Reviews
Better Than Par : VW Golf GTI (Mk 6)
* Personally, I Like the new front; looks far more menacing than the Mk 5... and the 6 is more than capable of backing it up with some action too (unlike its wide-eyed predecessor)
Exhaust revisions result in a more aggressive note; tail-pipes are now on either side of the rear under-skirting.
* Engine is a turbocharged 2L, but this isn't the same engine found in the Mk 5. The heavily revised powerplant feels punchier (slightly more horsepower than the outgoing car) and the sound it makes on the move is outstanding (also thanks to the revised exhaust system)! Stupendous low to mid-range punch...
* New steering wheel is even more delightful to hold; Racing red stitching matches the gear-gaiter.
Familiar DSG gearbox; still not a huge fan, but i have to say it makes light work of A-B driving, but occasionally, one feels the gear-box is second-guessing the driver during up (or down) shifts.
The cabin is well appointed and exudes the kind of well-built ambience that so many have come to associate with German brands. Of course, recent times have seen a gradual decline in the average build quality of stalwart brands, but with the mk 6, with the exception of some parts, overall cabin quality seems far higher than the Mk 5 (No, it's not our imagination either).
Although the Mk 6's dash architecture is similar to the mk 5, the quality of materials used is far higher than the earlier car and prove tactile to the touch.
* Even on 18-inch alloys and low profile rubber, the chassis and suspension of the Mk6 GTI has been well-sorted. In fact, in terms of ability, it far surpasses the Mk 5, which could get crashy at times and wheelspun easily with even minor prods of the gas pedal.
Even in 'Sport', the ride is perfectly acceptable; the Mk6 now features XDS, an electronic transverse differential lock, and what a difference to handling it makes: the Mk6 GTI has certainly transcended the realms of the average straight-line warrior.
Corners can now be attacked with a high level of confidence (and speed); previously, one either worried about wheel-spinning if the gas was applied too early or if applied too late, not carrying enough speed out of the corner (before the inevitable comments about 300bhp or 400bhp Mk 5s start coming out of the woodwork, of course I'm talking about stock to stock).
Of course, there's more to chassis dynamics than just adding a trick LSD, since there have been recent FWD cars that have tried to use that as a selling point, even if the results have sometimes been far from satisfactory.
Ultimately, the mk6 GTI shines as a complete package and can be driven hard with finesse. The GTI's steering weight/communication, power delivery and suspension have all been tuned to optimise the LSD, which ultimately enhances the car's handling, stability and poise... and that has made all the difference between this and the Mk 5.
new instruments are easy on the eye.
Familiar wheels to many; unlike the Mk5, 18s come as standard this time around; but thankfully, the chassis of the Mk6 has been well sorted to deliver a firm yet comfortable ride.
With the launch of the Golf R, hardcore enthusiasts have something else to look forward to, where the turbo'd 2L has been boosted to 270bhp and like the R32, will feature VW's latest 4Motion 4WD system for optimised traction (after all, one can only go so far with FWD).
As much as i loved the rasp of the V6 in the earlier Golf V R32, the reality is Singapore's road tax structure, which penalises cars with bigger engine capacities, made ownership of the R32 rather prohibitive, or rather, there were plenty of compelling alternatives (some higher up the brand hierarchy, no less) in that price and engine category that could be enjoyed.
In any case, the Golf R should be making it to Singapore; the only concern is, will the official channel serve up the de-tuned 'hot climate' version?
Anyway, fingers are crossed for the full bhp variant!
Fast Facts : Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk 6)
Engine: 1984cc, 16-valves, in-line 4, turbocharged
Maximum power: 210bhp at 5300rpm
Maximum torque: 280Nm at 1700-5200rpm
Transmission: 6-speed Dual Clutch Transmission
0-100km/h: 6.9 seconds
Top Speed: 238km/h
LxBxH: 4213 x 1779 x 1469 mm
Wheelbase: 2578mm
Kerbweight: 1339kg
Agent: Volkswagen Centre Singapore
URL: http://www.vwasia.com/publish/vwasia/singapore/en/company/location.html
Price: S$134,300k (5-dr) / S$130,800 (3-dr)
Hard Candy : MINI Cooper S Clubman
If you take only one thing away from this post, it should be: 'Estates are Cool.'
