Author: Peter Anderson

Second Opinion: 2019 Porsche Cayenne

Redline co-pilot Brendan Allen prised the Porsche Cayenne from Peter Anderson’s hands for a few days to see what the fuss is about.

You’d be forgiven for letting this latest release from Porsche slip under the radar as the brand continues to be diluted by countless SUVs out in the wild.

Take a drive around Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs or Melbourne’s South-East and I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that one in ten cars (not SUVs, but cars) is either a Cayenne or Macan S.

It’s the latter that leaves the Cayenne in an interesting position with the Macan pushing the price of Porsche ownership well below the $100,000 mark. The question is, does the Cayenne offer enough of a premium over its younger brother to justify the jump in price?

With this third generation of Cayenne being released in late 2017, it was always going to be interesting to see the sales figures as it lines up with the more affordable Macan. In 2016, Porsche moved 1,341 Cayennes in Australia, compared to a whopping 2,172 Macans.

But what’s interesting (or possibly inevitable) is in 2017 the Cayenne figures dropped by 17.2% to 1,111. Compare this to a 14.1% increase in Macan sales and you begin to see a clear picture emerging.

2019 Porsche Cayenne

Putting sales figures aside, let’s take a look at the Cayenne in a little more detail.

The first thing you notice is how big this car feels. It’s like stepping up into a Peterbilt every time you leave the house.

The driving position reflects this too, with the optioned two-tone partial leather seats in black-Mojave beige (aaaand breathe) providing a commanding view of both the road and the cockpit.

The lack of massage seats across the range seems like an interesting omission considering the offering from competitors.

The dash and centre console controls are what you would expect from Porsche with an abundance of customisation including the in-dash navigation and display for just about any adjustable electronic component.

The steering wheel is a definite highlight featuring comfortable hand positioning, however I found it rather unintuitive when it came to stereo controls. The volume control relies on buttons and they’re not the easiest to locate without taking your hands off the wheel.

I never did manage to find the track skip buttons despite my greatest efforts. I was forced to use the touch screen or the passenger stereo control knob (which I think would have been great to have on the driver side). Apple CarPlay is standard, which is a staple these days and expected even at entry level.

The media, climate and car controls all easily accessible and quite intuitive compared to the wheel controls, however I do find the lack of tactile response, especially while on the move, to be rather distracting. I often found myself accidentally hitting the next button over. The scroll-style volume wheel is a great, simple idea, but would be nicer if it wasn’t directly in front of the gear stick.

Overall, the interior offers a great, premium level of comfort, especially with the optioned Mojave beige interior and Panoramic roof option.

Driving

On the road, the Cayenne continues the tradition of providing a confident driving experience. Although the car feels big when getting in and out, once you are behind the wheel the heft seems to dissipate and you are left with a very rewarding driving experience.

The car handles like a much smaller SUV and although it’s no 911, it’s got a very chuckable nature. The feedback from the wheel is about as balanced as you’d like. Note that this vehicle is fitted with the ‘Power Steering Plus’ package which sharpens up the steering especially at speed.

The base model 3.0 V6 ‘turbo’ (it’s a turbo… but not a Turbo, if you know what I mean) provides plenty of punch to get around town and definitely complements that ‘nimble’ feeling when considering the size of the car.

Acceleration from a standing start is more than adequate to get out of any danger however, you might argue that the eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox is a little bit ‘jolty’ especially at lower speeds (see Peter’s review).

This is further exaggerated when switching to Sport Mode. When you hit the sport button in the centre console, you’ll immediately notice the engine note change from a purr to a growl and soon after you’ll also notice a more aggressive shifting tune, resulting in more jolting during downshifts.

My preference was to leave it in regular mode, and maybe just tighten up the suspension (a separate button with 2 levels of damping) if you enjoy a little bit more spirited school run.

Styling wise, the new Cayenne has clearly paved the way for Porsche’s global facelift, with the new 992 911, flaunting the same rear LED taillight setup as the Cayenne. It’s a step toward a more modern rear end, although you might argue that it’s taken away some of the uniqueness and made it look a little more like a lot of other SUVs on the road today, maybe even looking a bit like some of the current Korean offerings (who copies who these days?).

Time will only tell if the Cayenne can exist alongside the Macan. I believe that a big percentage of Porsche buyers are in it for the badge, so a Macan S should do the trick. But the Cayenne is a lot more capable than the Macan, setting itself aside as a true SUV in a market of crossovers and soft roaders.

Maybe just don’t tick the 21 inch wheel option if you want to take your Cayenne off the beaten track…

Options on our car included (Australian prices):

21-inch wheels Exclusive to the Cayenne – $7,660

Panoramic Roof – $4,490

LED Headlights – $4,380

Metallic Paint – $2,190

Tinted LED Taillights – $1,530

Heated Front Seats – $990

Two-tone Leather Interior – $870

Power Steering Plus – $650

January 26, 2019
BMW Z4 Pricing – Australia

Ah, yes – the Supra landed last week, so it’s time for pricing for the sister car, the BMW Z4.

Here in Australia, we’re getting three variants to start the ball rolling.

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As usual, BMW is not mucking about when it comes to sticker pricing, but a quick look at the spec sheets tells me they weren’t mucking about with equipment, either.

BMW Z4 sDrive 20i

Opening the range is the $84,900 20i. That comes with a 145kW (197PS)/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo four. BMW reckons that delivers a handy 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of 6.6 seconds.

