zapping back up when you apply the throttle; you notice this most because of the vibes it produces.

Citroen C5

First impressions

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Ugh, I thought, when I first saw the old C5. What a missed opportunity. Seven years on, no such mistakes with this one. Hitting showrooms in April, Citroen's big new Mondeo challenger is yet another design highlight in the burgeoning large family car sector. Who said it was dead? So it was me, oohing, when I first saw the slim windowline capping gently contoured side panels, the charismatic long front overhang that's so classically Citroen, the delicious concave rear screen with mere hints of flying buttresses. Soft, organic creases abound, contrasting with the sector's identikit German sharpness. This is a luxurious-looking saloon of status. Just like Citroens of yore. Wow supplants ugh.
Performance

The engines are as for the old C5. Forgettable petrol units, which will be replaced by units joint-developed with BMW before long, plus 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre HDi diesels that will sell best. There is also a 2.2-litre HDi, and the Jaguar XF's sexy twin-turbo 2.7-litre V6 diesel that will be a hen's-teeth indulgence. We preferred the smoother 1.6 HDi, which was less throbby than the 2.0 and offered fewer vibrations as you explored the rev range. And with 110bhp against 136bhp it felt negligibly slower too, the hefty tonne and half-plus of weight dulling the vigour of both. Both intruded more than you'd expect ... simply because the rest is so quiet.
Ride and handling

This is where the C5 differs from any rival. If Peugeot's 407 is sporty, the C5, which shares key underpinnings, is its smooth-riding nemesis. That much is apparent in the first 100 yards, where the Citroen's far more relaxed suspension settings waft and glide, rather than chatter about everything the road surface is doing. This is the case even with the standard 'steel-sprung' car. Remarkably, Citroen has tuned conventional suspension to offer the same fluid, relaxed gait as the hydraulic machine, certainly at first. Where it can't quite compare is in isolating occasional harshness from potholes, expansion joints and the like. The wheels can thud and bosh on pot-marked surfaces.

The hydraulic car does this too. Where it differs is in its unique 'floating on air' feel not entirely dissimilar to an old Rolls-Royce. Not everyone likes it but it's worth tuning into it for a totally unique approach that infuses lusciousness like waves. Meanwhile the steering is very light, and very light on feel, but fairly chatty on the limit. If you intelligently compensate for initial roll, double wishbones and multi-link rear systems plant the C5 reassuringly and summon ample grip and bite. Remember, this uses the Peugeot 407's clever front hub, with resulting strong front-end grip. It's not a sporty car but stable, reassuring and easy, just as you'd expect.
Interior

Who says the French can't do tactility? The C5's interior is a fest of quality, intrigue and interest - that is (engines apart) hushed at most speeds like few rivals are. Huge, indulgent seats cosset you from a regally high position, the soft-touch, low-sheen dash pleases the eye and delights the brain with all its many tricks and quirks. Dials, for instance, have floating needles and are set in a cowl like a classic Citroen DS; that fixed-hub steering wheel is delightfully weird, the stack of buttons everywhere surely perfectly intuitive once you've applied the brainwork to learn them. SX, VTR and Exclusive trim lines won't be short of kit, either.

IFR SUPERSPORT

First Impressions

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If you saw our coverage from the British International Motor Show earlier this year you'll know we got rather excited about the IFR Aspid. Excited enough to put it in our top 10 BIMS 'must see' cars, and ... you get the picture.
So having written lots of nice stuff about it in our show coverage and embarked on a sustained campaign of schmoozing and eyelash fluttering (it wasn't a pretty sight) IFR has relented and given us an exclusive early drive in the Aspid. We're not usually so blatant but every now and then it's worth it.

Why the fuss though? Well, it's not hard to see why the Aspid turned heads at ExCel. The open-wheeled styling, carbon fibre bodywork, detachable door hatches and insect-like front lights are all dramatic enough. But that's nothing when you hear about what this car can do.
Like go from 0-100-0mph in nine seconds. Even a Veyron is going to struggle to get anywhere near figures like that. 62mph comes up in a scarcely relevant 2.9 seconds and on the Catalan rally stage roads near IFR's factory the engineers reckon it's faster than a full-on WRC car.
Performance

The Aspid can be had in normally aspirated Sport or supercharged Supersport variants, both using the engine from the Honda S2000. Which, with its screaming 9,000rpm redline and race engine technology, suits the car well. We drove the Supersport, which has a staggering 402hp. In a car weighing 740kg - 200kg less than a Lotus Exige.
Driving through the standard Honda six-speed manual gearbox (it's one of the best there is so why bother changing it?) and sticky track-spec Toyo tyres it simply erupts down the road, the power delivery not unlike that of the aforementioned Exige, which also uses a high-revving, supercharged engine.

