Budget Impact: Maruti, Honda and Hyundai announce price hike

The effects of infrastructure cess levied on cars is being reflected into the prices of the cars.

The effects of infrastructure cess levied on cars is being reflected into the prices of the cars. Three manufacturers, Maruti, Hyundai, and Honda have already declared price hike in various proportions.

“Following the infrastructure cess on automobiles in the Union Budget 2016-17, prices of its models would go up in the range of Rs 1,441 to Rs 34,494 across its models,” Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said in a statement adding As Smart Hybrid models (Ciaz SHVS and Ertiga SHVS) are exempt from the Infrastructure Cess, there is no change in the prices of these models.” The company did not provide individual model wise break up.

“The increase in taxes has come as a big dampener and will further impact demand creating growth challenges especially for SUVs and diesel vehicles. This will necessitate a revisit of business plans”, said Rakesh Srivastava, senior vice-president (marketing & sales), Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL). The company has hiked prices from 3,000 to almost 83,000.

Hyundai Motor India Limited

The Hyundai Eon price has been increased by 2889 while the i10 sees an increase of Rs 3848. i10 Grand Xcent see a rise of Rs 4286  and Rs 4726 respectively. Elite i20 price rose by Rs 4886, Active by Rs 5857 and Verna by Rs. 5677. The Creta, Elantra and SantaFe saw massive jumps. Creta is now expensive by INR 27,1922 while the Elantra got dearer by Rs 45044. Lastly, the Santa Fe would see a massive hike of Rs 82,906.

Honda also announced price hike in the range of 4000 to 79,000.

Model Increase in Ex-Showroom Delhi Price across different variants (Rs) Brio 4,000 ~ 6,000 Jazz 5,000 ~ 19,500 Amaze Prices of new Amaze were announced on Mar 3, 2016 City 24,600 – 38,100 Mobilio 21,800 ~ 37,700 CR-V 66,500 ~ 79,000

The government decided to impose 2.5 per cent infrastructure cess on diesel vehicles of length not exceeding 4 meter and engine capacity not exceeding 1,500 cc while higher engine capacity and SUVs and bigger sedans were slapped with a cess of 4 per cent on the value of the car.

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Hyundai Creta clocks 1 lakh bookings in just 8 months

Hyundai Creta has become a cash cow for the Korean carmaker with its tremendous success and as it has generated over 1 lakh bookings since its debut.

Commenting on the milestone, YK Koo, Managing Director & CEO, HMIL said, “We thank our customers for the tremendous response with the record fastest 1 lakh bookings in 8 months. Like in the domestic market, Creta has generated great response in Global markets with more than 28,000 orders.”

Adding to it he said, “To reduce the waiting period, we are increasing CRETA production by 30% to total production of 13,000 units of which 10,000 units will be allocated for the domestic market.”

Road Test review: Hyundai Creta

The Hyundai Creta has been a runaway success as customers simply fell in love with this made in India product. Hyundai initially planned to produce 5,000 units at its plants but later on as the demand surged, the number was taken up to 7,500 and then towith soaring demand and continued waiting periods. The global exports were delayed since the domestic demand could not be satiated.

Hyundai Cretahas received similar response in markets like Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco & Nigeria with over 28,000 confirmed bookings.

The Creta is available in three engine options- 1.6 Gamma Dual VTVT, 1.6 U2 CRDi VGT, 1.4 U2 CRDi and there is also an Automatic variant on offer. The 1.6-litre petrol produces 121PS of max power and 151Nm of torque while the smaller 1.4-litre mill produces only 90 PS of power . Diesel Creta produces a class leading 128PS of power and 260Nm of max.  On the safety front, the Hyundai Cantus comes loaded with features like ABS with EBD, a total of 6 airbags, ESC and Hill Start Assist on top variants.

The Hyundai Creta starts from INR 8.87 lakhs (ex-showroom, New Delhi) and goes up to INR 13.98 lakhs (ex-showroom, New Delhi).

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RE: Nissan 370Z

Thursday 26th March 2009
Nissan 370Z
Nissan's new 370Z is lighter and smaller than the 350Z, but does it retain the Z-car magic?

Nissan's new 370Z is lighter and smaller than the 350Z, but does it retain the Z-car magic? Chris Rosamond gets his hands on the keys to the Zee.

We used to like the way the old 350Z looked. Low, wide, aggressive, and crammed with evocative design details that spoke to the heart and heritage of Nissan’s Z-car lineage. Then last year Nissan took the wraps off its replacement, the 370Z.

Suddenly the old Z looked challenged in ways we’d never really thought about, its drama and potency subtly reduced by a few well-aimed strokes of the 370Z designer’s pen.

It’s as though, in the pursuit of ultimate ‘Zee’-ness, somebody stuck a vacuum cleaner up one of the 350’s tailpipes and sucked out unnecessary volume from an already lean design. The new shape is tauter, meaner and more obviously aggressive, as if the 370Z’s skin has been stretched tighter over a newly muscular frame – the visual drama further accentuated by 55mm of extra rear track and a useful 10mm chopped out of the wheelbase to improve agility. In fact, we couldn’t help thinking the promise of increased torsional stiffness from redesigned body architecture, reduced weight, upgraded suspension and additional power - coupled with the exotic athleticism of Nissan’s new design - was in danger of making the hugely likeable 350Z appear a little naïve and unfocused.

So we’ve been itching to get behind the wheel of the new model ever since its US debut last Autumn and grabbed an offer to try a Euro-spec car at Nissan’s launch event outside Paris this week – as well as a chance to chat about the car with Steve Robbins, senior vehicle evaluation engineer at Nissan Europe’s Cranfield Technical Centre.

Steve is a proper petrolhead who, as a youth, picked up the basics of car control in the industrial estates and car parks of his North Eastern hometown. Those early experiences clearly paid off, as he now gets to drive hot Nissans around the Nurburgring for a living.

‘The first thing drivers of the 350 should notice about the 370Z is the improved steering feel,’ he says. ‘We’re confident the set-up is as good as any rival in terms of letting you feel what the wheels are doing right up to the limit of grip. It’s not the same type of feel as in a mid-engine sportscar, but the amount of actual feedback is just as good.’

Steve also rates the improved power delivery from the latest version of Nissan’s VQ series engine. With more than a third of its parts brand new, this 3.7 litre unit makes an encouraging 331PS at 7500rpm (and up to 336NM with a respectably flat torque curve) which it transmits through either a seven-speed auto’ or six-speed manual gearbox via a carbon fibre propshaft to a rear axle featuring an upgraded viscous LSD. The result of the 18PS power upgrade is a 5.3secs 0-60mph time (6.1secs for the auto’) and an overall performance package that Nissan hopes will put
the cat amongst far pricier pigeons
like - you guessed it - the Porsche Cayman.

The auto’ gearbox is a new option for the UK, while the manual features a unique Synchro Rev Control feature which may well turn out to be one of the 370Z’s best features.

The revised V6 also features Nissan’s new VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift) system – which with just 13 moving parts and electronic valve actuation provides valve response times up to 32 percent quicker than conventional valve spring systems.

‘VVEL allows the inlet valves to be used in part as a throttle control, improving engine responsiveness,’ says Steve. ‘On top of that, the engine is stronger in the lower to mid-revs range, with a torque curve that’s much flatter for more usable power.’

Duly primed, it’s our turn to get behind the wheel.

The door opens low and wide, presenting an inviting interior that turns out to be plenty roomy enough, even for this hulking six and a half footer. We’ve been offered the auto’ version first, but the roomy footwell is immediately noticeable on both auto’ and manual versions, as are the comfy but well-bolstered seats and excellent headroom. (You sit closer to the ground than in the 350, but the roof height is the same.) The view over the shapely bonnet is good, although thick A-pillars reduce peripheral vision a little, and a glance over the shoulder reveals the rakishly upswept rear side glass does nothing for visibility as the thick B-pillar sits right behind your ear.

No matter, once adjusted the interior and door mirrors provide a clear all round view, so it’s time to hit the start button.

The dashboard comes to life as the engine burbles into action – the needles on the centrally mounted tacho and adjacent speedometer performing an initial sweep as if limbering up for the workout ahead. Initially ignoring the wheel-mounted paddle-shifters, we go fully auto’ for the first few miles with the selector in ‘D’ – and it quickly becomes clear that even in this its least sporting mode the 370Z is eager to please.

The first thing to note as we trickle out of the hotel car park and thread our way towards the Autoroute is a surprisingly supple urban ride, relatively long suspension travel being one of the counter-intuitive benefits the 370Z derives from sharing a rear-drive platform with the considerably less hardcore Infiniti G37 coupe. It’s a quality that impresses later as we get to tackle much faster, more challenging B roads out of town, and one of the factors that makes the 370Z’s performance so enjoyably accessible. The auto’ box shifts smoothly and notably swiftly whether left to its own devices or using the paddles, and although not as exotic as the latest double clutch semi-auto devices, it’s possible to enjoy swapping ratios manually. The seven-speed ’box features a torque converter that spends quite a lot of its time in lock-up mode, improving both responsiveness to throttle inputs and engine braking, as well as increasing efficiency. Nissan claims the ’box swaps cogs faster in manual mode than any rival and, should you care about such things, an auto’ shifted 370Z also delivers marginally better economy
and lower emissions.

Less pleasing is the amount of road noise evident in the cabin at relatively low speeds. With the good-looking (optional) 19ins forged alloys running 245/40 and 275/35 Bridgestone Potenzas at the front and rear respectively, tyre noise was always going to be an issue, but some of the coarser-grained tarmacs we found in France induced road roar that was sufficient to kill conversation at 60mph.

Engine noise is also evident, and although Nissan is justifiably proud of engineering the 370Z to be 32kgs lighter than its predecessor, it’s possible that anyone using the car for commuting purposes might soon wish that a few kgs of sound deadening had been surreptitiously slipped back in. Were the exhaust note a little more sonorous, we might hesitate to suggest such a sacrilegious act, but it seems EC regulations precluded fitment of the sporty sounding pipes the 370Z is blessed with in the US. According to Steve the US-spec exhaust may be offered through Nissan dealers with a ‘circuit use only’ warning, in which case you’ll naturally want to use it on the road.

The key element that has made the leap across the Atlantic is the US 370Z’s so-called ‘Track Spec’ suspension set up, which is standard on all European cars.

Despite the name, the suspension is very well-suited to fast road use, with a combination of supple damping and excellent body control on sharply undulating twisties that inspire full use of the ample reserves of power. We left the Vehicle Dynamic Control system switched on throughout our drive, and reckon the 370Z’s ECU programmers have found a confidence-inspiring balance – banging open the throttle or lifting abruptly in a fast corner will induce a pleasing sense of the rear end stepping out of line, but it’s swiftly and safely gathered up as you launch the car towards the next apex.