The entry-level car starts you off with an M Sport package, 18-inch alloys, heated seats, aluminium trim (no wood! Brilliant!), dual-zone climate control, head-up display, decent 10-speaker stereo with wireless Apple CarPlay as standard (also brilliant), wireless charging pad, LED headlights and a no-cost option Chinese language display. And leather seats, natch.

BMW Z4 sDrive 30i

The 30i has the same 2.0-litre unit, but turned up to 190kW (258PS) and 400Nm. The sprint to the metric ton is dispatched in 5.4 seconds.

Compared to the 20i package, BMW swaps the 18s for 19-inch alloys (with performance tyres, apparently), auto parking, Comfort Access Pacakge which means you can use your phone to start the car, M Sport brakes, M adaptive suspension and adaptive LED headlights.

BMW Z4 M40i

No BMW sports car range is complete without the excellent B58 3.0-litre straight-six with twin-scroll turbo. This one is good for 250kW (340PS) and 500Nm and a 0-100 time of 4.5 seconds.

Topping the range means you pick up all the stuff of the lower models as well as an M Performance suspension tune, M Sport diff, ambient lighting package, better seats and a 12-speaker stereo.

When, dammit?

Australian buyers can get their mitts on a Z4 from April 2019. It’s entirely likely dealers will get their mitts on your cash from today if you ask nicely.

What is everyone else paying?

A quick trip around the internet yielded these prices. All of them are basic and don’t include the usual stuff which you’ll know about if you’re from those places.

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January 21, 2019
2019 Porsche Cayenne
Porsche’s saviour, the Cayenne, is now in its third generation. It’s the quintessential performance SUV, with the right badge and the right price for that badge.

Times have changed. Where the Cayenne was easily king of kids a decade and a half ago, the rest of the Germans are absolutely on it. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes all have a dog in the fast SUV hunt with more on the way.

The Brits have the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport and even the Americans have the completely batty Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. The Italians are finally on stream, with Maserati and Alfa throwing twin-turbo V8 and V6s into this warzone.

Porsche has to work for its premium SUV buck. What did Zuffenhausen have to do to keep the Cayenne where it is? Funnily enough, it doesn’t look like much, but like anything new from Porsche, there’s more than meets the eye.

Look and feel

Speaking of what meets the eye, the new Cayenne is, thankfully, sleeker. A lot of people I’ve spoken to have grizzled about the new rear end, but I liked the way it links to the rest of the Porsche range.

It’s the most upright Porsche on the market, but gets away with it. My only complaint is that in this base machine, the skirts and bumpers aren’t really deep enough which reduces the car’s muscularity.

The revised cabin is much better than any previous Cayenne I’ve driven. The last one I drove was a symphony of buttons. While well laid-out and reasonably attractive, it takes a long time to learn what they all do and it was irritating.

This new car replaces many of the physical buttons – that didn’t need to be there – are gone, with black panels and soft buttons. When the car is off, it’s much cleaner and with the car on, it’s easier to learn and to my eyes, calmer. My wife disagreed, she reckons there are still too many buttons.

The dash is cool – I wasn’t sure I’d like five separate nails, but they’re easy to use and really fill the space. That does mean the steering wheel is a bit of a whopper by modern standards. The central media screen is a massive 12.3-inch screen and has a terrific-looking interface with sat nav and also has Apple CarPlay, which is nice.

I didn’t like the wheel for reasons I can’t quite articulate, so I’m happy to leave it as the vibe, which is my problem.

Nobody liked the weird starter tongue poking out of the dash. I really don’t get that thing.

Given it’s a big SUV, it’s worth telling you that it’s roomy front and back and has a huge boot. And has cupholders and stuff.

Drivetrain

Yep, this isn’t the Cayenne Turbo and the badge in the photo is missing the word Turbo. Which is odd, because this Cayenne has two huffers attached to the , spinning up 250kW (340PS) and 450Nm, which is nothing to snort about.

This engine is roughly the same as Audi’s S-model cars like the S4 – stepping up to the Cayenne S nets you the shorter-stroke 2.9 V6 of the Audi RS4/RS5 pair (as an example).

Naturally, it’s all-wheel drive and has ZF’s usually outstanding eight-speed automatic. This is the Cayenne you want if you’re planning on spending time off-road.

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- There is also a Hybrid Cayenne, but we skipped that.
Chassis

Like the Lamborghini Urus and Bentley’s Bentayga bruiser – as well as Audi’s rather more restrained Q7 – the Cayenne rides on the VW Group’s excellent MLB Evo platform.

Despite a bit of extra length, Porsche says the new car is around 65kg lighter, although that might be cold comfort when the base car is still the wrong side of two tonnes.

To help keep weight in check (!), the bonnet, tailgate, doors, roof and front wings are made of aluminium, which might explain a fair chunk of the 65kg saving.

Helping keep it off the road is Porsche’s Active Suspension Management, which is a slight over-statement – they’re active dampers. You can also spec air suspension which comes at a hefty premium and, of course, adds weight.

The Cayenne comes with Porsche’s Traction Management (PTM) system, which includes active AWD with electronically variable, map-controlled multi-plate clutch, automatic brake differential (ABD) and anti-slip regulation (ASR). That’s a lot of acronyms and nothing here is particularly amazing as far as the technology goes.

The standard 19-inch wheel ship with 255/55 up front and 275/50s out back. Despite those high aspect ratios, they look ballooney. The car we had sported a tasty set of 21s with lower-profile tyres. I reckon that’s money well-spent, the car looks silly with the base wheels.

Brakes are pretty decent, with four-pot calipers up front grabbing 350mm disks with two-pot units at the back on 330mm disks.

