When I were a lad, many moons ago, an Alfa GTV 105 Series caught my eye. I didn’t know a lot about cars because we weren’t a “car” family. I didn’t know what it was, but saw the Alfa Romeo badge, committing it to memory.
Rapid progress came in my early teens as I bought local and international car magazines by the box load. A friend bought a 1.8-litre Alfetta and I loved it. He didn’t, crashing it incessantly and, eventually, terminally. I was incensed. Something had to be done. But there was nothing I could do except dream of owning one myself.
In parallel, my friend’s mum was a bit of a car nut. She and I spent a Saturday poring over brochures and we both short-listed the Alfa Romeo 164 Q. The two other cars – Mazda MX-6 and…I dunno…can’t remember, didn’t stand a chance.
I drove that 164 Q a couple of times and adored it. That V6, the clever suspension, it completely changed my idea about front-wheel drive cars.
A few years later I bought an Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV and adored that, too. Rear-wheel drive, de Dion suspension, twin carbies, poo brown (sorry, occhio de tigre) paint, lovely five-spoke Momo wheels and a bundle of problems.
Problems that included an engine that exploded on a freeway at 140km/h.
It made me an Alfisti. So the following two decades meant slim pickings. Sure, there was the 8C, but it looked and sounded better than it handled. The 4C wasn’t very practical. Then the beast stirred. The late Sergio Marchionne finally settled on a strategy for Alfa after almost a decade or pushing or pulling (literally – the 159 replacement went from front to rear to front to rear-wheel drive) and some Ferrari folks headed to Turin.
The result was the Giulia. And, more importantly, the Giulia Q.
Words: Peter Anderson Images: Will Grilo
Look and Feel
The Giulia is a striking car. It looks a bit meek in lower forms but the pumped-up Q smacks you in the face with sporting intent.
The aggressive front end is enhanced with a deeper bumper and splitter. The rear’s diffuser/valance/quad exhaust combo looks pretty mean, too. In profile it looks slammed down over the big 19-inch alloys, the yellow calipers peeking out from behind.
Purpose. Speed. Muscle. I love it, but many don’t. That’s cool. We’re all friends here, no need to get bitter.
Inside is…well, a bit disappointing. There’s nothing wrong with it – it looks good, mostly feels good and with the funky, carbon-backed Sparco seats, you’re in for a treat every time you open the door. While there are big splashes of colour, the carbon fibre bits eat light and create a sometimes-oppressive feel.
The area around the shifter also feels oddly sparse. I can’t quite explain why. Some of the plastics, particularly the bits you touch, could be a bit more upmarket.
All is forgiven when you grip the Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, though. It feels and looks wonderful and those big alloy paddles feel fantastic. And that big red button. You know I like those.
The hooded instruments are a bit twee, but I’ll allow it. Alfa is nothing without its history and this is a lovely nod to it.
The quality isn’t up to Audi or BMW standards – the seat height button, for instance, popped out of its hole and I had to poke it back in. Does it matter? Not really, because you can fix it. More worrying is the scratchy plastic on the media system’s controller. That won’t age well.
Driveline
“Aaaaand race.”
Like the 164 Q, the V6 is the sonorous core of the Giulia. This is a properly special engine though. It’s three-quarters of the galactic F154 V8 found in the Portofino. Two turbos, 2.9-litres and a 90-degree V, it’s designed (and, I would imagine, made) by Ferrari Powertrain, just like the petrol V6s in Maseratis.
Forged aluminium pistons, twin IHI turbos, direct injection and various other cleverness sounds awfully familiar and promises much drivability.
When wound up, you get 376kW (511PS) and a very handy 600Nm. 0-100km/h arrives in 3.9 seconds, quicker than the now-dead rear-drive BMW M3 and not far off the AMG C63S.
All that power shoots to the rear wheels via a ZF eight-speed automatic, a lightweight carbon fibre propshaft and an electronic, limited-slip differential.
The four engine modes available via one of three dials on the console are A, N, D and Race in ascending order. Obviously Alfa calls it DNA but I’m a fan of saying, “Aaaannd race.” Because I’m a giant child.
The suspension button in the middle allows you to soften things off in D and Race if you just want some exhaust histrionics. Reminds me a lot of Ferrari’s bumpy road button.
A is for Advanced Efficiency, which means you get cylinder deactivation and please don’t leave, keep reading. N is for Natural, the equivalent of Comfort on everything else and D is for Dynamic. Race should be self-explanatory, but it moves the suspension from really quite hard to even harder, loosens the rear end and ratchets up the noise. I can’t imagine you nor I spend much time out of either Dynamic or Race.
Chassis and Aero
A very pretty set of classic Alfa wheels, 19-inches in diameter, carry the Giulia along. Wrapped in Pirelli P-Zeros made especially for the Giulia, they’re dark and look tremendous on this red car.
The bonnet and roof are made of carbon fibre and you can see the weave from behind the wheel – I adore that. Some of the panels are aluminium and it’s all, obviously, in the name of keeping weight down.
The drilled brakes look magnificent too, with the bright yellow Brembo callipers gripping 360mm front discs and 320mm at the rear. The front callipers grab with four pistons, with the rears making do with one.
Suspension, obviously tied to the AND RACE dial, is by double wishbones up front and a multi-link rear end with “vertical rod link.” Answers on a postcard. The dampers are electronically controlled, of course, as though it would be any other way.
The front splitter is an active unit, two little robot arms push to a more aggressive angle as you up the ante. Nifty.
Driving
The Giulia is spectacular from the second you settle in. The Sparco seats are brilliant. The steering wheel is visual and kinaesthetic perfection and it has a big red button. You know how I like big red buttons.
One of things about this sort of car is that they can be hard and cranky when you’re going about your daily business. These cars are too expensive to be like that. They should be good at most things that cars. No, they don’t have to ride like a Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord, but nor should they ride like an Aventador S. The Giulia Q has an uncommonly good ride.
Some people have complained that this means it lacks body control, but this is a road car. There’s far more body control here than on most cars and a little bit of roll never hurt anybody. It’s fine on the MX-5 and, if you’re not Kimi Raikkonen, makes the car more accessible.