The variable-assist electronic power steering also rewards at speed, having been revised with new bushes to increase stiffness and feel, as well as offering sharper responses to inputs from the new three-spoke leather-clad wheel - which has been effectively designed with flattened sides to provide natural resting places for fingers and palms. The result is indeed impressive, with the set-up allowing the driver to point the 370Z accurately at each approaching apex with confidence, enjoying levels of engagement and feedback that belie the car’s platform-generic DNA.

The brakes have been upgraded for the 370Z too, with 14ins front and 13.8ins rear discs providing excellent stopping power. The brake pedal itself has a relatively short travel, yet it remains reassuringly easy to modulate brake effort. In Steve’s words, what this means is ‘you can find the lock-up point without having to feel for it every time you approach a corner when you’re driving at the limit or on the track’.

Yet if the 370Z is a car to enjoy on a cross-country thrash in automatic guise, the manual version moves the experience to a higher plane.

For starters, without a power sapping torque converter the engine responds much faster to the throttle under hard acceleration – Nissan says it knocks 6 tenths off the 0-60 time, and the sensation of instantly attainable speed is apparent when you drop the hammer in pretty much any gear. However 330PS and all that torque requires a meaty gearbox, and although the 370Z’s sporty short-throw gearchange (approx 15 percent less ‘throw’ than Porsche or BMW) has a wide gate in which to operate, it can sometimes result in less than smooth changes.

Enter Synchro Rev Control, a cunning yet seemingly obvious device that eliminates the need for heel and toeing by working out which gear you’re looking for next and blipping the engine revs to exactly the required rate before the cog is engaged.

You can switch it off, but you probably won’t want to. The system has sensors on the clutch and the gear-lever gate, and seems foolproof in its ability to accurately match engine to vehicle speed whether changing up or down the box.

It’s quick, too, with Nissan claiming that even its most experienced test drivers need twice as long to execute ‘heel and toe’ gear changes with the SRC switched off. With SRC-improved shifts possible in just 0.5secs - even when skipping ratios while downshifting towards a corner – the system is a revelation for those of us whose individual heel and toe skills may be less than perfect.

With super-smooth shifting guaranteed, you can bang down the ratios as fast as you like with little fear of destabilising the 370 into a corner, allowing maximum concentration on steering and braking. It’s effective, and more to the point it would probably flatter the driving style of Alain Prost. For us lesser mortals, it’s just pure fun – adding an extra level of engagement with the car and encouraging greater commitment from the driver under almost any circumstances.

In fact ‘greater commitment’ would be a valid summary of the new 370Z itself. Lower, wider, stiffer, grippier, faster, more involving and significantly more desirable than the model it replaces, the new model highlights Nissan’s stated commitment to strengthening its brand credentials with genuine enthusiast appeal – and the 370Z delivers.

Specification Power 327bhp @ 7000rpm Torque 270 @ 5200rpm Weight 1525 kg Economy 27 mpg CO2 249 g/km 0-62mph Top speed 155 mph

Kia Venga Spotted Testing In India

Overdrive reader Sudharsan Selvaraj has spotted the Kia Venga hatchback in Chennai.

Overdrive reader Sudharsan Selvaraj has spotted the Kia Venga hatchback in Chennai. Although the car is sold in right-hand drive markets, the test car was a left-hand drive car. Kia will be entering the Indian market by the end of the decade and the Venga could be one of the first cars launched. Since the Korean company is coming only in 2019, do not expect this hatchback to be launched anytime soon. The Venga is also due for a replacement soon. Kia could be testing only the components and the platform, and not the car itself to see how it copes with Indian road conditions.

Although Hyundai is Kia’s parent company, Kia could operate independently here and will share only raw materials and logistics with Hyundai. They will have their own dealer network across the country and reports suggest that they will set up a manufacturing plant in Tada, Andhra Pradesh, which will be close to Hyundai’s plant in Sri Perumbadur, Chennai.

Globally, the hatchback is available with four engine options – two petrol and two diesel engines. The base petrol is a 1.4-litre unit producing 88 bhp and 137 Nm of torque and it is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The top-end petrol is a 1.6-litre unit 121 bhp and 156 Nm of torque and it is paired to a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic transmission. The base diesel is a 1.4-litre unit producing 87 bhp and 240 Nm of torque while the top-end diesel is a 1.6-litre unit producing 112 bhp and 260 Nm of torque. Both the engines come with a 6-speed manual transmission. In India, it will rival the Hyundai Elite i20, Volkswagen Polo, Ford Figo, Fiat Punto Evo and the Maruti Suzuki Baleno.

Kia Venga Spyshot Image Gallery

Source – Overdrive

RE: Has turbocharging ruined the 911

Tuesday 12th January
Has turbocharging ruined the 911?

Technology inevitably marches on; 991.II Carrera S offers a chance to see if it's trampled the 911 into the ground

Every time the 911 gets a major technological boot up the backside you'll get a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth about it losing its soul. If there'd been internet forums in 1969 they'd have probably been full of people saying how extending the wheelbase in the name of improved stability was sacrilege. Widebody flared arches? A disgusting manifestation of fat tyres and grip over finely balanced adjustability. Whale tail rear wings? Real men don't need downforce. Reference also power steering, ABS, traction control, water cooled engines, electric steering and - now -.

Certainly familiar as a 911 from here

The steering may not be as communicative as it once was, the handling quirks have been all but erased and it's now socially acceptable to buy a 911 with only two pedals and an automated gearbox. But is the 911-turbo-that-isn't-a-911-Turbo the final line in the sand? After all, for all those technological improvements listed above the Carrera's flat-six howl has survived intact until now.

And there is a risk the Carrera could end up little more than a 911-shaped car, bereft of actual 911 characteristics. At which point we all mutter into our beards and head off into the classifieds in search of the next big thing in appreciating rear-engined assets.

The incremental way in whichhas been applied to the 911 inspires intense scrutiny for each major evolutionary step. Is THIS the moment Porsche jumps the shark? Or was it the shift to electric steering? The 996's fried egg headlights? Four-wheel drive? Impact bumpers? Coil sprung suspension? Everyone has an opinion, the only shared one being nobody can quite agree what the sweet spot is, was or will be.

Two pipes denote sports exhaust

Jump the shark
But this is a big emotional change, especially for long-standing and/or serial 911 owners. And could mark the point they drive to the dealership to try the newest-latest version and think 'you know what, I'll stick with what I've got, ta.'

Let's consider why. The bucket of bolts tickover, gruff low-rev bark, razor sharp throttle and thrilling transition into trademark flat-six howl has been a 911 constant. The outgoing car demands determination to fully exploit this, not fully showing its hand until that switchover to the searing second half of the rev range.

In a pattern repeated in all of the technological advances applied to the 911, turbos lower the threshold for exploiting the car's talents. The rush of excitement that once required at least 4,000rpm on the rev counter now needs only half that. The commitment required to rev the normally aspirated engine out to its best is replaced by instant gratification, at the cost of some of the satisfaction from working for your thrills.

Is the 911 a lesser car for that? Forced induction is something all performance icons are having to deal with. Even with a heritage of building turbocharged 911s for 40-odd years this is still apparently big news for Porsche.

Manual too!

First impressions
If a test drive in this car were your first ever taste of a 911 you'd probably be very happy. It looks like the 911 you always promised yourself. If the dealer has done the sensible thing and specced it with the optional £1,773 Sports Exhaust - two centrally mounted chrome pipes rather than the stock quad ones - it'll sound like one too, gruff and growly at idle and responding eagerly to first blip of the throttle. With the windows open you might just catch the sound of the induction air hissing and the whine of the turbos but the traditional bass dominates.

The relatively conservative spec of the car you see here - an RRP of £85,857 to an OTR of £98,834 via that exhaust, the optional rear-axle steering at £1,530, £1,125 for Sport Chrono (including active engine mounts) and some very expensive seats - shows the Carrera S in a very flattering light too.

The weight, bite and response of the controls is all absolutely spot on, the manual gearbox helping claw back some purist points and permitting exploration of the 3.0-litre turbo's character. Throttle response is crisp, even without switching to the Sport or Sport Plus modes now accessible from a wheel-mounted rotary dial. Porsche held out longer than most with decluttered, switch-free steering wheels but it could only last for so long.

Doesn't rev quite like before, but heck is it fast

Personality transplant
Switching back to the perspective of someone familiar with normally-aspirated Carreras and there is a little mush in the response to the throttle that wasn't there before. But this is countered by a kick in the back from low revs the outgoing car can't match and, frankly, will be expected by a generation of drivers raised on a diet of turbodiesels and forced induction hot hatches. Who won't know what they're missing in terms of throttle response or the thrill of high revs.

If nothing else this Carrera S reveals how carefully you need to spec a 911 these days. As proven in the GT3s, four-wheel steering conjures up a sense of the agility of older, more compact 911s within the engorged footprint of the 991. Now standard, the PASM dampers are tremendous too. In the stock setting they're fast enough to keep up with the pitter-patter of small, high-frequency bumps but with body control to spare for the big ones too. Stiffen them up by the button if you want but the default is so good you'll probably not bother after a few exploratory prods. Unlike the tied-down Boxster and Cayman there's just enough flow in the 911's chassis to reward at a fast road pace too.

Different certainly, but don't worry too much

Better than the real thing?
But does this tech make it the genuine article or a skillfully crafted impression? There are worries, like the fact automatic downshift rev matching is now compulsory in all but the default mode. Want Sport or Sport Plus with sharper throttle and stiffer engine mounts? Forget heel'n'toe downshifts then; the car does it for you. Unless you go the whole hog and turn the PSM off in Sport Plus too. Which is dumb. Because if you're one of the diehard 25 per cent of 911 buyers still wanting to shift yourself the chances are you'll want to do it properly. Dumber still that in this age of configurability and custom driver modes you're not offered the choice of switching it off on your terms.

And it's the tiny details like this that'll underline fears turbocharging is just one manifestation of the Carrera moving away from its traditional audience. And becoming that 911-shaped parody discussed at the beginning of the story.

Then a brilliant bit of road unfolds, the fleeting chance to extend the engine is glimpsed and, yes, enough of the old magic remains to mark the 911 out as still something unique.

Pick your personal take on The Real Porsche 911 from the back catalogue by all means. The new ones in the showrooms have to move with the times though and the good news is,, turbocharging hasn't ruined it. Entirely.

PORSCHE 911 CARRERA S
Engine : 2,981cc, flat-six twin-turbo
Transmission : 7-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp) : 420@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft) : 369@1,700-5,000rpm
0-62mph : 4.3sec
Top speed : 191mph
Weight : 1,440kg (DIN unladen)
MPG : 32.5 [NEDC combined]
CO2 : 199g/km
Price : £98,834 (Base of £85,857 with £801 for GT Silver Metallic, £405 for Bordeaux Red leather interior, £1,764 for LED main headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus, £639 for Park Assist front and rear, £1,530 for rear-axle steering, £1,125 for Sport Chrono Package including mode switch, £1,773 for Sports exhaust system, £689 for wheels painted in satin platinum, £372 for automatically dimming mirrors with integrated rain sensor, £2,226 for Adaptive sports seats plus, £320 for seat heating, £122 for ISOFIX child seat mounting points on front passenger seat, £248 for vehicle key painted and key pouch in leather and £963 for BOSE surround sound system)

RE: Nissan GT-R Black Edition

Tuesday 26th May 2009
Nissan GT-R Black Edition
PH goes to 'Queef-factor 10' as Godzilla turns up in Teddington
When your front wheels feel as though they’ve left the ground on a stretch of gently undulating dual-carriageway tarmac, it’s probably reasonable to suspect you’re motoring at more than the posted speed limit.