Driving

There’s not getting past that this is a Big Unit. Nearly five metres long and a pretty decent drop when you climb out of the car, the base Cayenne is clearly pitched at the badge-conscious, sporty SUV buyer.

It’s fast, though – around six seconds to the ton is not mucking around, the terrific V6 happily chasing the redline with every flattened throttle. You can access the speed quickly, making it brilliant both out on the freeway and in town, making small gaps easy and overtaking drama-free.

And despite being the base pack, it handles very nicely indeed. It can take a while to get comfortable throwing it around because the driving position is high and the dash design make the car feel super-wide. But the steering weight is just right as you dial up the intensity.

For such a big heavy car, the Cayenne’s turn-in is sharp and relatively free of slack – few “entry-level” SUVs, even premium-brand ones will get near the Cayenne. Throw it down a winding road and the Macan-esque agility, super-strong V6 and adaptive damping will make it very hard to catch, let alone beat.

Both co-pilot Brendan and I noticed the eight-speed ZF was very unhappy. On the downshift the car suffered from a serious jolt, completely out of character for a) the car and b) the transmission itself which is found in cars everywhere. A few phone calls later and I’m pretty confident that the problem was isolated to this car. So it can happen – if it does, your car is not right, so take it back to the dealer.

The base model Cayenne is a good deal if you’re not after that ultimate on-road edge. It’s easy to live with every day, goes like a rat up a drainpipe and I reckon just now is starting to look good. The new interior is a cracker, too and, transmission glitch aside, is a bit of a crowd-pleaser.

Here in Australia it’s more expensive than its obvious competition – that’s up to you – but for the first time I’ve felt that the bottom end of the range, even though it does cost more, is worth the Porsche tax.
January 20, 2019
2019 Toyota Supra – the wait is over

Ending the most irritating drip-feed since the BMW Z4, the 2019 Toyota Supra is finally, officially, really, truly public. With stuff shared with the Z4 and a striking new look, Toyota has a new halo car and the star of the Detroit Auto Show.

The Toyota Supra is the stuff of legend, as these sorts of things often are. I even know of a person who used the last-gen Supra’s silhouette in the logo for an automotive site. It’s that kind of car.

Toyota set about dismantling its sports car heritage in the late 90s, killing the Supra, hot Corollas and the Celica in the space of a few years. To be fair to the Japanese giant, these sorts of cars are hard to make money from.

With the 86 and BRZ twins, Toyota hit upon a way that one could make money with the – share the costs. So somehow BMW and Toyota talked each other into a relationship spawning a new pair of rear-drive sportsters. And to preview it, the FT-HS concept previewed Toyota’s idea of a new fast car.

I quite like the way it looks. Strong rear haunches to remind you it’s rear drive, a silhouette that nods to the last Supra and even headlights that echo rather than copy.

The surfacing is muscular and while I can see some 86 in it, not everyone can.

The interior is basically a BMW one, which means clean and functional. The digital dash looks more like a Toyotas, but there’s one photo. The press release makes a huge deal about the seats – they even get their own heading – and they do look good. They also look really close to the roof, so I wonder how much headroom there is in the Supra…

Drivetrain

Toyota has decided to lead with the BMW-sourced 3.0-litre turbo straight-six, an engine I like very much in the BMW M140i. In the Supra, it’s tuned for 250kW (340PS) and a nice round 500Nm.

As with the Z4 – and unusually for a Toyota – the ZF eight-speed is along to push the power out back. Put it all together and the Supra will flash to 100km/h (62mph) in 4.3 seconds.

No doubt as a result of this combination, there will be stop-start and other fuel-saving measures.

As is now de rigeur, your Supra comes with selectable driving modes which change the behaviour of the transmission, exhaust and throttle. And of course, the chassis.

Japanese buyers will also be able to buy two four-cylinder variants, but neither feature a manual. Which is interesting, given BMW’s adherence to self-shifting…

The base SZ delivers 145kW (197PS) and 320Nm, shifting around 90kg less than the six and arriving at 100km/h in 6.3 seconds. Step up to the SZ-R and the same engine offers 190kW (258PS) and 400Nm. Around 70kg lighter than the turbo six, it will hit the benchmark in 5.2 seconds. I wonder if that car might be the sweet spot…

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Chassis

The 3.0-litre Supra RZ is bristling with fun tech. The active differential has a “golden” ratio of 1.55:1 when you compare the final drive ratio to the wheelbase, so I guess that means it should be perfectly balanced.

Toyota says the Supra’s torsional rigidity is greater than the Lexus LFA’s (huge if true) and a lower centre of gravity than the nimble little minx that is the 86. Weight distribution is the real deal at a claimed 50:50,

Front suspension is by MacPherson struts and the rear is a five-link system. Various parts of the suspension are weight-saving aluminium, too.

How much and when?

Yeah, the drip-feed isn’t quite over. We don’t really know at all what the car is going to cost, so we’ll let you know.

But the most important thing is that it’s here, Toyota chief Akio Toyoda has lapped the ‘Ring in it and he reckons it’s ready.

Toyota is now run by a car guy, so car people all over the world can rejoice that one of the world’s biggest carmakers is getting its act together.

January 15, 2019
BMW M2 Competition 2019 Review

As if the BMW M2 wasn’t wild enough, BMW wanted to give its second stage of life a bit more pep. More power, more torque and more fun.

By far our most popular video in 2018 was the BMW M140i vs M2. They’re both amazing cars but for me, if I had the money, I’d choose the M2. It was a tougher choice than, I thought, though. I’d genuinely have both at the same time.

BMW must have seen that video, because not long after, Munich confirmed the M2 Competition. There’s a bigger gap back to the M140i now, making the choice harder.