It's way faster though. You need to reconfigure your brain to get a handle on just what it's capable of and even then it's shockingly quick. And when you learn that the guys behind it are all ex-rally engineers it begins to make some sort of sense, especially on the twisty mountain roads on which it has been honed.
Veyron-baiting acceleration times are something of a red herring too. Because although the Aspid takes off like it's been fired off the front of an aircraft carrier its performance envelope only really extends up to around 130mph. Supercars will eventually outdrag the Aspid on an autobahn. But on a twisting mountain road nothing is going to get anywhere near it.

Farbio GTS

First impressions

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Is it the new Lotus Eagle? Nope. The much rumoured baby McLaren then? Wrong again. I know - it's that Farboud thing from Project Gotham Racing! Mmm, kind of... Now engineered into production reality, millionaire car nut Arash Farboud's ambitious plan to build a Porsche and Ferrari slaying supercar of his own design has evolved into this, the Farbio GTS. With Farboud now off and indulging his fantasies in new projects the name change underlines quite how much the car has changed since it was first seen in 2004. Let's start from the top. Or actually the bottom...

Farboud's orginal design looked very similar but used an expensive aluminium chassis, F1-style pushrod suspension and a twin-turbo V6 from the first generation Audi RS4. With Ferrari and Porsche in its sights the car was expected to cost north of £100,000 and boast suitably bonkers performance. But when ex-Marcos man Chris Marsh took the project on he realised making the car into a viable production vehicle would require some serious rethinking and a more real world pricetag of £60,000. The finished product looks very similar to the Farboud but uses a much more cost effective steel space frame and carbon body combination, conventional double wishbone suspension and a Ford 3.0-litre V6 engine.
Performance

In the classic mould of small-scale British sports car builders Farbio follows the mantra of less is more. And by making the Farbio as light as possible it has been able to avoid spending lots of money on an expensive and complicated engine to give the necessary performance. As such the Ford V6's 262bhp is good enough to deliver ballistic pace. Extensive use of carbon fibre - all the bodywork is made from the stuff - means a kerbweight of just 1,048kg. That's a couple of hundred kilos more than an Elise but still significantly less than most hot hatches - even a supposedly minimalist Renault Clio 197 Cup weighs around 1,200kg.

Daihatsu Copen

First impressions

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According to some, it seems all the little Daihatsu Copen’s got going for it is the ability to make big blokes looks daft. Despite an enthusiastic chassis and a turbocharger, the original version of this miniature coupé-convertible – which arrived in the UK in 2004 – has been consigned to status as a second-rate fashion accessory for the girl about town. I say second-rate guardedly but let’s face it, the Daihatsu badge doesn’t have the strongest image appeal. The 660cc capacity of its original engine wasn’t exactly macho, either – if in keeping with the diddy dimensions that make it an authentic micro-sized ‘Kei-car’ in its Japanese homeland.
Pricing and spec for the Daihatsu Copen

Kei-car rules govern the external dimensions, engine size and power output. However, for 2007 Daihatsu has said to hell with the restrictions and shoehorned a 1.3-litre engine under the Copen’s tiny bonnet. Featuring Dynamic Variable Valve Timing (DVVT), this not only considerably improves performance, but also ups the fuel economy and refinement as well. Suddenly this modern day Midget seems a far more intriguing driving proposition; Daihatsu has even stuck on a boot spoiler to beef up the visuals. Enough to overcome the image ‘issues’ facing occupants (especially if they are male…)? Here’s where we find out.
Performance

It may well have a new 1.3-litre engine – stolen from the Daihatsu Sirion supermini, incidentally – but in most circumstances 86bhp wouldn’t sound like anywhere even approaching enough. But as with all things Copen, you need to recalibrate your sense of perspective. Even with the bigger motor, it still only weighs 850kg – which is less than a basic Ford Ka. Top speed is up to 112mph and 0-62mph takes 9.5 seconds. 2.2 seconds quicker than before – despite longer gearing for added motorway refinement – this matches junior fun hatches including the Fiat Panda 100hp, and betters Ford’s SportKa.