Not that PH would condone such behaviour, perish the thought, but shortly after take-off it did cross my mind that a 220mph speedometer with the 70mph mark tucked almost out of sight in the bottom left hand corner is hardly an aid to keeping points off your licence. In the GT-R the needle sweeps around its dial with so much vigour it’s next to useless trying to keep up with it at all. Press the pedal to the metal and you’re jet-propelled so fast into the scenery unravelling through the windscreen, that it’s a bit like falling headlong off your seat and into one of those 3-D canyon movies at the IMAX cinema.

Under maximum acceleration the car is so utterly, devastatingly and shockingly fast that on anything other than an empty runway (which I did have a little go on later), some innate biological mechanism for self-preservation leaves you powerless to tear your eyes from the road ahead. As the speedo needle barely registers in your lower peripheral vision until it’s almost vertical, by that time it will have passed so far into the realms of naughtiness that you might as well throw the book at yourself.

This being the case, I can’t say how fast the GT-R was travelling when the nose seemed to skip momentarily sky-wards on the stretch of black-top in question, although I do know the needle hadn’t yet heaved into view at the top of the dial. But I also know how fast the PH fleet Evo FQ-360 will comfortably cover the same bit of ground, and it’s a speed at which you might still consider using an idle hand to reprogram the sat-nav; in the GT-R the road is gobbled up so eagerly you can’t afford to blink, let alone take a hand off the wheel.

The point I’m trying to get to is not that the GT-R is rocket-ship fast, because we all knew that already. The point is that the GT-R is so utterly, mind-blowingly competent at the business of going fast, that you don’t have to be remotely talented to drive it out of your skin. If you can point it, squirt the throttle, and hang on without passing-out during the subsequent G-force exposure, you’ve pretty much mastered the basic skill set required to rule the four-wheeled world. You’d probably let Christiano Ronaldo give you a lift to the airport in this car, and he could probably post a 7min 26sec lap of the Nurburgring in his football boots.

Thoughts like this made me realise I was strangely disengaged from the GT-R during my first few hours with it. Part of the problem was an overdose of anticipation for a car I’d been desperate to drive since, oh, 2001, when Nissan first unveiled a styling buck concept replacement for the R34 at the motor show in Tokyo. I loved the proposed GT-R’s muscular shape right there and then, with the promise of untold technological advances, devastating power and that little bit of ‘manga’ counter-culture magic thrown in. Then I was in Tokyo again when Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn unveiled what turned out to be the almost production-ready GT-R Proto in 2005, and the longing to possess the car burned even hotter. But it wasn’t until Friday last week, years after hearing those first GT-R siren calls, that fellow PHer Paul Garlick finally tossed me the keys - I think will always remember my first GT-R; a Black Edition in gorgeousTitanium Grey with black and red leather trim, registered R1 GT-R, and the consummation of an eight-year love affair.

Strangely, in spite of a passion that had been unrequited for so many years, waiting another 24hrs had seemed strangely irrelevant - so we agreed that Garlick would take the GT-R press car home first. I knew he had relished the experience, as he sent me a text late that night saying his 30 minute commute had turned into a four hour adventure, but I wasn’t quite ready for the psychological effect the car seemed to have on him.

We swapped wheels before a meeting the next morning and, as he handed over the key, his demeanour changed subtly like Gollum from Lord of the Rings . I’m sure I caught him casting evil glances and muttering darkly about ‘his precious’ as we ran through PH’s latest ABC figures with our hosts, and when I pulled out of the car park his image loomed disconsolately in the GT-R’s mirrors as he gazed jealously at our departing tail-lamps. A tad churlish, I thought, considering his clammy hand was now clutching the key to the FQ-360, surely one of the greatest drivers’ cars of the modern age. But that’s what the GT-R can do to a fellow.

It was getting straight out of the FQ-360 that helped to colour my own first thoughts on the GT-R. I was surprised that in contrast to the Mitsubishi’s highly communicative steering the Nissan’s helm felt the tiniest bit leaden, the brake pedal a little bit inert, the ride stiff and unyielding. The GT-R’s 1740kg bulk seemed to weigh heavily too, and with its broad dashboard, wide rectangular windscreen and expansive interior, it felt more akin to sitting in a late model Ford Mustang than a Porsche 911-baiting supercar.

But what a lovely place to be, for all that. The interior design, with its padded dash-top, circular vents, and metallic and leather trim highlights appeals to all the senses, while there's plenty of leg, head and shoulder room for folk of all sizes. The driving seat was a little less comfortable than I had hoped, being too narrow in the shoulder wings for my burly frame. To make up for that the steering wheel is a tactile delight, with its paddle-shifters perfectly placed for finger-tip operation behind it.

On the road, it’s hard to see why you’d ever need to use the paddle-shifters, as the automatic mode on the double-clutch transaxle gearbox is beyond meaningful criticism. But tap the tunnel-mounted gearknob to engage manual shift mode, and why you’d want to becomes obvious. The paddles deliver split-second, seamless cog-swapping in a manner that encourages the driver to flick up and down through the ‘box, heedless of the risk of unsettling the car with ham-fisted clutchwork, and eliminating any threat of disturbance to the line you are steering.

With blink-of-an-eye changes at your fingertips, you’re free to marvel at the GT-R chassis. It steam-rollers through corners in a flat, unfeasibly controlled fashion, with an impunity to speed that leaves the driver giggling at his own lack of self-control, rather than any real sense of exploring the car’s potential. GT-R speed feels sanitised – or digitised – to the extent that going fast through corners is like watching a cartoon of a rocket-propelled vacuum cleaner sucking up the ribbon of road in front of you. And while it’s never ‘man and machine in perfect harmony’ - the power and performance feels too outrageous for that - the GT-R experience is ultimately more addictive than could ever be healthy, especially as the twin-turbo motor fills the cabin with a deliciously animalistic, angry snarling soundtrack. At speed too, the steering turns-in with a precision that belies the car’s size and weight, and the brake pedal provides more confidence the harder you use it. Stopping power is phenomenal as you would expect.

There’s a popular cliché that often rears its ugly head in supercar reviews, suggesting that as you get to know a car, its dimensions seem to contract around you; the driver gradually becoming one with his machine.

The GT-R isn’t a bit like that, remaining resolutely and almost implausibly larger than life in spite of increasing familiarity with its capabilities. Yet far from being un-involving, I think this car has a special character all of its own, exuding the sort of imperious indifference to its owner that you might expect if you kept a highly trained lion as a status pet.

Couple that with exterior styling that looks like sex on wheels, and it's hard to see how £60k could be better spent on a new performance car.

GT-R 3.8 V6 twin-turbo Black Edition

On the road price, including VAT at 15%, delivery charges, number plates and road fund licence:£59,400.00

Nissan’s official spec sheet is reproduced below:

ENGINE - 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 - Dual overhead camshafts with variable intake-valve timing - Die-cast aluminium cylinder block with high-endurance/lowfriction plasma-sprayed bores - Aluminium pistons - Nissan Direct Ignition system with iridium-tipped spark plugs - Electronic drive-by-wire throttle - Pressurised lubrication system with thermostatically controlled cooling and magnesium oil sump pan - Fully symmetrical dual intake and low-backpressureexhaust systems - Secondary air intake system to rapidly heat catalyststo peak cleaning efficiency	DRIVETRAIN - ATTESA ET-S Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) with patented independent rear-mounted transaxle integrating transmission, differential and 4WD transfer case - Torque distribution - Traction/yaw-based; up to 100% rear; up to 50% front - Rigid, lightweight carbon-composite driveshaftbetween engine and transaxle - Electronic Traction Control - High-performance 1.5-way mechanically lockingrear differential - Advanced Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with three driver-selectable settings
TRANSMISSION - All-new GR6 6-speed Dual Clutch Transmission with three driver-selectable modes - Fully automatic shifting or sequential manual control via steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters - Downshift Rev Matching (DRM) - Predictive pre-shift control (in R-mode) preselects the next gear change based on throttle position, vehicle speed, braking input and other information	BRAKES - Brembo® 4-wheel disc brakes - 15" (380 mm) front and rear - Two-piece floating-rotor front and rear discs with diamondpattern internal ventilation - Super-rigid 6-piston front/4-piston rear monoblock callipers with racecar-inspired 3-point mounting - 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) - Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) - Nissan Brake Assist
AERODYNAMICS - Coefficient of drag - 0.27 - Negative lift (downforce) generated at speed- Full underbody covering - Body-colour rear spoiler with integrated centre high-mounted stop light - Knife-edge front wings, designed for optimised air management around the wheels and to help keep the side windows clearer at driving speed - Optimised airflow through the undercarriage and wheel arches to help cool the engine, drivetrain and brakes	STYLING/FUNCTIONALITY - Automatic headlights - Wide-beam headlights with High Intensity Discharge (HID) xenon low beams - LED taillights and brake lights - Dual heated body-colour power outside mirrors- Flush-mounted aluminium door handles - Quad exhaust exit pipes with chrome-tip finishers - UV-reducing solar glass
AUDIO/NAVIGATION/PERFORMANCE MONITOR - Digital Bose® audio system with AM/FM/CD, 11 speakers (including dual subwoofers), Radio Data System (RDS), and MP3/WMA CD playback capability - Steering wheel-mounted audio controls - Multi-function meter - Monitor also provides displays and interface for programmable vehicle settings, vehicle information, audio and navigation systems	CONVENIENCE - Intelligent Key with engine start button - Electronic analogue instrument cluster with multi-function trip computer and digital gear indicator - Dual Zone Automatic Climate Control - Power front windows with one-touch driver-side autoup/down - Remote windows down - Key-operated windows up/down - Remote keyless entry with boot release - Cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls - Tilt and telescoping steering column - Variable-intermittent flat-blade windscreen wipers - Dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors - Front centre console with armrest, storage and dualcupholders - Rear centre console with dual cupholders - Map reading lamps
SUSPENSION AND STEERING - Front suspension - Double-wishbone with aluminium members - Rear suspension - multi-link with aluminium members - Rigid aluminium front and rear suspension subframes, assembled in high-precision jigs, with 4-point mounting to body - Bilstein® DampTronic system with three driver-selectable modes - Hollow front and rear stabiliser bars with tubular torsion-free design, to help maintain maximum tyre contact at all four wheels during extreme cornering - Electronically controlled rack-and-pinion steering with vehicle-speed-sensitive power assist - 2.6 steering-wheel turns lock-to-lock	WHEELS AND TYRES - Super-lightweight RAYS seven-spoke 20" diameter forgedaluminium wheels with ridged bead area - Black finish - Exclusively developed tyres, nitrogen-filled at factory - Standard tyres - Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST - Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
BODY CONSTRUCTION - All-new Premium Midship platform with hybrid unibody - Aluminium bonnet, trunk lid and outer door skins - Die-cast aluminium front shock towers and door structures - All outer body panels stamped using multiple-strike coining process, for exceptional rigidity and precision - Carbon-composite frontcrossmember/radiator support - Advanced 6-stage paint process with full double clearcoat and chip-resistant paint in critical areas	SEATING AND TRIM - Leather front seats with perforated Pearlsuede inserts - 8-way power front seats with entry/exit switch forrear passengers - Driver and passenger sports seats - Dual individual rear seats - Leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob - Drilled aluminium pedals - Leather-trimmed dashboard, console and door trim - Brushed metal interior trim
SAFETY - Nissan Advanced Airbag System with dual-stage front driver and passenger airbags - Driver and front-passenger side-impact airbags and roof-mounted curtain airbags - Front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters - 3-point ALR/ELR passenger seat belt system (ELR for driver) - Zone Body construction with front and rear crumple zones - Bonnet buckling creases, pipe-style steel side-door guard beams, and energy-absorbing steering column - ATESSA ET-S Four-Wheel Drive with Electronic Traction Control - Electronic Stability Program (ESP) - Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) - Nissan Vehicle Immobiliser System - Thatcham Approved anti-theft system TECHNICAL DATA MODEL R35 Engine type VR38DETT Configuration V6 incorporating DOHC Cylinder bore x stroke (mm) 95.5 x 88.4 Displacement (cm3) 3799 Compression ratio 9 : 1 Max. power output (PS/rpm) 485/6400 Max. torque 588/3200-5200 Fuel supply NISSAN EGI (ECCS) Electronic controlled fuel injection system Recommended fuel Premium, plus unleaded Fuel tank capacity (l) 71 TRANSMISSION Transmission type GR6 Dual Clutch Transmission 1st 4.056 2nd 2.301 3rd 1.595 4th 1.248 5th 1.001 6th 0.796 Gear ratio Reverse 3.383 Final drive ratio 3.700 Driven wheels 4WD	DIMENSIONS Overall length (mm) 4655 Overall width (mm) 1895 Overall height (mm) 1370 Max. interior dimensions (length x width x height) 1750 x 1475 x 1095 Wheelbase (mm) 2780 Track Front/Rear (mm) 1590/1600 Min. ground clearance (mm) 110 WEIGHT/CAPACITY Kerb weight (kg) 1740 Seating capacity (persons) 4 (2+2) Gross vehicle weight (kg) 1960 PERFORMANCE Acceleration 0-60 mph (sec) 3.5 Maximum speed (mph) 193 Min. turning circle (kerb to kerb) (m) 11.4 Urban (mpg) 15.4 Extra Urban (mpg) 31.0 Fuel consumption (mpg) Combined 22.8 CO2 (g/km) 298 Main Emission Control System Variable valve timing OTHERS Steering Electronic controlled power-assist rack and pinion Suspension Front/Rear Independent double wishbone suspension /Independent multi-link suspension Braking System Front/Rear Ventilated brake disc /Ventilated brake disc Tyre Size Front/Rear 255/40ZRF20 97 / 285/35ZRF20 100Y