Words: Peter Anderson
Images: Matthew Hatton
Co-pilot: Philip Siu

History

The LCI M2 from 2017.

You can probably trace fast two-door fun from BMW back decades, but the reality is a little less lengthy. The first 1 Series spawned two properly fast coupes – the M135i and 1M.

The 135i made its debut in in the E82 Coupe and E88 convertible. Power came from a twin-turbo straight-six with a very decent 225kW (306PS) and 402Nm. 0-100km/h (0-62mph) arrived in a brisk 5.3 seconds. It was quick and you could tune it for a lot more grunt. It even sounded okay, but not as good as my E87 130i…

To give the E82 a send-off, the M guys got weird and created the 1-Series M, or 1M. BMW couldn’t (wouldn’t) call it the M1 because of the late-70s supercar of the same name, but boy-oh-boy was it wild.

The 1M was first unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show (yeah, me neither) as the 1 Series tii Concept. It had a four-cylinder engine and was all about harking back to things like the 2002.

Thankfully, M went bonkers and dropped in the N54 twin-turbo and confirmed the car’s existence in December 2010. Power went up from the 135i to 250kW (340PS) and 450Nm. An overboost function kicked things up to 500Nm for a bit, just to make sure. You could only get a six-speed manual and it came with the excellent M diff. Nice.

Bitey, fighty 1 Series M

With BMW’s rearrangement of the model names, the 2-Series replaced the 1 Coupe when the F20 1er arrived. It also meant that the M could go before the number, giving us the M2. As we already know, it has M4 bits crammed under the pumped up bodywork and shipped with the N55 single turbo six with 272kW (370PS) and 465Nm. Rear-wheel drive, of course, and with a six-speed manual or seven-speed twin-clutch.

BMW M2 Competition

I really liked the M2 as it was, but BMW has spent a bit of time changing some bits and pieces.

As it stood, I thought the M2 was missing some important spec bits like LED headlights and conveniences like Apple CarPlay. At least in Australia, the M2 Competition now comes with the former and you can pay for the latter.

The seats are better, too, which is nice. There is also a new dash, which makes for a nicer experience and to help with the feeling that you’ve paid extra and got extra.

M2 Competition Drivetrain

I think the M2 Competition is the first car I can remember that gets more power because of tightening emissions regulations. The N55 couldn’t hit the new numbers so the M guys shrugged and went for more power. Suddenly emissions regulations don’t seem so bad (they’re not, obviously).

Goodbye to the N55 and hello to the, ahem, clean and green twin-turbo S55.

And it makes a difference. Maximum power has risen to 302kW (410PS), which is up 30kW (40PS). Maximum torque has risen by 85Nm to a super-healthy 550Nm. Technically it’s up 50Nm, but where the 500Nm of the earlier cars was overboost-only, the new number is always there for you. Like that one true friend.

It will now cover the sprint 100km/h (62mph) in 4.2 seconds, although as I’ve said before, I reckon it’s four flat.

The six-speed manual gearbox (a no-cost option in some markets, including Australia) features a carbon fibre friction lining to save weight. It also has wet sump lubrication which BMW says reduces “sloshing.” Sure, why not. Hate all that sloshing.

Extra cooling from the crackerjack M4 CS helps deal with the added warmth from the S55, meaning a new bigger central radiator and two extras behind the big scoops in the front bumper.

And there’s a new bi-modal exhaust for more noise and to better suit the S55.

BMW M2 Competition Chassis

When you pop the bonnet (or hood), you’ll see something new – the M4-style carbon strut brace that snakes its way around the engine bay. It’s not about looks, obviously – this tightens the front end a fair bit. Given the old car was already pretty good on turn-in, this seems superfluous…

The new brakes are bigger, which is always welcome when you’ve got more power. Still no adaptive damping, but I guess there just wasn’t the room. Whether there wasn’t room to annoy M4 owners or physical room I’ll leave for you to decide.

The rear suspension now has tricksy rose-jointing, which is very race car-ey. The electric steering has a new mapping for a bit more feel, which comes from more precise control of the assistance. Of course, new spring and damper settings are nice and easy to sort out, so they’ve gone on as well.

As ever, you’ve got an active M differential at the back which is always a Good Thing. I can’t stress enough how much a good limited-slip diff does a car.

And to go with the M diff, there are two programmable M buttons on the steering wheel.

Driving

I loved the M2 to bits. User-friendly, fast and a bit on the bucking-bronco side, it was great. The only thing you could complain about in the handling department was that you knew there was more in it. A lot more.

I’d still have one in a heartbeat, no question. It’s that good.

The Competition, though. Wow. You’d never accuse the M2’s front-end of being a bit tardy, but with the new strut brace, steering and spring/damper set up, it’s now a precision-bomber. The turn-in is even more crisp, the front end bites harder meaning an almost Lotus-like change of direction. Slight exaggeration there, but you get my drift.

You always got the impression that the M2’s weight had meant compromises. The steering feel wasn’t quite there and there felt like a filter between rubber and road. That’s largely gone now, but the way it turns in is mighty. I’d cheerfully go without the extra power and torque such is the improvement on something that was already great.

I spent most of the time driving around in M1 – as the suspension is static, there’s no value in bumping around in Comfort. On start-up, the car is set to be a bit softer on throttle and enine (and you can turn it all down even further.

The out-of-the-box settings for M1 mean the throttle is a little more lively as is the rear end, and that’s what we like. Couple that with the epic front end, a blast down my favourite road and one of my favourite corners brought it all home. You can re-program M1, but I never felt the need.