No. Seriously. There's a delirious sense of anti-establishment that is pre-packaged with every blisteringly quick estate. Cars like the RS 4 Avant, M5 Touring and today, the Clubman Cooper S, ooze an aura of unconventionality that ably demonstrate: 1) the owners are not afraid to take a walk off the beaten path and 2) there are few things as humiliating as being brutally shredded up and overtaken by a V8 estate that seems to be hauling a trunk-full of dogs as it disappears into the horizon.
Fast Estates are for people who already know where they are in life... and don't need to prove anything to anybody.
But you have to understand where we're coming from. We never quite hopped onto the whole 'happy happy joy joy sooo cute' bandwagon that the MINI seemed to evoke in so many people. Don't get me wrong, the MINI drives fantastically, but the ownership demographic of the cars isn't one that I'm ever going to be a part of...
Before getting into the thick of it, there's some confusion over the 'Clubman' nomenclature being used on BMW MINI's estate (stationwagon) variant. A side-note: the names Traveller or Countryman were applied to the stationwagon variant of the original MINI from the 1960s.
Viewed straight on, there's little that gives the game away but the moment you see its side-profile, your mind takes some time to adjust to the Clubman's proportions... but it's all good. The two-tone black-cream livery endows the test-drive Clubman Cooper S with great panache too. To these jaded eyes, the car's proportions are just right versus the regular hatchback, a notion that is nicely accented by the black highlights around the tail-lights and roof, which work well to create a classy contrast (otherwise it would be too white!).
A barely noticeable door-line (on the driver's side) hides a suicide door that swings open to reveal the entry/exit point to the back-seats and there's quite a surprising amoung of leg-room in the back too.
The cabin boasts coolly contoured seats, while delicious white piping adds to the sense of occasion. The ubiquitous oversized counter seems bigger than before (although we're sure it's an optical illusion) - an irony considering that is hardly mini-me sizing for this maxi-MINI.
Instead of the previous Cooper S' supercharged engine, the new car boasts a turbocharged 1.6L (also found in the Peugeot 207 GTI), which proves to be delightfully supple to exploit when you're razzing from one traffic light to the next. Low to mid-range thump is strong but this gradually tapers off as you hit higher rpms. However, there's no denying the engine feels more potent than the car's 7.8 seconds (to 100km/h) might otherwise suggest.
The chassis is entertaining and proves safe enough to hoon around in, even when you're pushing the limits of the tyres' adhesion on the street. The steering is meaty and communicative; the little car is capable of cornering in perfect composure with no drama. moreover, the tyres give plenty of warning way ahead of the time they start losing grip and pushing wide.
And as the sign below says, this is a car that is just as fun in the wet!
The 6-speed automatic gearchanges are smooth enough when left to its own devices, but the gearing seems too long-geared to be really effective in start-stop surges. However, this is probably a good thing since the power band is a rather small window and the turbocharger runs out of puff as the needle hits the mid-way mark on the rev counter.
Demonstrating the spacious boot (by MINI's standards at any rate) is this nifty pair of Piloti Scuderia sneaks. These aren't regular 'tennis' shoes, but Piloti's! Great stuff for driving and walking! a wide variety of designs that don't look like the average Puma or Adidas 'driving' shoes for the street that will make you look like you're trying too hard.
http://www.piloti.com/
Little details set the car aside from the other brand's 'tribute' offerings. The climate control switchgear are arranged to form the MINI winged motif and the air-craft style toggles and switch-gear create a rather go-faster ambience.