RE: Porsche Boxster Spyder: Driven

Sunday 6th December 2015
Porsche Boxster Spyder: Driven
A Boxster pared back and designed for sunnier climes, tested in Wales.

A Boxster pared back and designed for sunnier climes, tested in Wales. In November...

Don't ask what it's like with the roof down. A November weekend in Wales, Rally GB weekend in fact, is not the best place to test awithout the roof. When it wasn't lashing down with rain, the skies were dark and angry, seemingly ready to drop another deluge on some pillock with their Porsche roadster. [No excuses - get back out there! Ed.]

Not exactly its natural habitat!

So the roof stayed up for our weekend with the car. It was lowered, just to test the "suitable for everyday use" claim. [See above - Ed.] Then it couldn't be raised again, just as the clouds were drawing in once more. Oh. A quick YouTube tutorial revealed it was user error rather than anything overly difficult in the design, but it's worth being completely up to speed with its operation before heading off on a top-down drive. Certainly it's a marked improvement on thethough.

Also ensure you have a good gawp at the Spyder with the roof down too, because it really is a beautiful car. Thealready looks good but the Spyder takes it to mini-supercar territory, the lower ride height, those rear buttresses and ducktail spoiler making the shape even more dramatic. It looks superb in fact.

Of course it's not quite as stunning with the roof up, but it's arguably more cohesive than the last car and far from ugly. The test car had a reversing camera too, so even the iffy rear visibility wasn't too much of an issue.

Boxster goes glamorous!

Mean, if not roofless
Far more importantly though, theis certainly liveable with the roof up. Yes, there's a fair amount more wind noise than in a regular Boxster, to the point where you will think something isn't quite closed initially. It is a surprise, but you soon get used to it. Moreover, at no point did the Boxster feel vulnerable in the very worst that Storm Abigail could throw at it; 180mph felt like it would challenge the roof less! The point being that you could live with the Boxster Spyder and its roof everyday should you want to.

You really will want to as well, because the Boxster is magnificent to drive. It's important to remember the Boxster Spyder is not awith a fancy roof though; it isn't a GT department car and lacks the GT3 front suspension and the adjustable anti-roll bars. Instead it's best to consider it as a prettier, faster, fractionally lighter. Hardly a bad thing, right?

The powertrain is worth discussing first, because it's simply tremendous. The Spyder is 10hp down on the GT4 but 25kg lighter too, so the acceleration feels identical. With 400cc more swept capacity than a GTS, it's the torque advantage that's most immediately obvious; the car is happy to bimble along in sixth at low speed and pulls with real conviction in fourth and fifth.

20mm lower ride height means great stance

Geared to the max
But why leave it in a higher gear when there's a great manual gearbox - no PDK is offered on the Boxster Spyder - and nearly 8,000 revs to use? Drop down to third (or second when you remember how fast third will take you) and revel in the glorious response and beautiful yowl of that 3.8-litre flat-six. Yes, it isn't as feral as a GT3 engine at higher engine speed. But it would be absurd to expect any better for £60K. You can't imagine manual, naturally aspirated sports cars will be around for much longer and this is a fantastic reminder of why they will be so sorely missed.

The manual suits the Spyder's slightly old-fashioned nature well. During Friday afternoon rush hour on the M3 it does become tiresome, but such is the reward on an open stretch of road that those gripes simply cease to matter. Everything is sited perfectly and it becomes one of those manuals you change gear in for the sake of it. There's life in the old technology yet.

Furthermore, this Boxster Spyder was tested on the passive suspension set up, proving that a Porsche really doesn't need the PASM adaptive suspension so many are optioned with. They do a superb job of keeping body movements in check while also retaining very good ride comfort on 20-inch wheels. Unsurprisingly it slots in just between a GTS and GT4 in terms of dynamics; more dialled into the surface and agile than the former but lacking the stunning precision and feedback of the latter. Certainly at turn-in the GT4 feels more eager than this Boxster, and there is of course the Cayman's additional rigidity to consider also. But at this price point and amongst its rivals the Boxster is supreme, making the F-Type and SLK55 look rather cumbersome indeed. A comparison with anseems the most logical twin test, one that we would love to conduct in sunnier climes.

Manual and manual only - hurrah!

But even in appalling conditions, the grip, communication and excitement of the Spyder is enthralling. The brakes are excellent, allowing you to slow with real confidence and use them to make small adjustments through a corner as well. There's also a lovely window before the driving assists intervene where the diff can be felt just tightening the line out of a bend. The limits may be high, but it's entertaining enough below them that you won't mind. And should you find yourself at a wide, empty junction with the traction control off, the Boxster is more than happy to indulge...

R'd work if you can get it
Chasing Ben in the PH Fleetafter the photoshoot, the Boxster is brilliant. It's wet, foggy and bumpy, with Ben also having the advantage of four-wheel drive and some local knowledge too. What he gains on corner exit is reclaimed under brakes and the car remains totally composed, alert and pretty mega actually. That won't be forgotten for a very long time.

Once Wales is many miles behind, the Spyder will mooch along the M4 in great comfort, heated seat on and Bluetooth phone conversations conducted without any fuss. The roof really is that liveable!

Dramatic car, dramatic scenery too...

Of course it's not perfect. While the seats are great, taller drivers may find their legs a little cramped. £1,595 for 'GT Silver metallic' seems a bit steep. And you suspect people will still get a bit sniffy about it not being a 911.

Ignore that. Ignore them. The Boxster Spyder is a tremendous car, one that's markedly more stylish, desirable, accomplished and characterful than an already very good standard product. At £60,459 the Spyder is £6,587 more than a GTS and worth every single penny. This car here is £69,702, thanks to options such as the 'Spyder Classic interior package' (£1,445), PCM at £2,141 and the digital radio (£324, cheeky buggers). But even at that money, the Spyder deserves great praise. It looks better than a 911, is more capable than an F-Type and could you really buy aninstead? Say what you like about the SUV and saloon cash cows - the Spyder proves unequivocally that Porsche can still make world class sports cars.

PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER
Engine: 3,800cc flat-six
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 375@6,700rpm
Torque (lb ft): 310@4,750-6,000rpm
0-62mph: 4.5sec
Top speed: 180mph
Weight: 1,315kg (unladen)
MPG: 28.5
CO2: 230g/km
Price: £69,702 (Basic list of £60,459 plus £1,595 for GT Silver metallic paint, £1,445 for Spyder interior package, £563 for wheels painted satin platinum, £518 for Two-zone automatic climate control, £2,141 for Porsche Communication Management (PCM) including satellite navigation, £284 for heated seats, £801 for BOSE Surround system, £446 for reversing camera, £527 for Telephone module for PCM, £324 for digital radio, £477 for Black finish Bi-Xenon headlights with Porsche Dynamic Lighting System (PDLS) and £122 for ISOFIX front passenger seat mountings)

Photos: Ben Lowden

RE: Porsche Macan GTS: Driven

Saturday 21st November 2015
Porsche Macan GTS: Driven
The familiar GTS tweaks find their way to the Macan, with familiar results too
Tacked onto the launch of the turbo 911 Carreras recently was the Porsche Macan GTS .

. Yes, we were surprised too. The most significant update to the 911 in nearly 20 years rather takes the attention away from the small SUV with a few (mainly cosmetic) upgrades. But there it was, new and shiny and ready to drive on the best roads Tenerife has to offer. Which, as it turns out, are really rather good.