HYUNDAI SONATA

The Sonata is one of this relatively young company’s longest-running models. The fifth-generation version is, however, all new – giving it a vital distinction over today’s lacklustre model. The extent of the outgoing car’s mediocrity is highlighted by the used market’s willingness to pay just 18 per cent of the list price for it after three years. Experts CAP and Glass’s reckons that will almost double with the new model. So is it doubly more appealing? Certainly you now won’t be embarrassed to drive it. The dimensions are set somewhere in between a Mondeo and an exec saloon, giving it a degree of presence, while the sharply cut lines have some appeal in places. The rear looks like an old Toyota Camry but that’s no bad thing, while you will swear the front headlights and wings have been stolen from an Audi A4. Flattering comparisons, while the 17-inch alloys give it a stance confident enough to carry them off. Special mention too for the paint quality, which is leagues ahead of many other Hyundais.
Inside
New Hyundai Sonata - interior
The improvements continue as you get in, where there’s tight, crisp assembly and some soft-feel materials to enjoy. Initially you’ll be fiddling with the seat height lever, but accept it’s set far too high even on its ‘lowest’ setting and try to forget it, and the lack of side support, because the tidy cabin is the Sonata’s key selling feature. Why? Because, for a £16,495 list price, it is loaded with equipment. Not just all-electric windows, electric mirrors, CD player, air con and trip computer, but luxuries such as full leather interior, MP3-compatible stereo, front fog lamps and ESP stability control. The latter is a first for any Hyundai, reducing the risk of skids, spins or other such drama. Six airbags are an additional passive safety net.

Dodge SRT-10

500bhp is a figure that a few years ago would not only have been unusual, but hugely intimidating, too. It’s becoming fairly commonplace now, as manufacturers seem intent on out-doing each other with ever-spiralling outputs.
Dodge SRT-10
Intimidating? Slightly, but with modern electronics keeping an eye on you via ever more sophisticated stability, braking and stability control systems anyone can drive 500bhp quickly and safely, without too much effort. The problem with such machines however is just that. Despite their gargantuan power they’re often so easy to drive that there’s little pleasure to be had from doing so.
The thrill has gone, the digital processor taking the edge off what should be an analogue experience. However, there’s always the Dodge SRT-10 for an old-school fix.
Winding back the clock
That Dodge SRT-10 badge might mean nothing to you, but if I told you that in its US homeland it’s badged Viper it should make more sense. Sharing the same visual presence as its predecessor, there’s no mistaking its lineage with its overt, aggressive styling, so why not the badge?
Someone else owns the rights to the name in the UK - so SRT-10 it has to be. We tried to comply to this soulless moniker, but after a day replying to the constant question “what is it?” with the response “Dodge SRT-10” and getting blank looks, we simply reply “Viper”. It’s likely the fifteen or so customers Dodge expects this year, like us, will tire of trying to explain it and simply do the same.
But to keep the lawyers happy it’ll remain as an SRT-10 here, the 10 referring to the number of cylinders in the SRT-10’s V10 powerplant. Famously based on a truck engine, a truck as in ‘pick-up’, it’s got a whopping 525lb ft torque to better its headline 500bhp figure.
And it should, as being 8.3-litres it’s comfortably the largest capacity engine available in a car in the UK. Unsurprisingly, it’s a lazy performer, that huge low rev grunt to allowing it to cruise about all day without touching the first few gears. At 70mph on the motorway the rev counter reads 1,500rpm in sixth. Which is just ticking over.

Kia pro_cee'd

First impressions

Click images to enlarge, more below
Kia's on a mission to build its image in the UK and much, for the time being, hangs on the pro_cee'd. Apart from the silly name and punctuation, the pro_cee'd has dynamic and sporty styling, even though fundamentally it's a three-door version of the five-door hatch, albeit with almost every body panel changed. The only other company to do that is Vauxhall, which differentiates its three-door Astra with a much more aggressive, coupé-like body. Both this Astra and the pro_cee'd effectively give you something for nothing, the sense of buying into a coupé without the price premium this would normally involve. The pro_cee'd costs exactly the same as the five-door version, but gets additional equipment - 17-inch alloys and a sports trim pack in this level 3 model.
Performance

It may look sporting, the pro_cee'd is mechanically almost identical to the regular model, though with one important difference, which we'll come to shortly. That means the most powerful model is the 2.0 CRDi with 138bhp, though it's this 1.6-litre petrol model with 124bhp that is arguably more fun. That's because, if you choose to push on, there's a wide rev range and an eagerness to the engine at the upper end that makes it seem to be on your side of this driving adventure. Ultimately it's not that fast - 0-62mph takes 10.8 seconds, a long way off hot hatch pace - but it does well enough. There's a fair level of torque too, so you don't have to keep changing gear to keep the speed up.