That favourite corner is a downhill left, tightening to a hairpin. The entry is a disaster – bumpy patchwork of surfaces, high crown on the road and crumbling edges. And you can’t see the exit, so no naughty line-crossing to open it up.

Fire in, brake straight, ride the bumps – the M2 did it, the Competition is just as good. Then turn-in – that’s where the Competition is suddenly on its own. It destroyed this particular corner, which made me got back and do it again and again.

There’s more confidence on turn-in and with the looser traction and stability control, there’s plenty of swing on offer should you so choose. If you prefer – as I do – to keep things tidy even on roads I know well, it will shred that corner.

I think the bigger brakes are also a little more confidence-inspiring, but I could be making that up.

The added precision of the front end means you can really get the entry-apex-exit sequence right more often and more satisfyingly. It’s now undeniably more fun than the M4 Competition and feels almost as wild as the M4 CS, a car I love.

BMW’s S55 is a giant of an engine. In this tune it’s fast, flexible and brilliant. It doesn’t transform the car, but it fills the gaps and just makes the corners come at you even faster.

Should I get one?

Uh, yeah. You really should. There’s nothing else like it.

And there is unlikely to be another one – the new 2 Series is based on the Mini platform, which means tranverse fours and all-wheel drive, if a second M2 happens at all. It will still be great, but it won’t be this.

It won’t be special, in other words, it will be more like its Audi and Mercedes rivals.

The M2 Competition is a truly special car and deserves its place in my fantasy five-car garage alongside much more expensive stuff. It’s that good.

January 2, 2019
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

Sometimes you drive a car and wonder what or who it’s for. Sometimes you drive a car and know exactly who it’s for. Then you drive the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and realise that sometimes, there just isn’t another reason apart from “Somebody is going to buy this because it’s bonkers.”

I’ve often wondered what the point of the Grand Cherokee SRT was. I’ve driven various Jeeps over the years, including the Grand Cherokee. It’s alright, but you have to wonder why you’d want any more than its stock petrol V6 or the new 2.0-litre turbo petrol.

Jeep didn’t wonder. They first went with the 6.4-litre Hemi-engined SRT and then went all in with the Trackhawk’s 6.2-litre supercharged Hellcat Hemi V8.

Who needs it? Nobody. Who is it for? I have no idea. Not even Steve knows and I thought this would be right up his alley.

One thing is for sure though – I am very pleased I drove this thing. Because it’s hilarious.

Words: Peter Anderson
Images: Matthew Hatton
Co-pilot: Will Grillo

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Specs

No matter where you buy this car, it’s properly loaded. Airbags and safety gear everywhere, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, leather all over the place, sunroof, climate control, huge towing capacity and a big performance menu.

It’s big and it’s comfortable like the donor car, carrying five people without drama.

It doesn’t look much different to the SRT or a top-spec Grand Cherokee. New front and rear bumpers look after brake cooling and a new set of quad exhausts respectively.

A couple of lurid Supercharged badges and a Trackhawk badge help passers-by work out what it is. If they hadn’t already heard it.

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Drivetrain

Just look at it

When I popped the bonnet, I hooted with laughter. This thing is a lot of engine. Just the complicated auxiliary belt that runs the supercharger looks like something that an eight-year-old dreamt up.

The 6.2-litre Hemi is topped with alloy heads and sodium-filled valves. Forged alloy pistons do the up and down work, but for some reason there’s nothing fancy about the propshaft. Which helps explain the massive heft of the Trackhawk.

The supercharger displaces 2.4-litres and spins up to 14,600 rpm and howls like a banshee is stuck in the belt.

Between the V8’s full-chested baritone and the howling soprano of the supercharger, you can hear this fat lady singing a duet with a positively obese fellow in tow. The name Hellcat suddenly seems perfectly reasonable.

With all of this at your disposal, you’re unleashing 522kW (707PS) and 868Nm. 0-100km/h (0-62mph) arrives in an improbably frantic 3.6 seconds.

There are few cars on the road with more power than this and even fewer with this kind of torque – only the whacky triple-turbo V8 Audi SQ7 engine – it betters the Hellcat with 900Nm – springs immediately to mind.

An eight-speed Torqueflight transmission handles the bit between engine and propshaft and Jeep’s Quadra-Trac Active all-wheel drive system starts with a 40/60 front to rear torque split. The rear axle also scores an electronic limited slip diff.

Chassis

Here’s something to think about – all that power is fed through a set of 295/45 Pirelli P Zero tyres on 20-inch alloys. Each wheel has to handle more torque than an entire Jeep Renegade.

That’s…well, that’s a lot.

The suspension has obviously come in for some serious attention, with active damping and a new set of springs. Naturally, the steering has had some work, too, with the various drive modes adjusting the assistance.

The drive mode select dial has plenty of options – Tow, Snow, Auto, Sport and Track. The first three are obvious, with Auto keeping things (relatively) tame.

(This isn’t an offroad review for three reasons – 1. those tyres aren’t really up for it and 2. there are no offroad modes and, most importantly, 3. would you?)

The big Brembo six-piston calipers grip slotted discs, the largest ever fitted to a Jeep.

Driving

When I first heard about this car, I thought it was a bit silly. All that power in a car that isn’t famed for its on-road prowess (look, it’s alright, but the Germans and Koreans are better) seemed excessive.

It is absolutely excessive. When you hit the starter button, the Hellcat bursts into life with a roar, the same way an Italian V12 rouses itself from slumber. The whole car shimmies before settling.