Macan is the last model to get the GTS treatment

Moreover, there was plenty of time to experience the Macan because, well, everyone kept hold of a 911 as soon as they had one. Funny that. Fear not if you have missed the vital GTS changes, because not only are they pretty minor but also damn near identical to the other GTS variants in the Porsche line up. Those being Boxster, Cayman, 911 and Panamera. And Cayenne. That being said they are often the best non GT variants and customers are keen too - they account for 15 per cent of sales even on the Panamera and Cayenne.

So it's 15mm lower on some natty RS Spyder wheels (20-inch diameter, which the Macan's body manages to dwarf), more of the outside is painted in black and more of the inside is Alcantara. Simples.

With a little less power than thethe GTS feels slightly less fast. The revelations continue. But with 360hp it still feels suitably rapid, the bark from the sports exhaust rallying the driver along nicely until its constant overrun cackle makes you turn it off. The bi-turbo V6 is a very good engine though, willing and eager right through to the redline and well paired to the seven-speed PDK.

Good fun on empty Tenerife roads

The Macan's freakish agility, the way it can make so much weight move so swiftly, is enhanced in the GTS with that 15mm suspension drop. It never feels truly light but, like those incredibly fast rugby players, there's a sense of awe at seeing something so big move at such a pace. You will laugh but on the tight and twisty roads of Tenerife early in the morning the GTS is perversely good fun. Our car is fitted with PCCB - carbon ceramics brakes on an SUV like this! - and very quickly a rhythm becomes established of standing on those brakes as late as possible, jumping on the throttle pretty soon after and marvelling at how it grips. There's no understeer, no drama, just what appears limitless poise and purchase. It's quite a party trick. Very late on there's some push from the front but on dry roads the GTS just clings and clings. It may not be the most involving process but it's laudable nonetheless. Then you check the tyres, clocking a 265-section Michelin Latitude Sport 3 on the front and 295 at the back and it starts to make more sense...

But it's not all good news. As discovered in the UK, acan throw the body rigidity into light, a worrying degree of flex apparent as the cracks appear in the facade. Typically it rides quite nicely but the Macan can not entirely hide the compromises inherent in its development. There still isn't really enough space for a family SUV either.

Plenty of Alcantara in here

Elsewhere though the familiar Macan traits are evident. The driving position is great, aiding that impression that you're driving a bigger hatch rather than a Q5-dervied SUV. Everything feels of a very high quality and - to these eyes at least - the GTS add-ons give the Macan some additional aggression that work well with its brutish appearance. Or maybe it was the Tenerife sunshine.

So it's business as usual for this latest Porsche GTS then, the options many are after added as standard to make a very accomplished car that little more desirable. But doesn't it seem rather a shame that this is desirable to the car buying public? Not that long ago a small Porsche could have been a saloon but such is the continued domination of the SUV and crossover that Stuttgart has felt the need to join in. All Macan praise has to be qualified with 'for what it is' - a near 2,000kg 4x4 - which seems a bit ridiculous. Whatever chassis modifications or huge tyres are used, a big and heavy car will never truly behave like a smaller and lighter one. It's disappointing that Porsche has to work almost with one hand behind its back to cater for market demand. Something in the mould of the Jaguar XE with these engines would surely be excellent, but it would likely prove less popular. Anyway, ideological rant over; the Macan GTS remains a very good car for, um, what it is and will no doubt prove exceptionally popular with paying customers. The priority, let's not forget. Fingers crossed it continues to make enough cash for thisto be viable...

PORSCHE MACAN GTS
Engine: 2,997cc, bi-turbo V6
Transmission: 7-speed PDK, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 360@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 369@1,650-4,000rpm
0-62mph: 5.2 seconds (5.0 seconds with optional Sport Chrono Package)
Top speed: 159mph
Weight: 1,895kg (Unladen DIN spec)
MPG: 30.7- 32.1 (NEDC claimed combined depending on tyres fitted)
CO2: 207-215g/km (Depending on tyres fitted)
Price: £55,188

RE: Porsche 911 GT3 vs The Road

Tuesday 27th January 2015
Porsche 911 GT3 vs The Road
It scared the hell out of Dan on the track; how does the GT3 fare on Welsh roads?

The only thing burning more brightly than the orange oil can illuminated on GT3's dash was the swirling light of the AA flatbed that had just pulled up next to it. A dream date with the most desirable 991 (well, until the RS) and South Wales' most shapely blacktop was hanging in the balance.

Like a male voice choir, with six cylinders

Even without the appearance of said warning light, it had been a day of frayed nerves. I'd spent most of it at, exploring the GT3's amphibious capabilities with Dan. Then, on the way home, the low oil warning light came on. Dan consulted the manual and filled it back up. Or rather, overfilled as it turned out, by 200ml. And this triggered a different oil warning light...

Now, bearing in mind the ignominious debut of the 991 GT3, I didn't want to be the one standing next to a dead engine with oil on my hands. So followed a call to Porsche Assist, then Porsche Press Office's out-of-hours emergency line. 10 minutes later a flatbed turned up - service, I'd wager, unheard of even for lone females in the dead of night. With fingers crossed, I waved away the overzealous recovery and prayed for a positive response from Porsche PR. My gamble was rewarded half way through Homeland with a green light from the press office; that much additional oil wouldn't be an issue.

Generation game
Back in 2013 we undertook a similar journey in a different car wearing the same plates. It was theas a Riviera Blue Gen 2 997 GT3. Partly it was a fond farewell to a much-loved and well (ab)used press hack and partly it was a shallow excuse for a blat around South Wales. But it also had a deeper significance as a spiritual send-off for a GT3 with an engine of rich motorsport heritage, a manual transmission and hydraulic steering all wrapped up in a gorgeous slim-line Carrera 2 bodyshell. Faced with the impending seismic shift of the 991 GT3, we all took a deep breath. Of course the replacement would be impressive, but would it mark the end of an era in which the ultimate driver's car actually required a skilled driver?

Any better than on the track?

As a static object, the new car is a triumph. It now squats with even greater menace - broader across the rear thanks to that Carrera 4 body, the pinch at the waist exaggerated by the swollen arches. Although I've seen plenty in the flesh, it's such a devastatingly intense shape I still can't help but gawp.

It seems I'm not alone. On the early morning run down the M4, we attract a steady stream of admirers, including a guy in a 996 who shadows us all the way from Swindon to Bristol. Even the flamboyant Riviera Blue plumage of the 997 didn't draw as much attention.

All about that bass
There's a practical penalty for the new, engorged, form however. Having pulled carefully up to the barriers at the Severn Bridge toll, mindful of those beautiful forged centrelock wheels, I find myself closer to Chepstow than the credit card slot. Mild embarrassment quickly turns to acute humiliation as I realise the only way to reach is to extend my entire torso out of the driver's window.

Same roads, same plate, very different car

I depart the M4 at Bridgend and, sticking to the route we travelled, take the A4061 north. So far the 991 has proved everything but the highly-strung thoroughbred. I'd trickled along with the early morning traffic, a light foot on the throttle and PDK in auto, the revs never straying beyond that tonal change at 3,500rpm that would interfere with our enjoyment of Radio 4.

My mind strays back to last year and my first experience of the 997's hefty clutch, deliberately mechanical gate and hyperactive response; trying to pull out of a lay-by onto a busy dual carriageway in the pitch black and pouring rain. Such mundane, yet anxiety-inducing, scenarios are shrugged off with ease in the 991. Running the 997 GT3 as a daily driver would require commitment, but in the 991 commuting would be as taxing as a bank in the Cayman Islands.

The slow crawl up the Ogmore Valley takes an age, but eventually there's the sound of Pilot Sport Cup 2s on cattle grid that pre-empts the looming cliffs of the Bwlch. I snap the gear selector across the gate, depress the PDK Sport button, twitch my left fingers a couple of times until '2' registers on the dash, and push on the floor-hinged pedal. At three and a half the bass drops, followed at around six by the brass section laying a sharp, metallic wail over the top. And then, at eight and a half, all hell breaks loose and a violent, shrieking, symphony shatters every molecule of air in the valley. It bounces off the sheer walls and swirls around the amphitheatre so that it almost feels like driving into my own wall of sound. Forget Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey and Katherine Jenkins; for today the valleys will be home to a whole new voice.

Yes, this really is Wales in winter

Repeat after me
God it's addictive. And thanks to that instantaneous, near seamless, PDK shift it's more accessible than ever. Sure, it's easy to be wistful about the loss of manual interaction over a pint in the pub, but when you're pinging through the ratios and conducting that six-cylinder orchestra there's no inclination to shed a tear. Likewise with the loss of the Mezger engine. Sure, the new direct injection lump is unembellished with motorsport pedigree, but the first time you hear it approaching that limiter, you'll swear it was lifted straight out of a pit-lane.

I conduct run after run up the spiralling blacktop as photographer Roo scales the treacherous grass slopes looking for the best vantage points. It's no hardship, but I can feel the GT3 is yearning for smoother, wider Tarmac on which to stretch its legs, so we pack up, crest the Bwlch - noting the Welcome to Wales mural juxtaposed beside a big pile of litter - and descend into Treorchy.

The climb towards Hirwaun is accompanied by mist boiling and bubbling in the bottom of the valley and a low winter sun glinting off the road. Well-sighted straights, and a road surface that has been slowly drying out, relaxes both car and driver. I can feel some heat getting into the tyres at last and it's giving me some tantalising glimpses at the grip on offer. Stiff sidewalls and unflinching suspension - even in comfort mode - are daring me to lean ever harder into the corners. I'm sensing a firmer ride than in the 997 - perhaps a side-effect of the move to 20-inch rims - but on the bumps and hollows it feels a lot more rooted to the road. Until you hit a shadowy damp patch that is...

Fast, filthy and utterly thrilling

Bandwidth
I recall the words of Andreas Preuninger, who chauffeured me up the hill at Goodwood in a GT3 18 months ago. He talked about a greater bandwidth compared to its predecessor - both in terms of its versatility in day-to-day use and its upper limits. I've already experienced the former, now I'm beginning to see what he means about the latter.

From Hirwaun we take the supreme A4059 and the GT3 really hits its stride. Coincidentally, this is where the 997 began to make sense just over a year ago. And now the 991 is doing it all again, albeit at another level altogether. While the 997 would occasionally raise a slight question mark on turn-in, the 991 is steadfast and resolute. With a smooth, dry surface to work with, there is a seemingly inseparable union that sends waves of confidence up the steering column.

I take a right at the A470, track across to the famous hairpin on the B4560, then decide to explore the area around Talybont Reservoir - somewhere new to me. With the sun inching towards the hills in the west, I point the GT3 down some ever narrowing lanes and barely-Porsche-width bridges. It's a different, but equally nerve-jangling experience to yesterday's on-track antics, but it proves worthwhile as the motionless surface of the reservoir finally appears to the left.