Ford Fiesta

Impressions of the best-sellers will have to wait. There is an entry 1.2-litre 68bhp, but this labours to 62mph in 16.9secs. Most will choose the 1.2-litre 82, which chops over 3.5secs from this yawning time. There's a 1.4-litre petrol and diesel too, the former offering an automatic option. We enjoyed the 1.6s instead.
The TDCi 90 diesel seems to lack 20bhp and a gear ratio, but is otherwise it's the smooth-revving, sophisticated Ford diesel we're well familiar with. Usefully torquey and with mid-range go you actually feel does something, it's linear and easy - if not exactly fast. No, more excitement comes from the brand-new, £500-cheaper 1.6 petrol.

Stocked up with variable cam timing, the Ti-VCT 120 is a gem. For a modern 'eco' petrol, it's amply useful at lower revs, but comes alive above 4500rpm. Then, to a twin-cam growl, it flings ever-harder to the redline (and, on test cars, well beyond), serving up punch and alacrity in ample measure.
Ford petrols never used to be this sweet - it's an absolute corker, and like the diesel, is mated to one of the best gearboxes around. The snappy, easy shift is as accurate as the brakes and throttle, all helping make the Fiesta a delight to control. Something that will satisfy everyone, not just enthusiasts.

Lotus Elise SC v Honda S2000

both channel this into their road cars and use it as a basis for their trademark engineering approaches. Honda's high-revving, naturally aspirated engines are justly famed. And Lotus is equally hailed for its lightweight, minimalist approach and application of innovative chassis technology.
First seen in 1999, the Honda S2000's handsome, classical roadster proportions were matched with a simply incredible 2.0-litre engine capable of revving to 9,000rpm. An MX-5 for grown-ups, the S2000 gained a reputation for somewhat snappy handling that Honda has addressed with a number of tweaks and upgrades, most recently at the beginning of this year.
But can an updated version of a nine-year-old car really take on Lotus's latest and greatest? That's what we're here to decide, the British corner being fought by the supercharged Elise SC. Weighing just over 900kg and powered by a supercharged 1.8-litre Toyota engine revving to over 8,000rpm, this latest Elise is a formidable package.
Standing up for the Honda, Dan reckons its usability, fast-acting powered hood, value for money and that wondrous engine still make it a contender. But surely the hardcore appeal and blistering performance of Ian's Lotus are more than enough to see it triumph in this contest? Stand back and watch the sparks fly...

Caddilac CTS

The 2009 Cadillac CTS-V begins production in August, 2008 and is an impressive 35% more powerful than previous CTS models thanks to its new Eaton supercharger. It can go from 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds in part to the new CTS-V’s engine (LSA V-8), which is based off of the Corvette’s ZR1 engine. Moreover, the LSA V-8 engine is a 6.2 liter, V-8 that delivers a mind-blowing 550 hp and 550 lb-ft. of torque. The 2009 CTS-V averages 16 mpg in city driving conditions and 25 mpg in highway driving conditions.

Crimes Aginst Motoring

Think you’ve seen the most terrible car of all time? Think again: we’ve trawled the depths of design and usability to dredge up the worst of the worst.After all, it would be far too cruel to just single one out for abuse, especially when there's a wealth of awful motors to pick from. So we've put together a list of what we think are the most hideous cars of all time.And we're not talking about the worst-selling cars here, because we're sure there are some that haven't sold that well but were actually pretty good efforts.Instead, cars have entered this list for a number of factors, including poor engineering, hideous design, lack of safety – and in a couple of cases, a tendency to explode. No, we’re not joking.

Finest Ferraris

These are exciting times for Ferrari, with the recent launch of the California droptop at the Paris International Motor Show in October and now the unveiling of one of the fastest ever convertibles to come out of Italy – the Scuderia Spider 16M.With a top speed of 195mph, the 16M is the fastest roadster Ferrari has ever built, and with a chassis inspired by the fabulous F430, we expect all 499 units of this car to sell out within a matter of seconds.There's no doubt that anything that comes off the seemingly faultless Ferrari production line is normally a truly great car and worthy of making the motoring news headlines, but do these new cars rank as all-time greats?In our opinion, it's still too soon to tell. After all, like a fine wine, sometimes a car needs to mature before it can be deemed a classic.But in the mean time, we thought we'd put together a list of the cars that these young colts could be joining in the list of the greatest Ferraris of all time. We certainly wouldn't bet against the California being in among them in 10 years’ time.So get your napkins at the ready, because you'll be drooling come the end of this magnificent list of the greatest Ferraris of all time.