Too many people don't seem to realise this is a stretched variant until you're actually alongside them. Then they gawk, but for some reason the car seemed to attract some haters and negativity and everybody seemed inclined to have a go with the car from off the starting blocks.
Unfortunately, the bottom line is its price. This is not a cheap car to own from brand new. As much as many purists claim they would not enjoy an automatic, the prejudices flew out the window the moment they got behind the steering wheel. Then the million-dollar question, "How much?"
Fast Facts - MINI Cooper S Clubman (A)
Engine: 1598cc, 16-valves, turbochargesd
Maximum power: 175bhp at 5500rpm
Maximum torque: 240Nm at 1600-5000rpm (260Nm overboost 1700-4500rpm)
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
0-100km/h: 7.8 seconds
Top speed: 219km/h
LxBxH: 3958 x 1683 x 1432 mm
Wheelbase: 2547mm
Kerbweight: 1305kg
Agent: Trans Eurokars (MINI)
Price: approx. S$138k
Day-Glo Orange is the New Black : Porsche 911 GT3 (996) Mk1
An aurally loud and brash car like 'Sunkist' needs an appropriately lurid colour to accompany it...
Mind you, it has all the ability to back up its distinctive colour choice so you'll never mistake it for some pastel-loving pansy.
Prior to this, the GT3 was found in a rather boring shade of black and before that, Zanzibar Red. Of course, there's always been a sort of Teutonic appeal associated with solid colours like black and silver, but the new owner decided that hum-drum would not be the way forward for this car... and so we have Sunkist Racing in this delectable 'pearl' finish - a finger in the faces of the few 997 GT3 RSs in a similar hue that are prowling the streets.
At that time, the MK 1 GT3 was probably the most hardcore road-going production 911 that money could buy (at least in the Singapore context). It was not until the arrival of the GT3 MK 2 that the lightweight GT3 RS made its appearance.
Most notably, in 1999, the GT3 became the first production car to break the 8 minutes mark as it romped ferociously around the Nurburgring. Porsche's official test-driver Walter Rohrl lapped 'Green Hell' in 7 minutes 56 seconds while piloting the 911 GT3 MK 1. He subsequently managed 7 mins 43 seconds in the 996 GT3 RS.
To put it in perspective, this car easily cracked the 2:32 barrier at Sepang (timed on pbox) in the owner's hands (a non-professional track enthusiast).
Despite its overt resemblance to lesser but no less outrageously body-kitted 996 911s, the GT3 is a completely different kettle of fish. Designed from ground-up for the track, the no-nonsense 996 GT3 was first introduced in 1999 as a lean, mean, track-focused machine that was intended to trump its rivals at GT-class competition level on race circuits.
The body addenda on this car typically includes a cargraphic front spoiler with lip (although today it's running the stock spoiler otherwise there would have been issues with the car-park slope)
No Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake system under the Advan RG alloy rims (painted black orange highlights) but Sunkist is equipped with the GT3 MK 2's 6pot front callipers and 4pot rears for stupendous stopping power... and i mean STUPENDOUS!
As far as road use goes, the stopping prowess it displays in hauling you to a halt at the traffic lights or when a taxi pulls out in front of you is merely the tip of the iceberg. The pedal feel offers ample confidence and there's always the sensation that it has more than 95% in reserve for the track. Note the big-brake ducts that cool of this pristine example.
There's a minimalist Zen-like atmosphere to the interior, yet there's no mistaking the GT3's 'hard' personality, as the cabin best exemplifies the importance of form following function. Automatic climate control, a hi-fi and powered windows are the few concessions to 'comfort'.
Seat-belts are red colour coded, there's a chunky 3-spoke sports steering wheel to cling on to, even as your feet are dancing on the alloy pedals while you work your way down 99 bends. The suede-clad 'cobra-head' gear-lever look out of place since this is an update item that's been fitted to the car from the 'newer' 996 GT3 RS.