A different GT3, no less enthralling for it

The dying throes of the day are spent panning for photographic gold in the epic light. It's not quite the Tarmac nirvana I'd hoped for, but there are no disappointed faces in 911 GB as we re-emerge back in reality along the Heads of the Valleys road. The roads have been spectacular, the weather has been particularly un-Welsh and, best of all, the GT3 has been everything I'd hoped for. It may be transformed from the car that wore this plate previously, but it's no less a GT3 as a result. True, there's not as much reward on offer to the purist. And if you want to play the instruments rather than conduct the orchestra, it won't be for you. But the fact that the 991 raises the bar so high, and boasts talents that are both more inclusive and more exploitable, means I defy you not to fall hopelessly in love with it anyway.

PORSCHE 911 GT3 (991)
Engine: 3,799cc flat-6
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto (PDK), rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 475@8,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 325@6,250rpm
0-62mph: 3.5sec
Top speed: 196mph
Weight: 1,430kg (DIN)
MPG: 22.8mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 289g/km
Price: £100,540 (£115,796 as tested, comprising Club Sport pack £0, Porsche Composite Brakes £6,248, Bluetooth £558, auto dimming mirrors £372, fixed sports seats £2,258, clear rear lights £344, LED lights with Porsche Dynamic Lighting System £1,926, DAB £324, Porsche Communication Management £2,141 and Sport Chrono pack with 'Track Precision' app £1,085)

Previously on PH ... 991 GT3 archive
PDK or the highway: PH Blog
Porsche 911 GT3 timeline
Porsche 997 GT3 farewell blog
Why GT3 is just a trim level: PH Blog
Flaming GT3s - the official line
Flaming GT3s - the owners bite back
Porsche 991 GT3 Chris Harris video
Porsche 991 GT3: Review
Porsche 991 GT3 vs The Track

Photos: Roo Fowler

RE: Porsche 911 (991.II) Carrera: Driven

Sunday 15th November 2015
Porsche 911 (991.II) Carrera: Driven
The biggest change for the 911 since water cooling?

The biggest change for the 911 since water cooling? Perhaps more significant? PH takes a drive in a turbocharged 911 Carrera

As introductions to the new range ofgo, chasing a GT3 RS up a closed mountain road is damn good one. In a PDK Carrera Cabriolet - not exactly the PH choice, granted - there's little time to appreciate the updated PCM, the lightly refreshed dash or the touchscreen. The styling? Don't know. It's jump in, select Drive and try to keep up with the mad man in that magnificent RS.

Well of course it still looks similar

Torque will be a significant, er, talking point throughout this story so let's begin there. Compared to an old naturally aspirated 911, and even as a base Carrera cabrio, this car is notably more potent at low revs. Which is handy when you misjudge a second-gear corner and leave it in third... Where before you'd have immediately gone for the lower gear, now third will suffice and haul you out in a manner previously unknown of in 'base' 911s. The newengine works best beyond 3,000rpm but it's willing below that and pulls convincingly from less than 2,000rpm. In best road tester parlance it's what would be called a 'flexible' unit, able to pull from low revs but also keen to rev right round to the limiter too.

Yes, fear not; the 911 has not lost its appetite for revs. The delivery is a lot more linear than before, that lovely step up in performance from 4,000rpm or so certainly gone. But it's superbly eager, always prepared to chase peak power at 6,500rpm but crucially run beyond that too. It'll rev right through to 7,500rpm with real vigour. Sure, it doesn't quite zing like the old flat sixes but it's an excellent effort given the constraints of two turbos. Naturally here the comparison would be with the, boasting a similar capacity and the same amount of turbos. The Porsche may well rev with more zeal than the BMW, but it would need a back to back to be certain. Whatever the case, there is no need to worry about the switch to turbo Carreras; they're damn good.

Grey works better in the metal. Honest

Where the 911 easily has the M4 beaten is noise. Alright, this 991.2 doesn't howl like the, but would it ever be reasonable to expect that? What it does do is provide a lot of the flat-six growl we love with some interesting turbo gargles and whooshes too. It's certainly a more authentic noise than in the BMW, and a more entertaining one too. It just isn't quite as thrilling as before, sadly.

Anyway, back to chasing the GT3 RS. As we've come to expect from the 991 generation grip, traction and braking performance are way beyond what the average buyer would ever need on the road. While any 911 traits are not patently obvious, neither were they being actively sought out; it seemed a little more important to keep it out of the GT3's spoiler and the shrubbery...

Next day in a manual Carrera coupe there's more time and more freedom to explore. And you know what? The news is good. Yes, it doesn't need anywhere near as much rubber on the road, or the assistance from various acronyms. That's not going to change any time soon. But the electric steering seems better than ever in a 911, detailing a more accurate picture of what the front wheels are doing. The standard brakes are strong, the body control is excellent and the front even goes a little light occasionally on bumpy corner exits.

Hang on, what's that sprouting from the dash?

The best news though? The manual is really good. The original 991's seven-speed always came in for some stick (pun intended, sorry) since launch, but now it's updated with a new clutch too and it really works. The six-speed in the Cayman and Boxster remains sweeter, but this shift is now short and quick across the gate, nicely weighted and matched to a precise, well positioned clutch. Even in left-hand drive heel and toe is a doddle; more to the point it's great fun too. There's the standard journalist moan about Porsche's final drive - we saw 125km/h in second! - but keeping a manual and improving a manual should be praised. Not that many will buy one, with around 75 per cent predicted to opt for PDK. But those who will should be impressed.

As for the rest of what's found inside, that may have to wait for a proper UK evaluation. Who wants to mess around with Apple Carplay when there are some amazing roads to drive? What we can say for now is that the repositioning of the Sport and Sport+ buttons to a dial on the wheel works well, the displays are sharp and the touchscreen is very responsive. Which will all be very nice when you're inevitably stuck in traffic and the real-time traffic info can't get you out.

Worried about turbo 911s? Don't be!

Perhaps most importantly of all though, despite the concerns and worries about the 911 becoming turbocharged, this new car is still good fun. No, it's not the most immersive 911 experience but the standard 991s never have been. What it has done has improved the car in a few key areas while also introducing a pair of exceptionally good engines that we knew had to come. A final note on those too - our launch experience of the Carrera S engine was frustratingly brief, a point we'll hope to address with a UK test. Unsurprisingly given the engine produces another 50hp and 37lb ft at the same revs as the Carrera, it feels much like that engine to drive. Just quicker.

The key is that both feel like very good sports car engines, and that we have nothing to fear about the introduction of turbos to the 911. Yes, they're aren't quite as responsive or exciting as the old engines but given what had to be achieved they're a great effort. To post those kind of performance figures with the official CO2 and fuel economy that they do does (oh, how innocent a statement that so recently seemed) is a remarkable feat. That they do so while still feeling like charismatic, exciting engines is all the better still. While its closest rival - the- has moved onto another price point as V10 only, the 911 looks set to continue its dominance of the sector. Where it sits amongst the sports car hierarchy we'll hope to establish very soon.

PORSCHE 911 CARRERA (991 GEN 2)
Engine: 2,981cc twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: 7-speed manual, rear-wheel drive (7-speed PDK optional)
Power (hp): 370@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 332@1,700-5,000rpm
0-62mph: 4.6 seconds (4.4/4.2 seconds)
Top speed: 183mph (182mph)
Weight: 1,430kg (1,450kg, to DIN spec)
MPG: 34 (38.2, NEDC claimed combined)
CO2: 190g/km (169g/km)
Price: £76,412 (£78,800)
(Figures in brackets for PDK, faster 0-62mph with PDK and Sport Chrono)

PORSCHE 911 CARRERA S (991 GEN 2)
Engine: 2,981cc twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: 7-speed manual, rear-wheel drive (7-speed PDK optional)
Power (hp): 420@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 369@1,700-5,000rpm
0-62mph: 4.3 seconds (4.1/3.9 seconds)
Top speed: 191mph (190mph)
Weight: 1,440kg (1,460kg, to DIN spec)
MPG: 32.5 (36.7, NEDC claimed combined)
CO2: 199g/km (174g/km)
Price: £85,857 (£88,245)
(Figures in brackets for PDK, faster 0-62mph with PDK and Sport Chrono)

RE: Porsche GT3 RS: Review

Tuesday 22nd September 2015
Porsche GT3 RS: Review
Ultimate poser's Porsche or still the real deal?

Ultimate poser's Porsche or still the real deal? PH dresses for the occasion and gets on track in the GT3 RS

Just what is the etiquette over going full Nomex on a track day? If your car has harnesses it's maybe acceptable; if you're self conciously wearing your branded overalls to the hotel breakfast before even getting to the track I'd argue not. Having witnessed supercar owners doing the latter I've never wanted to be 'that guy'.

All the gear and no idea; same for the RS?

Isthat mindset in four-wheeled form? I've previously argued a whiff of this in; arguably the smell is stronger around the new-school RS. "The new Porsche 911 GT3 RS breaks down the barrier between street-legal sports cars and race cars more than ever," says Porsche in the opening paragraph of its press pack on the RS.

OK then. Let's skip the track day and see if it really can keep up with real racing cars. A race would be great. In the absence of that a test day could be the next best thing. It even gives me licence to wear my racing suit...

Best laid plans
I arrive at Donington having driven down the M1 in relative comfort thanks to creature comforts like air-con, nav and leather seats. Sure, plastic rear windows, tyres that'd make a steamroller blush and rose-jointed suspension all contribute to a dose more NVH than a regular 911. There's perhaps the most basic dash trim of any 991 I've ever driven and plenty of 'connection' with the car thanks to the clonks through the drivetrain, spatters of gravel inside the arches and odd twang from the cage. But for all the outrageous looks the biggest surprise about the RS is quite how easy it is to bimble along in. All the gear and no idea?

Extra track and wheel vents bonkers but brill

Certainly there's something still not quite right about accelerating up a slip road in a winged'n'caged 911 and hearing gears. Without even the most basic 'qualifier' of a snappy clutch and single mass flywheel will the new RS still weed out the mere posers so effectively?

When I arrive at Donington Jonny from BookATrack does his level best to convince me heading out onto a track packed with racing hot heads in an expensive road car really isn't the best idea and we can instead just use lunchtime for an empty track and photos.

Perhaps getting suited up will help me get in the mood.

Is this a good idea?
No, it doesn't. Basically I've got as long as it takes to accelerate out of the pit lane and Redgate to adjust my mindset from 50-limited M1 mooching to maximum attack. Tyres and head are not up to temperature; those of everyone else very much are.

Not exactly shy at the back either

Thankfully I've emerged into some free air, giving time to dial into the car and learn my way around. Immediately it's clear how important context is to how the RS feels. On the road I've not touched any of the buttons, beyond engaging the loud exhaust mode. Here I can't even do that, the RS sailing perilously close to the 98db drive-by limit as-is.

The PASM dampers have a Sport mode but beyond an experimental prod I've not touched it on the road. Not because the car is overly stiff; more because the damping is so good and the car so exquisitely balanced in the standard mode there isn't the need. The firmer setting just adds harshness and a bit of camber sensitivity to the front axle, the wheel snatching under braking on bumpy corners where in the standard mode it just flows beautifully.