And that’s what’s great about the Giulia. While it has a towering 500-plus horsepower, you can drive it like a shopping trolley and everything is fine. The steering is light and direct, everything works really well when you’re just driving it as a car.
When you want it to be a weapon, though, hoo-boy. This thing is wild.
Flicking the dial around to Race, everything fires up, fight-or-flight style. You get both in the Giulia Q. The steering is still Ferrar-light but with all the feel you could ever need, sending your palms a constant stream of verifiable information about the road surface and tyre adhesion.
The 2.9-litre V6 is an absolute delight, barking and bellowing in basso profondo.
I love the way the front end punches the apex the way an MMA fighter goes after a woozy opponent. It feels so tied down, so there for you. Drive it cleanly and it will let you go colossally quickly.
One quirk did pop up, and before you start rubbing your hands, it’s not one that’s going to trouble too many every day Giulia Q owners. The mostly devilishly clever limited-slip differential is, er, limited by the fact it’s electronic. I described the problem – the rear end behaves inconsistently when you punch out of a corner with too much throttle.
I had expected smooth, controllable oversteer but every now and again it would just try and get the car straight again. Let’s be honest, on the road, it should be doing that, but I can’t imagine that’s something you want too often on a track. And given I’m not much of a lairy driver, it didn’t really bother me. It was just something I noticed.
Redline Recommendation
The first time I drove the Giulia Q, I thought it had the M3’s measure. I kind of still do, if only because it’s so euphorically Italian without the downsides and expectations of Alfas past. The M3 is one of those BMW M cars lacking a sense of humour whereas with the Giulia, the laughs come thick and fast like the early seasons of 30 Rock.
The Giulia’s only “problem” is an interior that could be better and maybe, just maybe, the (Australian) pricing is a bit ambitious. But boy do I love this car. It’s a ripper of a thing.
This review is going to be… different for this website.
Because the Land Rover Discovery Sport doesn’t equate itself with the small, tyre-shredding, sports cars and howling 42-litre V391 engines.
The Discovery Sport is a more sedate proposition. It is the sort of car you’re more likely to see doing the school run than featured amongst the annals of “Help, I’ve Binned My Car in the Nasho“. Although Your Humble Correspondent is sure that assertion is already false.
Your Humble Correspondent put the Discovery Sport SE through its paces hauling the family from Sydney to Dubbo and back over the Easter weekend.
We would travel from a Secret Government Facility to, via an overnight stop in Bathurst and on to Dubbo. We would spend the weekend there. Monday, an elongated trip home would include detours to Parkes, Boorowa and Crookwell (on the advice of the in-laws as to the location of a good driving road). We would rejoin the Hume Highway at Goulburn, and from there power our way north and to, to sleep.
Total distance for the journey would be nearly 1000km by the map. With some extra driving required to do things like take the photos, the tripmeter read just over 1200km by the time we pulled back into the driveway.
Over that distance we did everything. We sat in heavy Sydney traffic, took on stunningly dull motorways, explored a few back roads and even found a bit of dirt to see how that went.
Our journey begins, as you would expect, on a Wednesday night at a secret location in the vicinity of Botany Bay.
Words and images: Matt Hatton Co-pilot: Joel Riley
Look and Feel
Wednesday.
The rounded-square look of the Discovery Sport suits the car a lot better than Land Rover’s translation of a similar look onto the big brother Discovery. Even in the dim light of a suburban back street the car has presence, without being obnoxious.
Pulling the door handle unlocks the cabin thanks to the proximity key, revealing an inside that borrows heavily from the Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover divisions that make up the creatively named Jaguar Land Rover.
The leather front seats feel good, the dashboard layout is clean and plastic parts scattered around are unobtrusive. You forget about them completely once you start driving as all the touch points feel nice.
Cruising down the M5, the Your Humble Correspondent went to engage the cruise control. Surely it is the little button with the speedometer on it. Press that. Hit the “set” button at 100km/h and… the car started to slow down…?
Hmmm.
Apply the accelerator and without trying our speed returns to 100 but goes no further.
Some people pride themselves on their ability to hold a constant, unwavering speed on the motorway. But sitting nearly at 100 without any variation at all seemed more than a little off.
Consultation with the manual later revealed the error. The speedometer button is the speed limiter. To engage cruise control you simply press “set”.
It is a design choice that permeates the JLR world but, while weird, is hardly going to get noses substantially out of joint. Anyone living with one of their products would file that knowledge into the muscle memory bank, they would get used to it and that would be that.
With the drive home complete it was time to collapse on the lounge as it was well past bed time. Tomorrow, the true test begins.
Thursday – To Bathurst
Have you ever packed a car for a weekend away for three people? One of whom is a two-year old?
If you have, you will know what’s coming.
If you haven’t, it would completely bewilder you at how much stuff you need.
You would think that going away from Tuesday to Monday requires little more than a few changes of clothes, maybe a jumper if the weather forecast is looking dodgy, a toothbrush and your favourite pillow. The pillow is important because while you can deal easily enough without sleeping on your own bed, there is nothing – I repeat, NOTHING – like your own pillow. In the experience of Your Humble Correspondent, all pillows that are not your own pillow are bad pillows.
But I digress.
For three people when one of them is a toddler, you have a lot of stuff. We somehow ended up with half a dozen bags, Bub’s tricycle, pillows, backpacks and a few other odds and ends.
Most of it fit into the Discovery Sport’s 981-litre boot with relative ease. A bit of boot-space-tetris got it all to the point I could pull the soft luggage cover over the top and latch it in place. Seats down, the boot space is a huge 1698 litres.
Installation of the car seat for the two-year old was simple. There are two ISOFIX spots, and top tethers for all three rear seats.
Speaking of the two-year old, she came to dub the Discovery Sport the “Tomato Sauce Car” due to the unusually bright colour JLR had chosen for it (Firenze Red, according to the spec sheet). As you’d expect, this colour costs $1370.
With the car packed and the child safely bolted into her carseat, it was time to set off.
The inclusion of an iPhone cable meant the availability of Apple’s CarPlay system. CarPlay is good. So good, one cannot suggest in good conscience that you purchase a car that doesn’t include it or the Android Auto equal if you own a smartphone.