Things aren’t perfect. They’re not even great. Even in Auto, the throttle is far too enthusiastic. My wife hated it – you have to tickle it to get the car moving otherwise it suddenly lurches like a kangaroo-hopping learner.

The big steering wheel feels oddly foamy in the hand and I am Not A Fan. I despise the all-in-one stalk for indicators and wipers and have never been a fan of the weirdly laid-out dash. The seats don’t hold you in properly, either.

Cornering is best served carefully, the slow-ish steering not really matching the engine’s threats. The big body rolls enthusiastically but the ride isn’t too flash. Having said that, it will out-ride a few AMGs and the odd X-badged M car.

In Track mode the eight-speed Torqueflite (aka the famous ZF eight-speed) is dumber than a crate of drunk cats. You have to pull the paddle-shift almost a second before you hit the redline or you crash into the hard limiter. It guzzles fuel faster than a university student sinks free alcohol after exams and it doesn’t really corner that well. And the brakes feel spongy, even if they work really well.

So it sucks, right?

My giddy aunt, no. Few cars will make you laugh like the Trackhawk. It’s so utterly improbable, so silly. It’s the sort of car you see built on YouTube, except it keeps everything from the donor car. It delivers an 11.6 second quarter mile out of the box. 0-100km/h (0-62mph) is over in 3.7 seconds.

Every time you drive this car you will enjoy yourself immensely. Once you learn to breathe at the throttle in traffic, you’ll be fine. You will deliberately time things so you get a stop light so you can roar off the line.

Few cars are so tremendously, viscerally accelerative. Even on part-throttle, the V8 rumble and supercharger scream are worth the oil tanker’s worth of fuel you’ll need over the life of this car. When your foot is flat to the floor, the people left in your aerodynamic wake, ears full of Hemi will be having nearly as much fun as you. It’s fun for everyone.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is silly and excessive. Cars that are silly and excessive, however, are part of the reason I started The Redline. We don’t need them, but dammit, we want them. And they don’t come sillier or more excessive than this – except you don’t have to pay the earth to get one on your driveway.

Images by: Matt Hatton

December 30, 2018
Audi Q8 Australia Price and Spec

The Audi Q8 has arrived in Australia and we’ve got the price and specification right here.

Available for delivery in January 2019, the first Q8s to arrive in Australia are the petrol 55 TFSI and diesel 50 TDI. The 55 kicks things off, priced from $128,900.

Based on the Q7 and A8 platform, the Q8 is a big five-seat luxury-sporty SUV. That’s a bit of a mouthful, but it will make sense, especially if you read our full review.

How much is an Audi Q8 and what do I get?

The 55 and 50 are hardly low-spec starters, hence the not-at-all-shy pricing. Standard are 21-inch alloys, S-Line exterior package, adaptive damping, power tailgate, ten-speaker stereo with Apple CarPlay and DAB+, Valcone leather, LED Matrix headlights and keyless entry and start.

Virtual Cockpit / Climate controls / 10.1-inch MMI screen / New MMI system / Seat adjustment menu

The new version of Virtual Cockpit graces the 12.3-inch panel in front of the driver and the 10.1 and 8.6-inch stacked screens handle the new version of MMI. They’re both touchscreens with haptic feedback and control pretty much everything in the car.

Rear seat passengers score a pair of USB ports too if they don’t like what you’re playing.

The new MMI system features a new, refined voice control system. You can say, “It’s cold in here” and the system will ask what temperature you want. “I’m hungry” will throw up some nearby restaurants and perhaps most amusingly, “I need to pee” will bring up a list of nearby toilets. I tried a few rather more lurid versions of that last one and most of them worked.

Audi is offering a couple of option packages.

21-inch alloys / Banging B&O system / Rear climate control (optional) / Wireless charing

The Premium Plus Package ($11,000) includes 22-inch alloys, adaptive air suspension, HD Matrix LED headlights, massive B&O system, four-zone climate control and interior lighting system.

A full leather package puts leather absolutely bloody everywhere and costs $8900.

A 23-speaker B&O 3D sound system is $12,100 (ouch) and four-wheel steering is $4500.

Audi Q8 Safety

The Q8 ships with all the usual stuff plus – Audi has counted them – 39 driver assistance systems. The include forward AEB, adaptive cruise with stop and go in traffic (Adaptive Drive Assist), lane departure and lane change warning, head-up display, pre-sense front and rear, rear cross traffic alert and cameras everywhere.

Audi says the new set of cameras and radars helps to reduce the pinball effect of the lane keep systems.

Drivetrains

250kW/500Nm

The 55 TFSI features the 3.0-litre V6 with 250kW and 500Nm. Later in 2019 the 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel will arrive with 210kW

The Quattro drive system is along for the ride, obviously, and uses an eight-speed ZF automatic. A centre diff can apportion torque from the standard 40:60 front to rear, with up to 85 percent to the back or 70 percent up front.

Both also come with a 48-volt mild hybrid system with a small lithium-ion battery in the boot. The battery is fed by a belt-alternator starter which is also connected to the crankshaft to deliver a 60Nm boost. It also means the stop-start cuts in at 22km/h and the engine will also switch off at cruising speeds for up to 40 seconds.

That all adds up to a 0.7L/100km reduction.

When?

You can buy one now with deliveries starting at the end of January 2019. The 50 TDI will arrive later in the year.

Read the full Audi Q8 55 TFSI drive review here.

December 14, 2018
2018 Audi Q8 First Drive: Video

The Audi Q8 is Ingolstadt’s X6/GLE Coupe rival is a big five-seat luxury SUV that only the Germans seem to get right.