Make no mistake, the car is a little worn, but the very few scuff marks belie its age (close to 10 years) and the controls easily feel like they're more than capable of lasting another 10 with impunity. Besides, the car wears it wear-marks and scuffs proudly like a warrior would of his battle-scars!
The driver's seat takes the beautifully sculpted form of a bespoke Clubsport package Recaro bespoke race bucket, while the passenger spends his time in a more mundane electric-adjustable leather seat.
These classic old school gauges are pure Porsche and you'd be a fool not to love the simplicity and eminent legibility of the font and layout. The cabin architecture exudes a functional charm that is elegant in its simplicity. One thing's for sure: this isn't a car to piss around in!
Under the rump-end of Sunkist resides the same 3.6L water-cooled flat-six that is found in the garden variety 911s of the early 2000s, albeit tuned to a chest-thumping 360bhp in stock form.
But before you go, "pish-tosh, it's water-cooled!", it's worth noting that the particular flat-six in the GT3 was set up to better resemble its earlier air-cooled counterparts, like the 964 and seminal RS, than the latter day water-cooled babies.
For a more intense driving experience, Sunkist features Cargraphics header and exhaust items, while a lightweight single-mass flywheel (again from the Clubsport package) makes for a more frenetic experience, especially driven in anger with the combination of Gemballa suspension and LSD from a Cup car.
On the move, the soundtrack is amazing as the combination of exhaust and engine create a delicious mechanical symphony that easily raises the hackles of mere mortals as it hurtles by down the straight. The drive is nothing short of visceral. Steering, pedal feel and rear-wheel drive chassis suck the committed driver into its fold to work together in harmony. Gear-shifts are short and rifle-bolt precise, even if there's a little notchiness.
The acceleration is brutal, raw and painfully explosive (especially with the higher final drive); if this were an encounter of the prison variety, it would leave you battered, sore and bruised where the sun don't shine. There's a frantic quality in its power delivery that makes you want to cane it even from A-B. But don't be mistaken, this is not a drag-strip warrior and even the briefest of drives through your favourite series of twisties will quickly throw up that fact.
There's little doubt that Sunkist is a luminous personality that has the tendency to attract the wrong sort of attention since it is a rather loud and obnoxious embodiment of conspicuous consumption, which is all the more a pity considering how it really is that accomplished a performer and not so much about the 'flash' factor.
With an increased emphasis on style quotient and comfort in more recent offerings (from all car brands), the MK1 GT3 is a refreshingly welcome hero from a bygone era.
Fast Facts - Porsche 911 GT3 (996) MK I
Engine: 3600cc, 24-valves, flat-6 cylinder
Maximum power: 360bhp at 7200rpm
Maximum torque: 370Nm at 5000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
0-100km/h: < 5 seconds
Top Speed: approx. 255km/h
LxBxH: 4435 x 1770 x 1275 mm
Wheelbase: 2355mm
Kerbweight: <1400kg
Availability: Discontinued (but available, so email for more details)
(courtesy: www.m0t0rhead.blogspot.com)
Green & Bear It : VW Scirocco 2.0TSI DSG
Green seems to be the theme for the past few posts. Thankfully for a change, in the case of the VW Scirocco, it's only 'green' in terms of its luminous Viper Green hue, as opposed to being yet another car for the tree-hugging brigade - not that there's anything wrong with 'going green' of course, lest thin-skinned readers start taking things the wrong way.
The 3rd generation 'Rocco is a sexy beast, with the new Golf's slit eyed gaze and a curvaceous rump-end that promises much to the wildly imaginative. The edgy 2+2 comes from a long line of 'sporthatch-coupes' that began with the first and second generation Scirocco, which later evolved into the Corrado.
As much as the new model is visibly a hatchback, opinion was polarised over the true characters of the earlier cars, which boasted distinctive 'hatchback-coupe' silhouettes, especially during the era of the Corrado.