Hitting the road proper also resulted in the instructions for the cruise control being discovered. In thinning traffic as we climbed the Blue Mountains it was discovered this system had something of a flaw.
When the Discovery Sport hits anything beyond the most gentle of inclines with the cruise control engaged, you will lose 10-15km/h on your target speed before the system realises what is going on and boots the accelerator.
The big problem with that is there are more than a few inclines as you scale the mountain range to Sydney’s west.
You do tend to wonder that a car with seemingly an endless arsenal of sensors and computing power cannot seemingly discover the world that exists beyond the immediate six inches in front of it.
It is made more annoying by it being coupled to Jaguar’s 2.0-litre petrol engine, as there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all.
Producing 177kW and 340Nm of shove, it is quiet, smooth and (once you are cruising) responsive.
It is just unfortunate the cruise control does more to hamper than utilise it.
(The rest of the stats for the numbers people are that it will reach 100km/h from a standing start in 7.4 seconds and claims it’ll drink 8 litres of petrol for every 100km of driving should your driving style match perfectly with the theoretical “combined” cycle they use to come up with these numbers).
The other odd thing we spotted, this time descending the mountains towards Lithgow and our overnight stop at Bathurst, was the behaviour of the auto-dipping high-beam headlights.
The premise, if you are unfamiliar, is that one of the car’s bevy of sensors is one that detects oncoming traffic and dutifully flicks the high-beam mode of the headlights off until the the road ahead is clear before flicking them back on.
When it works, it is brilliant.
When it gets confused by reflective signs with white backgrounds so the twisting road ahead suddenly disappears from sight, it is less good.
Friday – Back Way to Dubbo
Friday. Good Friday, to be exact, began has any good day on a road trip should – with a healthy* breakfast buffet at the hotel you’ve spent the the night.
(* Well as healthy as a small mountain of bacon, eggs and fried potato can be)
With the car packed, our driving day began negotiating our way out of the parking space.
This required the use of the Discovery Sport’s reversing camera, which is one of the best in the business. Coupled with the solid centre-display in the dashboard, the picture is crystal clear, and the wide angle gives a great view of what’s happening behind the car.
And with the car park left behind us, we continued. Today’s driving would take us from Bathurst, via Orange through to Dubbo.
The intention was to just charge up the Mitchell Highway to Dubbo. However, Apple Maps had other ideas.
We were directed off the highway, without realising, and onto Burrendong Way. The back way was on roads of varying quality, twisty and took us over more than a view hills and through a couple of towns that you would never know existed.
We would discover the towns of Mullion Creek, Stuart Town and Mumbil on our sojourn.
This unexpected exploration of the back roads of central NSW provided an opportunity to see how the Discovery Sport drove on roads that did not largely comprise of dual-carriageway highway.
And it excelled.
Feel from the steering wheel is excellent. It gives you a solid feeling of what’s happening with the front wheels.
While Your Humble Correspondent may have initially thought the suspension felt a tad on the firm side, the front passenger offered a contrary analysis, saying it was actually quite smooth and they were not feeling many of the road’s endless imperfections.
The back roads, and using the paddles on the steering wheel, revealed that Jaguar Land Rover’s build-quality issues, while improving on what they have been previously, aren’t fixed entirely.
The glue holding both halves of the up-shift paddle had either failed or not been applied in enough quantity such that the two halves could come away from each other.
It was not enough to cause a concern, but was noticeable, especially when it pinched the tip of one finger.
It is not the sort of bite you expect a car to have.
Our unplanned trip across the back roads came to an end just outside the town of Wellington, where we rejoined the Mitchell Highway.
From there, after a short stop to stretch the legs and locate something to drink, (a challenge, on Good Friday) it was the final hop into Dubbo.
Upon arrival there was unpacking, relaxing and a crispy cold one.
Saturday – The Zoo
Saturday would see the Discovery Sport undertake a different sort of challenge: Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
Taking the Discovery Sport to the zoo is a bit like running it through a week of day-to-day use in a couple of hours.
Easter Saturday, it turns out, is an insanely popular time to go to the zoo. The roads in were becoming clogged and once you got inside the park it was more of the same, with the added fun of people everywhere.
Manoeuvrability around the myriad parking areas and through traffic was a breeze – helped by the previously mentioned superb reversing camera.
Getting the two-year old in and out of her car seat was also a breeze. Even when she insisted that she do it herself, the Discovery Sport was easy for her to climb in and out of.
In the car, from her car seat, she had great visibility out the rear windows – something that is not always a given.
Sunday – The Road Test
Easter Sunday. A day of chocolate bunnies and egg hunts all in the name of a bloke that was nailed to a cross for having some groovy opinions on how people should treat each other.
Easter Sunday is also the day Your Humble Correspondent was up at the crack of dawn and took the Discovery Sport out for a photoshoot and the opportunity to explore some of the surrounding area while the rest of the family did what you are supposed to do on holidays and sleep in.
The location chosen was the town of Geurie, about 25 minutes back down the highway towards Wellington. We had driven through on Friday and it looked like the perfect location to show off the bright red Discovery Sport in a properly country town setting.
The photos were mostly taken out the front of some grain silos that were situated next to the railway. You don’t see stuff like that in the city.
With the shoot out of the way, it was time to go on a bit of an explore.
Exploring in this part of the world means that it will not be long until you quickly find the hard, black stuff that is normally driven on coming to an end, replaced with, in this case, reddish-brown dirt.
The change in surface was handled with aplomb. Even the stunt driver made comment about how well the Discovery Sport handled its brief trip across unsealed gravel.
One issue that did raise its head over the course of the morning was the Sport’s willingness to want to understeer. Now, usually this is not a bad thing. You want a car to understeer more than oversteer.
The problem became that it did this with extreme earnestness. It did not take much to induce it. Any hint of wanting to engage in something vaguely resembling spirited driving resulted in the front of the car wanting to find the outside of the corner in the quickest manner possible.
Heading back into town and the Discovery Sport’s other main problem reared its head.