Legends of Japan

Japanese car enthusiasts around the globe have been celebrating the unveiling of pictures of the new Nissan 370Z Coupé , the latest version of the “Z cars” from one of Japan's most famous manufacturers.The Datsun (Nissan's original name) 240Z was the first sports car from a Japanese manufacturer to break the American market when it launched in 1969, and is a legendary sports car in its own right.And the new Nissan Z Coupé continues the good work started by the Datsun. Looking similar to its predecessor in the Z line, the 350Z, it is powered by a 3.7-litre V6 engine, the same one used in the G37 model from Nissan's luxury car line, Infiniti.Similar to the G37, this sixth generation of the Z car should come with either six-speed manual transmission or seven-speed automatic options, but the 0-60mph and the top speed it delivers remains unknown.It's the latest in a long line of Japanese cars to take the world by storm, and to celebrate its unveiling, we’ve put together a gallery of some of the finest and most popular cars to ever come out of Japan.

Best ever supercars

Since the dawn of motoring, car designers have been striving to come up with the greatest vehicle to ever hit the road.And McLaren may have done just that with their latest version of the SLR, the McLaren SLR Speedster.Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton has been consulting on the project, so it looks set to have some of the best performance and handling capabilities ever experienced in a supercar.Though it's yet another SLR, the Speedster looks nothing like its predecessors – thanks to its roofless, double cockpit design - and is sure to set the heart of even the most demanding supercar connoisseur racing.With a top speed of over 220mph and a price tag said to be around £600,000, this classy motor will tick all the right boxes when it comes to satisfying all that's required to be one of the world’s best supercars.To celebrate the unveiling of this latest image of the Speedster, we’ve put together a gallery of our pick of the world’s best ever supercars - an exclusive club to which the new SLR is certain to become a member.Feast your eyes on our selection of the top supermodels on today's roads - from the Bugatti Veyron to the Porsche 911, - then vote for your favourite.

Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S

It’s a sporty upgrade to the existing Quattroporte. The new Quattroporte Sport GT S is 10mm lower at the front, 25 mm lower at the rear, and comes equipped with stiffer springs and dampers than the standard car. There are a few upgrades, including the black-chrome mesh front grille, black side window trim and exhausts, and body colored door handles. 550.

Bentley continental GT Speed

It’s the most powerful production Bentley ever and the first to top 200mph. The GT Speed comes loaded with a 600bhp, 6-liter twin turbocharged W12 engine that offers 553 lb ft of torque. The car races from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. When compared with the conventional Continental GT, the GT Speed provides 15% more torque and 9% more power.
The usage of lower friction, lighter-weight components and a new engine management system accounts for the high energy efficiency.The wide 9.5J20 inch wheels and bespoke come along with the GT Speed while you can also opt for the fade resistant carbon ceramic brakes. Dark dyed front grille and bigger sports tailpipes add to the sporty looks of the car. The fuel economy is also impressive at 17mpg for the Speed.

Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

Alfa Romeo was pulled out of the United States in 1995 and many rumors came our way about it’s coming back but all proved to be bogus. But now, the automaker has chosen this weekend’s Meadowbrook Concours d’Elegance luxury car show to mark its comeback with the 8C Competizione supercar. The new 8C flagship touts a carbon fiber body, a 450hp 4.7L V8 engine and a six-speed paddle-shifter transmission.

Aston Martin DBS

Advanced materials and techniques have been used to reduce the weight and boost the performance and dynamics. Deliveries are expected to start during Q1 of 2008 with price starting at a stocky US $250,000.

Ferrari F430 Scuderia 3

Another exclusive feature of the car is gold, ten-spoked wheels. Aimed straight at the sports driving enthusiasts, the Ferrari F430 Scuderia is expected to be produced in limited run. Look for the Ferrari F430 Scuderia and Mr. Schumacher to unveil the new Ferrari at the Frankfurt Auto Show this 2007.