In a year where we’ll soon see the humungous BMW X7, the Q8 takes a different route. It’s shorter than the car it’s based on – the Q7 – but wider and centred on moving four or five people in style.

Audi Q8 Interior

New dual-screen layout

Eight-speed ZF shifter

10.1-inch MMI screen

12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit

Banging B&O system

Rear climate control (optional)

What’s also neat is the interior. Like the new black glass dominated A7, the Q8 is even more impressive. Build quality is tighter than the lips of an arrested bikie and easily feels better than its distant relative, the Bentley Bentayga.

The giant 2.9m wheelbase means space galore for front and rear seats – I reckon this car is going to be used all over the world as a limo.

On the move it’s super quiet – you can barely hear the engine at all and it’s not until you’re at three figure speeds that you will hear the wing mirrors. A bit.

Q8 Exterior Design

It doesn’t look anything like its size in the pictures, which is pretty neat. Audi’s top-end LED Matrix lighting is standard here and like the A7 and A8, animates on startup and shutdown. This is a nice piece of theatre.

The big new grille has what Audi calls a mask – that’s the big Bane-like thing around the edge of the grille that will grace more Q-cars as time goes by.

I like the little ur Quattro references like the full-width rear light bar, spoiler and the shape of the side glass.

But it has fake exhausts!

People seem to hate the fake exhaust pipes. I’m not entirely sure what the fuss is about. Tons of cars have fake exhausts and I find it extremely difficult to get worked up about them, but if it matters to you, yes, they’re fake.

Chassis

Obviously, it’s a Quattro drivetrain. That’s the easy bit. The 55 TFSI uses ZF’s awesome and always brilliant eight-speed automatic to send the power out and about the four corners of the car.

The centre diff manages the power with a standard ratio of 40:60 front to rear, with up to 85 percent going to the rear tyres and 70 to the front. Hopefully not mid-corner… (obviously not, before you get upset)

Front and rear suspension are both five-link with adaptive damping in the traditional selectable settings. You can also specify air suspension, which is fitted to the orange car you see in the pictures.

That car also has the optional 22-inch wheels, instead of the 21s as standard.

It’s a chunky lad at over 2200kg. Audi says that the shell is a bit heavier because of the frameless windows. Like its A7 and A5 siblings, the coupe-like (or actual coupe) configuration means that frameless windows work better and feel sportier. But that means a lot more steel in the roof to keep you safe in a rollover and ensure general structural integrity.

Engine and Drivetrain

Well, let’s start at the top. The 55 TFSI has a 3.0-litre petrol V6 under the big bonnet, spinning up 250kW (340PS) and 500Nm. Peak power arrives at 5500rpm and maximum torque spread from 2900-5300rpm.

The engine’s two twin-scroll turbos are crammed into the 90-degree vee. This means the turbo pressure comes up really quickly. Being so close to the exhaust header means less pressure loss so less lag.

Like its distant A7 cousin, the Q8 rolls with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The engine has a belt alternator system, harvesting energy and sending it to a small lithium-ion battery under the boot floor.

The engine can cut out at 22km/h as you coast to a stop, turn off at moderate to high cruising speeds for periods of time and deploy a bit of extra torque when the planets align. All the while it keeps your climate-control and various other systems running such that many drivers and passengers won’t notice.

It works really nicely in the A7 and by contrast to the SQ7 where it’s there to spin up the electric turbo, it is all about fuel-saving. Which is just as well – despite all the weight-saving aluminium, this bad boy weighs over 2200kg.

Driving

I don’t know about you, but this car had me scratching my head.

I mean, what’s the point? Why is it so big only to carry five people? Why is it so heavy? Why does it look so much like an ur Quattro? Wait, that’s not a complaint.

Climbing in, it feels big. The new cockpit layout is genuinely brilliant getting comfortable is super-easy. The seats up here in the 55 TFSI are really nice, very comfortable both for the driver and passenger.

That extra width over the Q7 is enough make it look really muscular on the outside and properly big inside – it spans a lane and on some of the narrow B-roads I swept through, feels like you need to swerve to avoid oncoming traffic. You don’t obviously, but you need to keep your wits about you.

The cars I drove either had the full-fat all-wheel steering and air suspension package or the standard steel springs with adaptive damping and no rear-wheel steering.

From a ride and handling perspective, there’s not a great deal of difference between the two. Normal driving reveals a very accomplished chassis with a really nice balance for such a big car.

But with the all-wheel steer, something clicks into place and the Q8 becomes a hell of a lot more agile. Low-speed manoeuvres are obviously much easier as the turning circle tightens with the rear wheels going in the opposite direction.

At speed, though, is what we’re really interested in here. The front wheels instead turn in the same direction and make all the difference. Coupled with the air suspension, you can really hustle the Q8. The front end is pretty good to start with – massive, grippy tyres will do that – but with a bit of help from the rear end, it feels more like a biggish Q5 rather than a slightly shorter Q7, if that makes sense.

As always, the 3.0-litre V6 is brilliant. Moving this kind of weight is no easy feat, but it does it virtually silently. It’s almost like those fake exhausts are trying to tell you something – you can’t hear 3.0-litre. You genuinely have to check it’s on. Clearly, Audi is saving the noise for Audi Sport customers willing to wait for the RSQ8.

But boy is it strong. The petrol unit gets the Q8 to 100km/h (62mph) in under six seconds. The strong mid-range means country-road overtaking requires only a little planning.

So is it for me?

It doesn’t make a huge amount of sense until you’re in it. I approache it quite warily but once I’d spent time behind the wheel and more time climbing around it, it started making sense.