That problem is the transmission. Around town, the 9-speed automatic gearbox that connects the engine to wheels is incredibly stupid. It never knows what gear it wants to be in, it’s rubbish at smoothly feeding the power in from a standing start and the result is a endlessly jerky, unpleasant experience.
But with the photos taken and the abilities of the Discovery Sport explored, it was time to relax and eat some chocolate because….Jesus…??
Monday – The Run Home
The final day of holidays can bring one of two feelings.
The first is existential dread at having to resume the banal responsibilities of life now the free-wheeling and carefree days of kicking back and not worrying about anything at all are coming to an end.
On the other side, is the sweet, sweet relief that tonight you are going to sit in your own couch, watch your own TV and sleep in your own bed.
For Your Humble Correspondent, Easter Monday signalled what was to be a long day of driving: Dubbo to Parkes, Parkes to Cowra, Cowra to Goulburn, Goulburn to an undisclosed location in Sydney’s south-west here he and his family happen to reside.
On the highway from Dubbo to Parkes, the Discovery Sport continued to excel as a cruiser. Having a road that lacked in elevation changes meant we did not encounter the previously mentioned slowness in response to hills.
Another brief off-road stint confirmed Sunday’s observations that the suspicion and ride is sorted out. Absorbing bumps without fuss, to the point the two-year old’s drink did not end up everywhere. Always a win.
The stopover at Parkes was to catch up with extended family. No, we did not visit the Dish. We drove past it though. Can confirm it is still there.
From Parkes we turned south driving through Eugowra and Gooloogong (not where the tennis players come from, I’m told. That’s Goolagong) before arriving in Cowra.
During that leg of the drive, you do feel as though you are truly driving through the middle of nowhere. Endless, winding narrow roads that twist their way through the hills and dips with the occasional paddock drifting past the window. I don’t think we saw a single car once we left Parkes. We did see a wheat train parked up next to the silos, though.
At Cowra the in-laws got in touch to suggest that instead of continuing the run south, towards Yass (kween) and the Hume Highway, there were good roads to be found by instead aiming for the towns of Rugby and Crookwell joining the Hume at Goulburn.
And the road was a good driving road. Or rather, it would have were it not the sort of good driving road that brought out all the worst characteristics of the Discovery Sport’s handling and transmission.
The sweeping back road bends were a constant fight against the understeer, while the transmission twisted itself into knots trying to decide what gear it wanted to be in.
It was disappointing, as with the other two occupants of the car fast asleep, Your Humble Correspondent was keen to enjoy to fully immerse himself in ~driving~.
Instead, arriving in Goulburn for the final leg-stretch was met with additional relief as it meant a resumption of motorway driving, something the Discovery Sport excels at.
The next hour or so of motorway driving went by without any sort of notable event, but it was as we passed Mittagong and Bowral the final twist in the tale appeared.
Easter. Monday. Traffic.
Although sitting in the middle of the New South Wales school holidays, Easter Monday heralded the end of the long weekend and dreaded return to work for a great many people. All of them, seemingly, travelling north along the Hume Highway, headed to Sydney.
As has been covered extensively, the Discovery Sport excels in slow, stop/start conditions. So edging your way along a road normally traveled at 110km/h was a thrilling experience on a variety of fronts.
Thankfully, Apple Maps came to the rescue with the suggestion of a small detour. We would exit the motorway at Alpine and continue our journey north through Hill Top, Buxton, Thirlmere before arriving at Picton and the final lumber up the hill home.
We were not the only ones to either have that thought or be suggested it by the wise machine connected to the car. There is something quite fun about barreling along darkening quiet roads in a convoy with a few other cars. Crank the Hans Zimmer and it starts to get quiet cinematic.
But, finally, we were pulling into the driveway. The trip was over.
Parting Thoughts
At time of writing, it is now two weeks after the fact, and Your Humble Correspondent still finds himself in two minds about the Discovery Sport.
For the highway stints, it was supreme. Galloping over the miles without too much complaint, even with the less than impressive cruise control system.
Driving it around town, however, was infuriating. Jerky, no power when you need it, just downright unpleasant.
The understeer and transmission made trying to enjoy a winding back round a struggle.
There are still questions about the build quality.
But the ride is brilliant, even when you take it off a sealed surface. The reversing camera is simply one of the best out there for any car.
But could it be recommended as a purchase?
Probably not.
The Trip
Campbelltown (or close enough to it) to Bathurst, to Dubbo, to Parkes to Cowra to Campbelltown (or close enough to it).
Total distance driven: 1214.0 kilometres by the tripmeter.
Maranello’s latest nutcase, the Ferrari SF90, has finally gone public. Well, officially, anyway – the invitation to the launch event leaked last week, into the hands of German site Auto Motor und Sport.
Named for the 90th anniversary of the foundation of Scuderia Ferrari, it’s not a bad way to celebrate.
The new machine boasts massive power from two sources – the 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 from the 488/F8 Tributo and three electric motors – two in the front wheels and one in the transaxle out back. Together, that’s a power output of 735kW (1000PS) and a stratospheric torque figure.
It’s absolutely not a LaFerrari replacement, though, so don’t get too excited. Partly because it will probably wipe the floor with the hyper-exclusive hypercar and mostly because owners of those cars are quite attached to its resale value.
Drivetrain
For the first time, Ferrari is offering a plug-in hybrid in series production, an electric-only mode, all-wheel drive in a mid-engined supercar and three electric motors to go with the trademark V8.
Ferrari says it has completely redesigned the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 for it’s installation in the SF90. Revving to 8000rpm, it produces 574kW (780PS) at 7500rpm. Peak torque of 800Nm arrives at 6000rpm.
The electric system adds a further 162kW (220PS), supplied by a 7.9kW/h battery. Ferrari says you can toddle around under electric power for up to 25km which is most un-Ferrari. I can’t wait to try it and see if anyone notices…
Also un-Ferrari is the extra weight of the electric gubbins, known as the MGYK is about 270kg. The overall weight is still 1570kg, which is good going.
There’s more – when you’re in electric mode, the SF90 is front-wheel drive *gasp*. No, it’s not a big deal, I’m being silly. Reverse gear is also electric-only, meaning the V8 isn’t burning the planet while you negotiate a parallel park. Knocking reverse gear out of the gearbox saves 3kg.