This is the great surprise about GT Porsches - they are actually excellent road cars. Indeed, the RS's chassis is actually far more compliant and balanced than the PASM Sport set-up on the 911 GTS I drove recently. Thank superb damping and the helper springs that permit short main coils and slammed ride height but allow a longer damper stroke and additional bump swallowing droop.

About the most basic dash you'll find in any 991

All mouth ... what about the trousers?
On the track that means the RS can be bounced off kerbs without the wheels skipping off the ground, the car remaining absolutely planted no matter how hard you clatter it over the bumps. Extreme for a road car but mild in competition terms, there's definitely increased stability from the aero too. You can even feel it at motorway speeds but in the heart-in-mouth plunge through Craner Curves the RS goads you into carrying more speed. But even in PASM Sport it feels road car soft, all things relative.

Do I miss the manual? In some ways yes; I'm not chasing lap times and it does feel a bit PlayStation. But in its place I've got sheer speed, confidence to downchange deep into the braking zones and the ability to upshift when and where I want. In PDK Sport you even get sense of race sequential, albeit without the unsettling jolt as the shift goes through.

Ram effect for induction air via side vents

Opportunity to explore the upper reaches of that incredible rev range are so fleeting on the road it's taking some real discipline to not short-shift before that final 8,800rpm crescendo. 200rpm lower than the GT3's 3.8 but who's counting; the character is much the same with a flat torque curve that suddenly erupts from 4,000-6,000rpm before that final shriek to the redline. RS upgrades include titanium con-rods, forged pistons plus a crank stroked by 4mm and machined from the same 'pure super steel' alloy as that of the LMP1 919 Hybrid.

By the numbers the gains overaren't that dramatic, extending to an extra 25hp and 15lb ft with 10kg off the kerbweight too. The 28mm wider Turbo bodyshell, the boosted front track and the additional aero probably explain the fact it's actually 2mph slower at the top end, a shorter final drive to compensate for bigger wheels (4.19 compared to the GT3's 3.97) and the extra grunt helping it knock a couple of tenths off the 0-62 time. It's not here the tenths matter though; over a lap of the Nordschleife (usual disclaimers apply...) its 7min 20sec is five seconds quicker than the GT3 and faster than a Carrera GT.

Needs room to stretch its legs

Let it sing
In isolation it's seriously, thrillingly rapid but straight-line heroes accustomed to forced induction cars may actually find themselves a little underwhelmed with the linearity of the power. If that's you then buy a Turbo S. The RS is more about sensation and savouring those transient moments where the car is seemingly being pulled in several directions at once.

From the outside the RS looks enormous and laugh-out-loud bonkers. By some stretch this is the wildest looking road going 911 ever and there's more than enough aesthetic and technical detail to set it apart from even the GT3. The carbon wings, front and rear lids, the magnesium roof (nearly a third lighter than standard), the distinctive recess running over the nose and body, the vents, the scoops, the titanium exhaust, THAT wing ... it's properly OTT. Whisper it but even at the optioned up price of £145,626 it seems good value.

Aero, rubber and extra track all add grip

However this is all garnish over the way it drives. Because once you're in it you forget the looks, the four-wheel steering, the active locking diff and the other gadgets to just relish the way it feels. There's adjustment aplenty in anti-roll, ride height, camber and aero but out of the box the 991 manages to feel as small, nimble and adjustable as any RS. All that 911 magic seemingly dialled out of the regular car? It's right here.

And it's a virtuous circle as well. Faith in the additional grip of the wider front track gives you confidence to play with the weight shifts and exploit that classic 911 pendulum effect as if you were in a pint-sized 2.7 RS. Stability under braking is significantly better than the regular GT3 so you can haul it up straight from huge speeds and then play with the cornering attitude with trailed brakes, a lift or simply under power. Or, when it all comes together, a seamless combination of the above.

And yet it feels playful and chuckable too

Straight and narrow
The downhill approach to the Melbourne hairpin is a good example. The PDK means you can stamp hard on the brake with your left foot while flicking down through the gears, confident even the downhill gradient won't unsettle the back end. Bleed the brakes off as you turn in, pick the throttle up nice and early and it'll carry a smooth arc round the corner; lift to tighten the line and you'll need a quarter turn of corrective lock and, if you're quick enough on the power, a beautiful transition into a four-wheel drift on the way out. All this on sticky Cup rubber and with the stability control fully on.

The limits are seriously high yet so transparent and exploitable it's an absolute joy to drive hard, demanding but still accommodating at the same time. And throughout there's that noise, drilling into your head, zinging through the cage, seats and bodywork, tingling through the Alcantara of the steering wheel. This is a very different car from previous RS models. But one that delivers very familiar thrills, albeit at a much, much higher level. Like, the RS proves that feel and feedback are still absolutely critical to enjoying a fast car and of at least equal relevance to impressive stats and technology.

Guess what, the best 911 you (probably can't) buy

I'm wary of getting too involved with some of the punchier driving the test day permits but, yes, for a street car on road-legal rubber in no way does it feel out of its depth among the racing machinery. I still feel like a bit of a tit in my suit. But there's an illicit sense of mischief about gatecrashing a day for proper racing cars and more than keeping pace.

Is there a problem with the RS, other than not having enough down the back of the sofa to buy one? Yes - basically it shows up how inert the rest of the 991 line-up has become. You can still buy a proper 911 that drives like the ones we loved best. It's just a shame it's hidden at the very peak of the range.

PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS (991)
Engine: 3,996cc flat-6 (3,799cc flat-6)
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto (PDK), rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 500@8,250rpm (475@8,250rpm)
Torque (lb ft): 339@6,250 (324@6,250rpm)
0-62mph: 3.3sec (3.5sec)
Top speed: 193mph (196mph)
Weight: 1,420kg DIN (1,430kg DIN)
MPG : 22.2mpg (22.8mpg) (NEDC combined)
CO2: 296g/km (289g/km)
Price: £131,296 (£145,626 as tested comprising Lava Orange exterior Paint £1,805, Club Sport Package £NCO, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes £6248, LED headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus £2,262, wheels painted in black silk gloss £393, Sound package plus £396, Porsche Communication Management [inc. Navigation module] £2,141, Sport Chrono Package including Track Precision App and prep for Laptrigger £1,085)
Figures in brackets for standard GT3

Thanks to BookATrack for admitting us to their Donington test day; for info about these, regular track days and rental/instruction packages with their dedicated fleet of Caterhams.

Photos: Sim Mainey

RE: Porsche Cayman GT4: Review

Tuesday 10th March 2015
Porsche Cayman GT4: Review
The Cayman they said they'd never build ... but we're rather glad they did
Put down your pitch forks.

Put down your pitch forks. Excitement aboutisn't myopic, Deutschland uber alles bias. Or money in back pockets. It's because - simply - it's a bloody good car built by folk who really know what they're about.

First a reflection on what the GT4 represents. Because this could be the first time a mainstream manufacturer has made us face the question of what we really want out of our cars. That Porsche chose to launch the hot Cayman alongside its most outrageouslyonly highlights it.

A great road car, an even better one on track

And the question is this. Is speed just about technology enabling ever more impressive numbers, relevant or not to how people will use their cars? Or is it about sensation? Ends or means? In the case of the Cayman GT4 power and performance stats are among the less interesting things on the spec sheet. Its 991 GT3 big brother is an epic car and the RS promises to be more so. But when Porsche admits the GT4 'counters criticism the GT3 came up short on being purist' you know there's a disturbance in the force.

A question we put to Porsche boss Matthias Muller at Geneva thus; is this the Porsche that separates the purists from the posers? "Maybe..." he said with a flicker of a smile.

True believer
Does the GT4 embody the true beliefs of Andreas Preuninger and his Porsche GT team then? Having achieved the required objectives to raise the GT3 to a new level is this the car they actually wanted to build all along?

There's an underlying sense of mischief here, like the fact it defers to the Carrera S by the numbers most people read. But actually exploits that shared 3.8-litre six to punch harder where it matters. Yes, Porsche has gifted the Cayman a 911 motor and allowed it to go faster and harder.

Blanked switches a good thing in this context

Then there's the self-selecting nature of it. The vast majority - pretty much three-quarters - of Cayman buyers want PDK. The vast majority of Cayman buyers will therefore be disappointed that it's a manual only deal. To drive a GT4 you'll have to accept your feet are going to get a workout. And, ultimately, sacrifice a few tenths for that sense of connection.

Enough philosophical musing though. What's it actually like? Immediately the optional fixed 918 Spyder seats force you into a racer-style upright position, pushing the wheel into your chest. A wheel that is - shocker! - round in shape, covered in nice Alcantara and completely bereft of any buttons for phone, nav, cruise control or any of the other crap found on most modern steering wheels. It's also 10mm slimmer in diameter than the GTS's wheel - details, details! A stubby Alcantara covered gearshifter sits high in the tall centre console, the only mode buttons to choose from being self-blipping Sport, exhaust noise, dampers, ESC off and ESC + TC off. You could easily drive it without pressing any of them and never suffer any sort of 'mode anxiety' about whether or not the car was in its optimum setting. It's there when you turn the key, the rest garnish on an already tasty dish.

Spanner time
If you really want to fiddle you'll need to get the spanners out. Anti-roll bars front and rear can be swapped between three settings - a 10-minute job apparently - to let you dial in your preferred handling balance of safety net or spikiness, front camber can be adjusted and there's that high downforce option of more rear wing angle and open front diffuser. Just make sure you don't do one without the other, warns Preuninger.

It's all about the cornering speed

Less He-Man than those on 911 GT3s, the clutch is firm but positive and the throttle picks up keenly from an idle that's less lumpy than other GT models but most definitely assertive. It still uses a dual-mass flywheel for drivability but Preuninger describes how they basically machined away as much as they could get away with to reduce weight and improve response. Less hairtrigger than 997 GT3s you will still stall it if you're not careful. And people will - rightly - point and laugh.

Widely accepted as being a nicer shift than the 911's seven-speeder, the gearbox has a short action and a positive gate. So long as you don't manhandle third to second and end up pushing through the detent for the reverse plane. If this does happen you'll arrive at your corner with the clutch still down, fumbling around for a gear and quite likely puckering against the Alcantara. Not that we'd know anything about this because we are, naturally, infallible driving gods...

Those who've complained the gearing in manual Caymans is too long and hoped for a racier, close-ratio 'box are out of luck too. Preuninger tells us he likes a long second gear that'll stretch to over 80mph for the kind of typical overtakes you'd perform on the public road. You can see the logic and with the GT4's additional grunt it doesn't bog down at lower revs like regular Caymans can. But you'll rarely be out of second or third in the twisties and if you had dreams of busily flicking this way and that through a close-stacked 'box they'll only really be realised on the track.

Cage, Alcantara wheel ... proper!