Do you need a car this big? Hugely unlikely unless you’re a family of basketballers. It’s an alternative to both a big wagon (like, er, the A6 Avant) and the seven-seat utility like…um…the Q7. So basically, it’s an SUV version of the A8.

I didn’t think I’d be okay with that. But it turns out, I am.

Like our Audi coverage? There’s more here

We’ve also got an Audi playlist on YouTube:

Peter travelled to the New South Wales Snowy Mountains region as a guest of Audi Australia. Flights, accommodation and gingerbread men were all supplied as part of the trip.

December 14, 2018
The McLaren 720S Spider Is Here

McLaren’s 720S Spider has arrived as sure as convertible follows mid-life crisis. We’ve got the new machine (un)covered.

Look, ma, no roof!

This was always going to happen but we’re pleased it’s here all the same. I am on record as not being a huge fan of convertibles, but the McLaren Monocage II set me straight in the 570S.

Here in the 720S you get a motorised hardtop that folds itself neatly away under the rear deck in double-quick time. Apart from that, everything is exactly the same.

Well, obviously it isn’t. That would be stupid.

Sun, sun, sun

Rear buttresses are glazed

Roof off.

Roof on.

From the windscreen back, things had to change.

The rear buttresses that frame the rear glass are themselves glass to help maintain some of the coupe’s incredible visibility. The rear deack is all new and the bodywork from the doors back reshaped to look just right with the roof folded away.

Technical stuff

The active aero knows whether the roof is on or off and acts accordingly. Top speed is the 341km/h (212mph) with the roof on and 325km/h (202mph) with the roof off.

The sprint to 100km/h (62mph) is fractionally slower at 2.9 seconds. 0-200km/h (0-124mph) arrives in – ahem – 7.9 seconds while the standing quarter blazes by in 10.4 seconds.

Engine power is, obviously, identical at 537kW (720PS) and 770Nm from the 4.0-litre twin-turbo.

You can choose a solid roof or a carbon-framed glass lid with electrochromatic glass. That means you can press a button and the glass goes dark. I’m here to tell you, that’s useful – in warmer climates you will cook with a glass roof.

The hydraulic active suspension remains to deliver unbelievable ride and handling while the steering is fuel-hungry hydraulic but still brilliant.

Yes but how much does it weigh?

Just 49kg more. McLaren says the Monocage II-S means the engineers haven’t had to add any strength to the chassis, so that 49kg is mostly roof mechanism and a possibly the bodywork changes.

Stronger belts and a carbon fibre structure behind the passenger cell helps stop unplanned head-road interfacing. The 650S Spider used steel, so the 720S’ system is almost 7kg lighter.

All up dry Woking says it’s 1,332kg dry, claiming 88 fewer kilos than its nearest (unnamed) competitor.

The interior looks fundamentally identical, and that’s fair enough. No real need to change apart from adding something sensible like Apple CarPlay, which won’t fit in the current central screen layout.

How much does it cost?

So far we’ve only got UK pricing, which is a not-inconsiderable £237,000 with deliveries starting in March 2019.

December 9, 2018
2019 Porsche 911 (992) Unveiled

Like so many fast cars, it feels like ages since we first heard that this car was coming. And now it’s here.

Porsche is starting with the S models, saying that they sell better. The new car looks terrific. If you just think it looks the same as the old car, you are partially wrong and you can skip to the next bit about the engines.

As with the 991, the car is bigger in every direction. A new front crash structure is responsible for most of the 20mm increase in length while the new body is 45mm wider, including some lovely subtle flaring of the front wheel arches. There is now just the one body style, and they’re all the fat-bottomed kind.

The wheels start at 20-inches up front and 21s at the back. Despite the extra length partially offset by a height increase of 2mm, it looks low and fast.

I love it. And I’m not a 911-phile. I just think it looks really clean and mean.

At the rear, the new integrated wing looks the business and rises in two stages so you don’t look too stupid when getting about at moderate speeds. The high-level brake light looks part of the grille until it lights up and the new Porsche signature of full-width taillights is magnificent.

Another nice detail? The flush-fitting doorhandles that pop out when you approach. Snazzy.

Inside looks wider as Porsche takes a more horizontal approach to design. It’s all-new, of course, and looks better, less bitty than the old cabin. While you can see just one cupholder in the image behind the dinky little shifter, there’s another over pop-out jobbie in the dash against the door. In case that’s important.

Engine and Drivetrain

For the S, the 3.0-litre twin turbo remains but now with more power and torque. Plenty of detail changes, too.

Power is up by 22kW (30PS) to 331kW (450PS). 0-100km/h differs between the rear-wheel drive (3.7 seconds) and the 4S (3.6 seconds). That’s 0.4 seconds off the previous marks set by the 991.

If you want to knock another 0.2 seconds off, go for the Sport Chrono Package.

Top speed is 308km/h for the RWD and 306km/h for the 4S.

The new eight-speed PDK twin-clutch transmission is partially responsible for the 55kg weight gain. It’s always going to be a heavy thing when you add another gear to an already complex unit. It’s also interesting that Porsche has stuck with the PDK and not gone with the ZF eight-speed. Not chucking rocks, of course – it’s just an observation.

That new gearbox is meant to handle future hybrid powertrains, so keep an eye out for that in the coming months.

When?

The 992 Carrera S and 4S will start deliveries in the New Year and is on sale now. Most dealers have probably been taking deliveries for months because, you know dealers.

Australian buyers can expect to pay no less than $265,100 for the S and $281,000 for the 4S. UK buyers will be paying in the region of £93,110 and £98,418 respectively.

November 28, 2018