Lamborghini Revention Supercar

The rumors of a Lamborghini Supercar have just come true after the company took wraps off the Lamborghini Revention at the the FrankFurt Auto Show. The limited edition Supercar isx based upon the current Murcielago LP640. Details are scanty for the moment but, it is being said that 20 such cars will be built, with each carrying a price tag of €1 million.

Lumbo

Earlier, Lambo president Stephan Winkelmann cited:
I can confirm those rumors, but at this stage I will have to make you wait until the Franfurt Auto Show, where we will release more details...I can’t confirm the price at this stage, but it will be very expensive indeed.
Anyway, the beast is powered by a 650hp 6.5L V12 engine with max torque at 660Nm. The Reventon accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds and has a maximum speed of over 340km/h. The interiors are army green and the carbon-fiber is used expansively for the body with the panels riveted to a chassis. It makes use of seven LEDs for the daytime lights and nine other for the indicators.

Zonda R 1

Although the details are scanty but, the news around the hot tub is that the Zonda R from Pagani will be power-driven by a 7.3L V12 throwing out 750hp and 523 lb/ft of torque. The official renderings have been made public. We can certainly expect it to be technologically advanced like the $2 million DiMora Natalia SLS 2. The track ready car will be produced in

Zonda

It is being reported that the first Zonda R could be seen at the next year’s Geneva Motor show in March. The luxury roadster does resemble the current C12. Anyhow, the two cars share a mere ten percent of their parts.

Sedan

This sports luxury sedan is hotly anticipated by the automobile industry. It has the credit of being the being the world’s most luxurious, expensive and technologically advanced car in its booty. Straight from the house of DiMora Motorcar, the Natalia SLS2 touts a variable cylinder and aluminum DiMora Volcano V16 engine with 120 hp.

Dimora

There are over 50 computer systems that monitor every aspect of the sedan. The computer alerts the driver in case of drowsiness and very interestingly, the interior temperature, lighting, and the music is adjusted automatically according to the emotional state of the driver. That’s exceptionally cool. Oh my Gosh! You can even enrich yourself with a high-tech luxury massage on the rear seat.
Moreoever, Natalia employs color change technology and can transform from black to blue in exteriors whereas from black to white when it’s quite sunny outside. The car senses the emotional state of the driver including stress, heart, and temperature levels and then transfers the data to the onboard computers for interactions. The powerful four-door sport luxury car is already in the works. Priced at US $2 million.

Lexus LS 600h

With its 426 kW (580 bhp), it is the most powerful model in the current Audi range and with the exception of pure racing cars like the Le Mans-winning Audi R10 TDI, it is the most potent Audi of all time. The RS6 is blessed with the standard 19-inch wheels with the new 10-spoke design with 255/40 R 19 tyre size while the optional 20-inch wheels are fitted with 275/35 R 20 tyres. The clear front-end design with the remodeled bumper and accentuated apertures gives Audi RS6 a striking and self-assured look. To create space in the front apron for additional air flow, the halogen fog lights have been integrated alongside the bi-xenon headlights.

RS 6 Avant

RS 6 Avant offers an extraordinary blend of sporty elegance and exclusiveness. Buyers can choose between the multifunction sports steering wheel with a 3 spoke design and the characteristic flat-bottomed RS sports steering wheel. The cockpit with its piano black finish in the typical RS design also features a boost pressure gauge. The sports seats are covered in a combination of leather and Alcantara with an embossed RS 6 emblem or optionally wrapped completely in Silk Nappa or Valcona leather.

Bugatti Veyron 16

Driving and riding in a classy and expensive vehicle is usually taken as a status symbol. Super luxury cars have been here after Karl Benz got that first patent for a motorwagen in Germany in January 1886. Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is the car that currently holds the title of being the fastest, most powerful and most expensive production car in the world with a price tag of $1,700,000. But, the scenario is going to change (in terms of pricing, not speed) as DiMora Motors have announced the production of a US $2 million luxury car. Here, I have compiled a list of top 10 luxury cars coming your way. Check them out.

Avant

Due to be unveiled to the public for the first time at the IAA 2007 in Frankfurt, the Audi RS 6 Avant delivers a perfect blend of outstanding top performance and maximum dynamism. Featuring a newly developed V10 engine with FSI direct injection and twin turbochargers, it delivers 580 bhp and a torque of 100 hp (more than a Porsche Turbo). The Avant races from 0-100 km/h in only 4.6 seconds. The new Audi RS6 is the most powerful road-going Audi ever, but the exterior is, as ever, quite understated.