The third motor is jammed in between the engine and gearbox, adding a bit more oomph to the rear wheels. Ferrari says the electric motors help improve the response of the V8, helping close the gap back to the naturally-aspirated V8’s throttle response.
Speaking of the gearbox, Ferrari has upped the gear count to eight. The new gearbox is an eight-speed oil bathed twin-clutch transmission. The overall size of the gearbox is 20 percent smaller, which is quite an achievement. Ferrari says fuel consumption on the freeway is down by eight percent (WLTP) and one percent on track. The new gearbox is 7kg lighter, 10kg when you count losing reverse.
Apparently it can transmit up to 1200Nm. That’s one strong gearbox and is 30 percent faster than the 7-speed. Although that 30 percent faster is to do with “clutch fill”.
All of that helps explain the 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of 2.5 seconds and 0-200 (124mph) of 6.7 seconds. Top speed is a wild 340km/h.
Chassis and Aero
Naturally, all that oomph needs something that can cope with it. The SF90 has liberal applications of aluminium and carbon fibre, also helping keep weight down.
There is still a lot of 458/488/F8 underneath it, but there’s a new carbon fibre bulkhead and a new lightweight aluminium for some of the panels.
The headline downforce figure of 390kg at 250km/h is something of an eye-opener.
An active wing at the rear with the snappy title of “shut-off Gurney” manages drag and downforce at the rear in tandem with a two-piece fixed wing. At speed the, uh SOG, uncovers the fixed wing which generates the high downforce needed for cornering, all based on braking, cornering and driver inputs.
Up front are a series of vortex generators. Ferrari’s engineers lifted the front end by 15mm to accommodate more of these and to optimise the flows. The upper section of the front bumper compresses air flowing over the car and feeds two forward diffusers to generate front downforce.
Even the wheel arches are blown, the force of the air exiting creates a sort of ground effect. Nifty.
The SF90 also features brake by wire, which talks to the hybrid system to balance braking power between energy recovery, engine braking and normal braking. The usual F1 Active Diff is present at the back and the front wheels feature electronic torque vectoring across the two electric motors.
How much and when?
Yeah, it’s going to be a lot, but unlike LaFerrari, this car is a “permanent” feature of the range. Ferrari says it sits above the F8 and below LaFerrari (ok, sure), but in reality it sits between the LF and 812, at least cost-wise.
Some estimates are putting it around €700,000, so that’s not messing about. But we won’t know until Ferrari tells us, so let’s wait and see.
It’s the wildest berlinetta Ferrari has ever produced and it’s going to put a rocket up McLaren. Good. It’ll be fun watching them try and out-do each other.
BMW’s big SAVs (their acronym, not mine) aren’t slow, particularly the ones we get in Australia – we don’t mess about with the slow ones. I drove an M50d for carsguide at the X5’s launch and I thought, “Yeah, this will do.”
Well, clearly, it hasn’t done for some people. So BMW has dropped the twin-turbo V8 from the M850i M Performance flagship into the X5. And, as it turns out, the X7.
Both are obviously fully-loaded, so pretty much the only thing these cars are missing is a time-travel function. When we get our hands on the pricing and specifications, we’ll run up a story.
Drivetrain
4.4-litre V8 (pictured in the M850i)
If you’re not already across this glorious N63, it delivers a deeply handy 390kW (530PS) and 750Nm. I don’t care how big and heavy either of these cars are, you are not any danger of not boogeying in these 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8-powered bricks.
Like other M Performance SAVs (say, the X3 M40i), you get the eight-speed auto hooked up to BMW’s performance-focussed version of its all-wheel drive system. Which also means you get launch control.
Both cars also get the usual electronic limited slip differential at the rear.
Chassis
As you might expect, both cars get the M Performance treatment, with modded double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rears. Specific damper settings deliver a bit more bite and stability. In the X5, the suspension automatically drops 20mm when you reach 138km/h (85mph), or you can hit the button to get the same effect.
Both cars roll on 21-inch light alloys and you can up-spec to 22s with mixed tyres front to rear.
And the blue brake callipers remind you of the M Performance brake package also fitted to help rein things in.
When and How Much?
Later in 2019 for Australian customers and that will vary by region, of course.
How much? No idea yet, but pricing will shortly be available – BMW are pretty good at softening us up, but from past experience, M Performance SAVs are well-priced.
BMW’s ad people are smart-arses. I mean that in a good way. With the retirement of industry giant Mercedes’ CEO and man-with-epic-moustache Dieter Zetsche, BMW took the opportunity to say goodbye.
There’s a peculiarly German thing where companies can find it in their cold, dark hearts to be gracious to one another. When Mercedes left the DTM, BMW and Audi seemed almost sad to see them go. When Audi left the WEC, Porsche seemed to be hanging on to their legs like a crying child. Although they went with them, so…
Anyway. Mercedes’ CEO Dieter Zetsche is taking his tache into a very comfortable retirement, complete with a €1m+ per year pension on top of goodness knows how much in stock options and various investments over the years. He won’t go hungry.
BMW certainly thinks so, because it has made this very amusing ad riffing on DZ’s departure. Stay to th end, it’s well worth it.
Well, now. One of the most-asked questions of pretty much any Australian car journalist is, “Are you a drug dealer or something?” The second question is (after you’ve explained how you get your hands on all the good hardware), “How much for the new Toyota Supra?”
Well. Now we know.
Toyota is going to offer two models at launch, a GT and a GTS.
The GT will start at $84,900 before ORCs.That’s a lot of money, except when you compare it to its twin-under-the-skin BMW Z4. The M40i, powered by the same B58 turbo straight six kicks off at $124,000.
The GT comes stocked with keyless entry and start, electric and heated driver’s seat and some bits and bobs to keep you happy. There’s a presumably Toyota-ified version of BMW’s excellent iDrive, too.
Step up to the $94,900 GTS and you get red brake calipers, bigger brakes and a choice of leather or Alcantara seats. Tasty.
You also get a stack of safety gear, which is always nice to know.
Drivetrain
BMW’s silky-smooth 250kW/450Nm twin-scroll turbo straight-six drives the rear wheels in hopefully as unruly a fashion as the Z4 M40i.