Shod in the turbine-shaped 18-inch alloys (finished in sterling silver, no less, for that added 'bling' factor), the 'rocco cuts a sexy, no-nonsense stance, also well-accentuated by its muscular rear haunches, which certainly gives it a strong presence on the roads.
Unlike the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 'Viper Green', the 'Rocco's shade is nearer to fluorescent and shows up hints of yellow, green and gold, depending on the viewing angle. Of course, an added complication now is colour matching by lesser paint-shops in the event of minor scrapes, since this is a colour that will require skill to mix and apply for it to blend perfectly.
Despite its seemingly compact proportions, the car will happily carry 4 adults with ease; the boot will accommodate shopping packages and grocery bags as well - although it is deep, the loading point is rather high due to the tail-gate design.
Inside the cabin, the seats are supportive for fast road use and the 'flat-bottomed' sports steering wheel is ribbed for the enthusiast's driving pleasure. Like the Golf GTI, the 'rocco is served by VW's 6-speed DSG transmission (with accompanying steering wheel mounted shift-paddles).
A similar turbocharged 2L powerplant powers the Scirocco and is mated to the quick-shifting DSG for explosive effect. There's no doubt that these cars (Golf GTI and 'Rocco 2.0 TSI) are effortless to drive quickly under normal traffic conditions. Prod the gas pedal and the car rockets away off the line with a slight chirrup from the 18-inch Pirelli PZero Rosso rubbers.
In fact, with the DSG's close-ratios under brisk acceleration, 100km/h seems to come up very quickly on the white-illuminated instruments (much quicker than the 7.1 seconds might otherwise suggest). Like the GTI, the Scirocco proves to be a tough customer when it comes to driving at a more relaxed pace.
On the move, the forced-induced punch hits hard in the low to mid-range with scarcely any turbo-lag to speak of. Despite the road noise at highway speeds, the 'Rocco presents itself as a decent daily driver (as an alternative to the ubiquitous Golf GTI, although the Mk 6 GTI now gives +10bhp) for motorists who appreciate the prodigious thrust of a turbocharged engine yet want the refinement (and perceived prestige?) of an edgy continental marque.
There are 3 suspension modes to pick from: Sport, Comfort and erm, Normal. In Sport, the ride was never unbearable so we left it in that mode for most of our time with the car. The steering is meaty, yet communicative and the brakes forceful and easy to modulate.
Unlike the Golf VI GTI, the 'rocco doesn't have a LSD to really help a front-driver cope with the corners, but even then, grip levels are decent but you need to let the front end dig in before attempting to pile on the power; prodding the gas pedal any earlier is just wasted effort - thankfully the 'rocco punches hard down the straights.
Priced just under S$130k (1.4L comes in at approx. $97k), the Scirocco isn't a cheap proposition, but then again, it's sometimes difficult to put a price on 'coolness' and all in all, at least the 'Rocco presents a refreshing change from the many variants of the Golf and kawaii MINI, even though the latter car is still an appealing first-choice for many buyers.
If the Scirocco 2.0TSI isn't 'hard' enough for you, the fire-breathing 265bhp R variant is expected to arrive in Q1 2010. Now that Loco 'Rocco (on a side note, check out: http://www.locoroco.com/pc/index.php) should prove to be a real live wire.
Fast Facts : VW Scirocco 2.0 TSI (DSG)
Engine: 1984cc, 16-valves, in-line 4, turbocharged FSI
Maximum power: 200bhp at 5100-6000rpm
Maximum torque: 280Nm at 1700-5000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed DSG
0-100km/h: 7.1 seconds
Top Speed: 233km/h
LxBxH: 4256 x 1810 x 1856 mm
Wheelbase: 2578mm
Kerbweight: 1318kg
Agent: Volkswagen Centre Singapore
Price: approx. S$129k
(courtesy: www.m0t0rhead.blogspot.com)
Caught Sleeping No More - Nissan 370Z A/T