There's additional weight and precision to the steering, if not a vast amount of feel. Porsche does EPAS better than most but 997 GT3 owners will notice the difference. It does what's needed though, the feedback in the GT4 coming more through your hips than your fingertips as the mechanical diff hooks up and rotates the car around its vertical axis. You don't have to be at warp factor schnell for this to be apparent either and here the GT4 really begins to show its class over standard Caymans, which can feel accomplished but a little inert unless you're absolutely on it.

Same with the damping, which errs on the side of authority rather than flow but is absolutely unshakeable even on the brutal vertical undulations that characterise Portuguese roads. There's enough body movement and weight shift to read what the car is up to and there's a class to the chassis over and above a PASM equipped GTS. The passive Sport Chassis on the GTS is closer in feel but the GT4 has an ace up its sleeve in a more assertive still track setting. You'd be forgiven for never pressing it though, so good is the default.

The overall balance is entirely neutral and benign, but in a good sense. It's a blank canvas onto which you can express your driving style of choice. But with no inherent flaws nor are there any excuses - it's as good as you put in basically. As stated, there is adjustment and most of the cars we drove on track were in the balanced default setting. But the white Clubsport spec car had been stiffened up at the rear to make it more pointy, the difference noticeable if you carried a little more speed into a given corner than you did the previous lap. In this configuration the rotation can be quite rapid and the corrections need to be quick if you're to avoid it becoming terminal. Flighty is too strong a word but it's nice to know the GT3 mentality of not suffering fools has made it into the Cayman too.

Requires provocation to do this; focus is on grip

Footloose
The bar isn't quite as high as it's been in 911s but there's still a sense that you need to measure up and it won't gloss over lack of commitment or talent. An example. On the road your attempts to heel'n'toe will likely be thwarted by the pedal placement. You may even resort to the auto blip function. Only when you get on the track and start using meaningful brake pressures do the pedals properly align and permit you to do it cleanly yourself. This was always the way with manual GT3s and one of the many clues to the mindset of the team that build them.

And to be properly fast around a track you'll need to be happy carrying speed rather than relying on power to build it. This isn't a slow car. But the linearity of the 3.8's power delivery can feel flat if you're more accustomed to forced induction motors. And you really need to rinse it to get a sense of meaningful progress. Thankfully this is where the car really comes alive, the engine's gruff, businesslike tone taking on a more meaningful howl when combined with the added thrust. It's never quite as feral as a Mezger but it's a proper motor and a genuine stand-out feature as the world goes forced induction. Whether track day noise limits will be quite as appreciative is another matter. Likewise expect to be frustrated if you end up with a load of turbocharged straight-line heroes blocking you into the corners but out-dragging you down the straights. No names mentioned...

Optional fixed seats and Clubsport - boxes ticked

In conclusion then this is the car we all knew lurked in the Cayman all along. The fact optioned-up Carreras can easily nudge against six-figures cars has finally let the Cayman off the leash. And while Preuninger doesn't like 'ring lap times, describing them as a measure of individual driver bravery as much as a car's overall ability, it's interesting to note a Carrera S needs a full suite of optional gizmos like active anti-roll bars and a torque-vectoring diff to match the GT4's Nordschleife time. In putting the driver back in control - for better or worse - and for reclaiming performance from the statisticians the GT4 is a significant crossroads moment.

Is there anything to criticise? Of course there is. Tyre roar on the motorway can drag, not everyone will subscribe to the long-geared philosophy and even with the extra visual muscle the basic Cayman shape doesn't quite work from all angles.

The biggest problem? If you've read all this and quite reasonably thought 'this is the kind of sports car we thought we'd never see again - I'll have one!' you're already too late and all 129 UK cars have been sold. Next year then? Don't bet on it, the allocation apparently even smaller for 2016. Porsche hoped the GT4 would open up the world of GT cars to an appreciative new crowd. What it didn't factor on was the old one - the one raised on 996 and 997 GT3s, weekends at the Nurburgring and disillusioned by the new-age 991 GT3 - already clocked it as the true spiritual successor for their old cars. And made use of existing relationships with their OPCs to be front of the queue. Still, if you were hoping for 991 GT3 prices to drop back to more realistic levels you might be in luck...

Looking for more stats and facts?for our Cayman GT4 'by the numbers'

PORSCHE CAYMAN GT4
Engine: 3,800cc flat-6
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential
Power (hp): 385@7,400rpm
Torque (lb ft): 310@4,750rpm
0-62mph: 4.4sec
Top speed: 182mph
Weight: 1,415kg (EU, with driver)
MPG: 27.4mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 238g/km
Price: £64,451 (before options)

RE: Porsche 911 Targa 4 S: Review

Wednesday 31st December 2014
Porsche 911 Targa 4 S: Review
Why the 911 Targa was one of the more surprising cars of 2014
2014 was the year the Porsche world order got somewhat muddled.

2014 was the year the Porsche world order got somewhat muddled. We like to know where we stand with these things and, traditionally, for your 911 purist the only extremes of the range worthy of the badge are a plain vanilla manual Carrera 2 coupe or, if funds permit, some manner of GT3. 'Carrera 4', 'Tiptronic', 'Cabriolet', 'Aerokit' 'PDK' even ... all words likely to prompt a look of disdain from your typical 911 snob. Targa would, traditionally, reside on that list also.

'Big sunroof' 993, 996 and 997 Targas out of shot...

But as the 991 range has matured and expanded odd things have happened. 'Base' Carreras are lovely things but in size and performance terms seemingly in a precarious place. The upper reaches of the performance envelope remain a special place to be but the loss of more innocent pleasures like the compact, B-road friendly size and determinedly eccentric ergonomics have done more to neuter the base 911 than seven-speed manuals or electric steering. Throw in a growing portfolio of charismatic rivals like the lairy F-Type or sophisticated Mercedes-AMG GT and all of a sudden the 911 is having to work for its supper like never before.

Half rice...
Odd then that the one that gave us the most surprise and delight in the last 12 months was the version that, quite clearly, stands at the opposite end of the spectrum from the 911s we've traditionally been attracted to.is, after all, heavier, slower, four-wheel drive only and based around the twin gimmicks of retro novelty and the kerbside theatre of an elaborate folding roof. It is, unashamedly, more about style than content.

Bit more involved than popping out a panel

But as the enjoyment of fast cars becomesis a 911 built as much for pose value as performance perhaps the solution?

It's certainly got the visual impact and wow factor. Referencing the original 1965 Targa's silver roll hoop look while adopting a high tech solution to the faff of manhandling roof panels would appear a masterstroke. It's certainly given the Targa a more distinct voice in the ever growing 911 range, especially when compared with the big sunroof look adopted by Targas in the post-964 era.

...half chips
And, as the, the 991's shape has proved more accommodating of removal of the roof than perhaps any other open top 911. Structural integrity is often used as a stick to beat cabrio versions of popular coupes but, without that reverse C-pillar, Targa and Cabrio 911s have always looked like big bootied versions of the more muscular and purposeful coupes. Which is ironic, given the well stocked rear seems to have fallen into favour in recent times.

Driving experience not compromised one bit

Staying on topic though...

You may have surmised from the above admission for thinking the Targa is now a bit of alright that it's merely adequate to drive. True enough, by the numbers it remains arguably the least driver focused 911 in the range, the PDK 4 S Targa as tested 90kg heavier than an equivalent 4 S Carrera and more than £8,000 more expensive to boot. Indeed, you could have a C4 GTS PDK and £122 in your pocket (nearly enough for your embossed Porsche crests on the headrests...) for the £98,801 starting price of this car. A PDK 4 S Cabriolet is a small amount - £647 to be exact - more and 20kg lighter. And of all the 4 S variants the Targa is the slowest by as much as half a second to benchmarks like 0-62mph, 0-100mph and Porsche's own measure of 'elasticity' - in-gear acceleration from 50-75mph in fifth in a manual equipped car. If such things keep you awake at night it's also slightly thirstier and worse on CO2, though only marginally.

Inspiration to use original's influence is inspired

I like big butts
Against that added bulk the normally aspirated S engine does have its work cut out too, 400hp less of a concern than the fact there's 'just' 324lb ft of torque and it doesn't arrive until the rev counter passes 5,600rpm. By modern standards that's decidedly peaky but, in keeping with the general theme, it's less about the numbers than the sensations.

The S motor spins up with eagerness you'd have expected of a GT3 of a generation or two back and if it lacks punch in the guts acceleration it more than makes up for it with the howl as the lungs open around 4,000rpm. Just kicked in, ja, and all that. You need to rev it out then but PDK makes dropping a few cogs literally a twitch of a finger away and as hardships go we've had to endure worse. If you're feeling flush there's always the 430hp Powerkit option too, a snip (cough) at £9,387.

No longer the ugly duckling of the 911 range

Purists may also bemoan the perceived mollycoddling of the four-wheel drive chassis but, again, Porsche has probably correctly identified that this fits with the Targa's all-rounder role. You can have it as a manual if you wish but we'd be surprised if many leave showrooms without the PDK box ticked.

Package holiday
And, of course, it all works beautifully as a package. Much has been said about the 991's electric steering but, of its type, it remains among the better ones and simulated or not the twanginess around the dead ahead gives you the sense of something to lean against. And although it doesn't get the four-wheel steering of the Turbo or GT3 that traditional 911 understeer is gone, the structure stiff and wobble free and torque vectoring four-wheel drive system utterly dependable. Standard on the S, with PDK you get PTV Plus with a full electronic control over a variable locking rear diff. Indeed, on a greasy road it'll even settle into subtle and delightful four-wheel drifts that feel entirely natural and confidence inspiring, hammering home the daily usability point.

Standard 4WD means it works even in this

Dropping the roof does take a while - and some space - but the pose value is off the scale. And suitably embellished the 991 interior has never looked better. The buffeting Matt encounteredis still there but, other than that, the sense of compromise in previous Targas is gone, replaced by delight in how this novelty act has been delivered with such class. Simply, it's just a nice car. Not the fastest or most hardcore Porsche ever. But one that's lovely to be around. The feelgood factor has even started to trickle down to, 'roll hoop' versions like the 964 and older enjoying something of a resurgence on the used market in the reflected glory.

So there we are. 2014 may be remembered for many things; for those of us fixated by rear-engined Porsches it'll be remembered as the year the Targa turned cool. Hope yet for the Turbo S Cabriolet? One step at a time...

PORSCHE 911 TARGA 4 S
Engine: 3,800cc flat-six
Power (hp): 400@7,400rpm
Torque (lb ft): 324@5,600rpm
0-62mph: 4.8 sec (4.6 with PDK, 4.4 with PDK and Sport Chrono)
Top speed: 184mph (183mph)
MPG: 28.2 (30.7) NEDC combined
CO2: 237g/km (214)
Kerbweight: 1,555kg (1,575) DIN empty
Price: £96,413 (£98,801)

Figures in brackets for PDK.

Photos: Roo Fowler