Obviously, you get the same eight-speed ZF automatic which is never not good, so that’s brilliant.
0-100km/h arrives in an impressive 4.3 seconds and top-whack is a limited 250km/h.
As with the Z4, the Supra will likely arrive later in the year with a manual transmission, although one wonders if Toyota will offer it as a no-cost option or as part of the launch of the four-cylinder variants that have not yet been confirmed for Australia.
The spanking new* McLaren GT has made its digital debut. After a medium-length tease campaign, Woking has whipped off the covers of yet another of the Track25 business plan.
The supercar maker dipped its toe in the comfy GT water with the really rather good 570GT. The company dialled back on the harder edges of the 570S and even gave it a wacky side-hinged hatchback. It seemed to go well so a more focussed…if that makes any sense…GT car went into development.
Then it chucked itself into volcano with the very limited and hugely expensive Speedtail.
What is it?
The Grand Tourer is far more sensibly-priced and will, McLaren hopes, a new type of buyer to the brand. Meant to be “more engaging” than a traditional GT while still going really fast around corners.
As ever, the car is based on McLaren’s two-seat Monocell architecture, in this case Monocell II-T (T for Touring). The -T bit incorporates a structure on which the new tailgate can fit – that’s why the 570’s was side-hinged. Under this tailgate you can fit skis or…ugh…golf clubs.
Look and Feel
The GT introduces a new design direction for McLaren. The new headlights are slimmer, like the Speedtail’s, and the new rear lights are really cool. I sincerely doubt the photos are doing the car justice so I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve seen more shots in real light.
There is a bit more obvious aero on the new car, but the doors are conspicuously less shapely the 570 and 720.
Inside is pretty standard McLaren, though.
The 7.0-inch touchscreen still goes the wrong way, so no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The company’s obsession with fitting a massive sunroof makes me want to put a hat and sunscreen on just looking at it. The chairs are a dead giveaway – much less aggressive, more cuddly seats for those cross-continent blasts that wealthy people actually do in jets.
McLaren says you can upgrade the leather inside and really, MSO will do whatever you want.
Total storage is 570 litres, which includes the front boot and that enclosed rear deck.
McLaren says the engineering team has re-jigged the chassis to stop “structure-borne” noise from getting into the cabin. The car also rides a little higher for urban usability and to cope with the most “aggressive traffic-calming measures.” If it tackles my front driveway without scraping, you’ll know it’s done right.
Drivetrain
McLaren’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 produces 457kW (620PS) and 630Nm. Which is, of course, a lot, although to be fair, that’s what BMW’s S64 manages in the M5 Competition (plus a bit more). The McLaren is way, way lighter, though.
The engine mounts are half as stiff as in the other cars, meaning less noise.
With a kerb weight of 1530kg and the usual seven-speed twin-clutch transmission, the GT will 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in 3.2 seconds, 0-200km/h (0-124mph) in 9 seconds and reach 324km/h (203mph).
Woosh.
Chassis
The Monocell II-T rolls on 20-inch front wheels and 21-inch rears, with 225/35 and 295/30 respectively, P-Zeros of course.
As always, double-wishbones all-round and McLaren’s ProActive damping control with three modes keep everything off the ground.
Like the 570GT, the brakes are steel as standard, with carbon ceramics optional. On the road, you’ll probably not notice the steels. They’re big and they work on the 570.
McLarens ride amazingly already, but the company says they’ve paid more attention to providing a compliant ride. Lucky it’s so fast because it would lull you to sleep if the ride were any better than a 570GT.
How much and when?
We’ve only got UK pricing, which is £163,000. You can put your deposit down now (they’ve probably already sold a few) and you can have the car sometime after Goodwood.
Want something fast and small? The 2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP might just be for you.
Some things are just meant to be. The new BMW X2 M35i rolls on the same UKL2 platform as the Mini and has the B48 turbo four. No doubt Mini’s engineers and product planners took one look at that engine and said, “We’re having that.”
The press release is scant on details, the JCW GP will likely also roll with the X2’s all-wheel drive system. With 225kW (306PS) and 450Nm, the front wheels are going to be in a fair bit of trouble from the get-go.
The old JCW GP made do with 160kW (218PS), front-wheel drive and a 1.6.
The production car is based on the 2017 Mini JCW Concept which showcased various lightweight materials. And some pretty whacky aerodynamics, let’s be honest. Expect a toned-down version of the lower aero, but that wing will no doubt survive.
The previous JCW GPs were pretty gosh-darn amazing (I drove one in 2013). To heave weight, that car was missing the rear seats and, in its place, was a whopping brace. Given Mini’s constant push upwards, it will probably be carbon fibre in this one.
At the time of writing, the 2020 Mini John Cooper Works was supposedly about to start final “whole of vehicle” testing.
When and how much?
As ever, it’s a limited edition, with just 3000 available worldwide. Australia will probably get their hands on about 50 or 60 of them (the last one saw just 55), so either way, it will be a collectible machine, just like the last lot.
Mini Australia has released yet another special edition model, this time celebrating its sixtieth anniversary with four limited-run 60 Years Edition variants based on the Cooper and Cooper S Hatch range.
Although the 60 Years Edition variant commands a $4000 premium over the models upon which they are based, Mini says the special edition adds $8500 of value with its unique badging, upholstery, interior trim and 17-inch alloys.
From standard, the 60 Years Edition is coated in a British Racing Green metallic paint with a Pepper White roof and exterior mirror colour, and the interior is shod in Dark Cacao upholstery.
Buyers can also opt for an alternative appearance package, which swaps out the aforementioned for Midnight Black Lapis Luxury Blue paint, Jet Black roof and mirrors and Carbon Black cabin features.
Heritage has been the name of the game for Mini since the British marque was taken over by BMW in 2000, and according to Mini Australia general manager Brett Waudby, the 60 Years Edition continues that philosophy.
“This year we are celebrating an exceptional brand milestone, and what better way to commemorate this than with a special edition model,” said Mr Waudby.
“The Mini 60 Years Edition offers excellent customer value with specific design details that encompass the Mini legacy, such as iconic exterior finishes and timeless interior elements.”
Powering the Cooper variants is a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, which generates 100kW and 220Nm.
The Cooper S ups the ante with a more spritely 2.0-litre turbo four-pot producing 141kW and 220Nm.
PRICING
Pricing kicks off at $33,900 plus on-road costs for the base Cooper three-door hatch, while the sharper and faster Cooper S three-door starts at $43,900.
The five-door is priced at $31,150 in Cooper form, while the Cooper S five-door tops the range at $45,150.
The BMW Z4 is a car that polarises opinion. The second-generation hardtop was not a particularly accomplished motor vehicle and had none of the character of the oddball Z3 that went before both Z4s.
BMW killed the E89 almost three years ago and nobody really mourned its passing. It was heavy and dynamically compromised by the high-set weight of the roof and its mechanism. It was a 90s car in a 2009 body, perhaps crushed by the weight of the Global Financial Crisis. And the roof, obviously.
After a bit of think and some time in a dark room, BMW came up with the G29. Rolling on a platform shared with both the 5 Series and the new Toyota Supra, the new Z4 is sleek, sophisticated, laden with tech and it’s here.
I’ve driven the Z4 30i with M Sport Plus and the M40i and I’ll be driving the 20i first chance I get.
Words: Peter Anderson Images: Supplied
Peter travelled to Nagambie in central Victoria as a guest of BMW Australia.
Z Series History
E89 Z4507 Roadster
BMW has been buildimg roadsters for nearly a century. Z, however, is relatively recent, with the Z1 arriving in 1989. Z stands for Zukunft, the German word for future which has always been an excuse to get weird. The Z1 was a weird car, with plastic body panels, vertically sliding doors and the running gear of an E30 325i.
It was designed by Harm Lagaay, who went back to Porsche to design the 1992 Boxster concept that became the 986 road car. Only 8000 Z1s were made.
Next came the mass-produced Z3, made famous by Pierce Brosnan’s Bond in Goldeneye and based (again) on the E30 3 Series. The Z3 ran from 1995 to 2003 and was built in BMW’s Spartanburg plant in South Carolina. It, too, spawned a couple of weird cars, most notably the breadvan M Coupe. You hardly ever see them anymore, which is kind of sad. Breathtakingly ugly but also wickedly fast for their time.
Another Z car dropped in 2000, the gorgeous and limited Z8 (BMW Australia has one!). 5703 rolled off the line in Germany and half of them ended up in the US. It was left-hand drive only (dammit) and ran the E39 M5’s V8 and gearbox.
The Z8 started life as an homage to the 507 roadster and was designed by Henrik Fisker, who now runs an electric car company (to a fashion) and designed Aston Martins for a while.
BMW Z4 History
Then the first Z4 arrived. The E85/E86 series came during the halcyon days when BMW’s design was under the guiding hand of Chris “flame surfacing” Bangle. He’d started with the slabtastic 7 Series (well, he came to prominence at Fiat with the amazing Coupe Fiat) and continued to convince the BMW board to produce individualistic cars.
The Z4 split opinion, but that was kind of the point.
Dynamically, it was a lively thing. The trailing arms of the Z3 were replaced with a multi-link rear-end that didn’t mind stepping out, on or off the throttle. The Z4 also spawned a coupe in 2005 which was far stiffer than the roadster and the choice for enthusiasts. Not as individual as its predecessor, though…
The E89 replaced the 85/86 in 2009. The design was BMW’s first attributed to two women – Juliane Blasi on the sheetmetal and Nadya Arnaout in the cabin. The 89 brought with it a folding hardtop as had been the fashion and production started in Regensburg alongside the 3 Series Cabriolet. The looks were more conventional, shall we say.
It wasn’t a bad thing, but nor was it much of a smash-hit. More boulevarde than racetrack, the enthusiasts weren’t keen and there wasn’t a Z4 M or M Coupe to encourage them. It seemed weird to have two lifestyle convertibles in roughly the same segment (the other was the 3-Series cabriolet), but hey, car makers build what their customers want (most of the time).
The E89 died quietly in 2016. To give you an idea of how popular it was here in Australia not once was the Z4 on BMW’s press fleet when I asked for one.
BMW Z4 2019 (G29)
And so to the G29 Z4. It’s been a while coming and I was a bit surprised BMW committed to another one. It made more sense when it turned out that it would roll on the CLAR platform and, critically, Toyota would base their new sports car (which turned out to be the Supra) on the same running gear.
Game-changer. It worked on the 86/BRZ so why not a new Z4? Sports cars are increasingly difficult to make profitable, so it made perfect sense. I asked BMW Australia CEO Vikram Pawah if the G29 would have happened without the Supra and he firmly told me that BMW builds what customers ask for.
Just quietly, I think the Toyota link-up probably helped. Going out on a limb, there, right?
Look and Feel
Stacked headlightsIntegrated bootlid spoilerIntegrated roll barsMesh grille, big air intakesAir breather and lovely wheels
The new Z4 draws much from the past. Australian designer Calvin Luk penned the exterior and says the Z8 inspired much of the Z4, which in turn took plenty from the 507.
The distinctive, wide and low kidney grille filled with a mesh effect rather than the usual slats, the vertically-stacked headlights (a BMW first) and an integrated spoiler are still unmistakably BMW. It’s more of a reboot than an evolution, though. A particular favourite element of mine is the functional air breather on the front guards that draws turbulent air from the front wheel arches.
The cabin is terrific. I actually read something somewhere where an overseas reviewer complained that the cabin didn’t feel like a stripped out roadster. 1. Wut? 2. For this money, I want all the things. Buy an MX-5 or a Lotus Elise if you want bare-bones top-down action.
The same week I drove the Z4 I also drove the G20 3 Series. There are a lot of the same components which is, frankly, awesome. The new Live Cockpit is brilliant and looks terrific, the redesigned iDrive screen running BMW Operating System 7.0 is great. It just feels good.
The seats look like the same as those on the X2 M35i but are wrapped in more weather-friendly Vernasca leather rather than Alcantara.
Drivetrain
At launch, all Z4s feature the eight-speed ZF automatic BMW is rightly so fond of, replacing the seven-speed DCT in plenty of cars as well as the older six-speed auto.
You can choose between two 2.0-litre B48 twin-scroll turbocharged engines.
The 20i generates 145kW (197PS) and 320Nm of torque. That’s not bad for an entry level machine, delivering a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of 6.6 seconds and combined fuel economy figure of 6.5L/100km.
Step up to the 30i and the same engine delivers 190kW (260PS) and a very healthy 400Nm. The benchmark run to 100km/h is over in just 5.4 seconds and BMW reckons you’ll get an identical 6.5L/100km despite the significant increase in power and torque.
Then there’s the big fella, the M40i. The lovely B58 (as seen in the X3 M40i and M140i) is along for the ride, with 250kW (340PS) and 450Nm for a 4.5 second run to 100km/h and a combined fuel figure of 7.4L/100km.
There’s still plenty of room in those figures for a Z4 M which should be epic, probably packing the X3 M’s S58 (we live in hope). It will also be interesting to see if the 225kW tune of the B48 found in the X2 M35i ever finds its way to the Z4…
Chassis and Aero
The Z4 rolls on BMW’s Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform, shared with a very wide range of Beemers such as the 7, 5, X3, X4 and X5. And X6 and X7. And the 3 Series. Yeah. BMW is working it hard.
The Z4 is the smallest car on CLAR, but is bigger than the old Z4. Looking at it, that’s hard to believe, but it’s 85mm longer and the front and rear tracks are 98mm and 57mm wider respectively. Interestingly, the wheelbase is down by 26mm.
Front suspension is by double-joint spring struts with plenty of aluminium to keep weight down. The rear is a complex five-link setup, the first time that arrangement has appeared in a BMW roadster.
If you choose the M40i or the M Sport Plus Pack on the 30i, you’ll also get an electronic limited slip-diff.
All Australian cars feature the M Sport package, notionally lowering the suspension by 10mm. The 30i and 40i have adaptive dampers and you can option it on the 20i. The 30i and 40i have M Performance brakes and again, they’re optional on the 20i.
And the 30i and 40i run on 19-inch light alloy wheels, which on the cars I drove had Michelin Pilot Sports.
You can see the aero in the front bumper, with the signature BMW air curtains at the front and, interestingly, an integrated spoiler on the boot. The air breathers on the side are real and actually extract the nasty bumpy air from the front wheelaches.
If you want to break a years-long drought in Australia, launch a highly-anticipated roadster. The skies opened up not long after we left Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport and kept up most of the time I had behind the wheel as we pushed northwards.
To get the boring stuff out of the way first, the roof didn’t leak and even with a ton of water to push through, the cabin remained fairly civilised. We could easily hear each other’s weather jokes but you couldn’t accuse the cabin of being quiet.
The 30i was very sure-footed in the slippery conditions. BMW is very good at sorting out a non-interventionist stability and traction control system, the diff doing plenty of hard work before cutting the power when things get hairy.
Common to all of the Z4s is a fantastic driving position. It immediately reminded me of one of my favourites, the Jaguar F-Type, although the Z4 is a smaller car and a fair bit lighter. You sit right down in the chassis and everything is in the right place – pedals, steering wheel, console. It’s cosy, comfortable and a great place to get down to business.
The steering is really nicely-weighted in all modes, never getting too heavy even in Sport Plus. BMW used to just wind off the assistance and leave you with a heavy, fuzzy feeling rather than genuine steering feel.
The front end loves to change direction without hesitation, with the diff turning the car in on an ambitious late-braking gambit without letting you embarrass yourself. And boy can you get on the power early. It’s not as predictable or ultimately as awesome as a proper mechanical LSD, but it’s not far off.
The 30i’s lighter nose rides the bumps well and it’s only on the big stuff that you feel the rear might be a bit too stiff in Sport Plus. Having said that, it doesn’t upset the car, the bumps merely underlining that you’re basically sitting on the rear axle.
Driving the M40i
After some nit-picking about the weight distribution – the heavier six-cylinder sits slightly further forward than does the four – it turns out it isn’t even as bad as 51:49 front-to-rear. It’s like…50.2 to 49.8, so near as makes no difference. Park your backside in the car and it probably evens out. Anyway.
There is a lot of torque. In fact, there is a near-overwhelming amount of the stuff meaning the M40i is a lively thing. The deep lungs of the B58 mean the Z4 surges forward at a rate no Z4 has done before. The linear power delivery is the same as everywhere else but with the roof down.
You have to stay awake in the M40i. Well that’s not strictly true. When it’s in comfort mode, it cruises beautifully. The suspension is still quite firm – the wheelbase is always going to be the enemy of a plush ride – but you can get around without needing surgical intervention.
Wind it up into a proper mode, though, and the Z4 loosens up and gets a bit more jumpy-in-a-good-way. The rear wheel drive sportscar is always a delight, even when it’s not very good (I can’t remember a bad one in the last ten years) but the Z4 is a step above. The active steering is so seamless you have to check it’s actually fitted and those big front tyres grip the tarmac hard.
I love the way the Z4 changes direction and the way it digs in at the front and the car goes with you. I love how the M40i wags its tail, again without letting you embarrass yourself. The fact the conditions were tricky but the Z4 stayed planted until I unplanted it won my heart.
And the M40i’s speed, oh the speed. Top-down speed is so, so good. If only the engine made a bit more racket…
Redline Recommendation
I’m not about to tell you which one is better but I will say that the 30i with the M Sport differential was terrific. As it was still pretty damp even on Day 2 of the launch program, I took it easy but was still impressed with the Z4’s grip in the wet, the lovely, sharp steering and the mildly charismatic engine.
It’s lighter than the M40i and makes you work a bit harder for speed. I like that.
The M40i, though, is lively. Fitted with the same diff as the 30i I drove, it’s a lot of fun in the wet and you need to keep your wits about you in Sport mode. It will shrug off pretty much anything you throw at and if you intend to take a Z4 to the track, the M40i is the car for you. The bigger lungs of the M40i will be worth it.
Oh, and the M40i knocked off a lap of the ‘Ring in 7:55. That’s quicker than the M2 Competition.
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