Ferrari’s new 2+ GT, the Roma, evokes the 1950s with its La Nuova Dolce Vita tag line and a gorgeous new design that looks much better in the flesh.
Well, when I say it has landed, I mean that there is one in the country. A left-hand drive Roma in the stunning signature blue will be touring dealerships. The photos – believe it or not – were taken in Sydney despite looking like the other side of the world.
Obviously, things aren’t normal at the moment, so Ferrari Australia took me through the way customers will be introduced to the car. If you’re passing a dealership in the next few weeks, you might see a large black box with Roma branding on it.
Half of the structure is a lounge setup, where customers will watch a couple of videos presented by Ferrari folks who can’t travel due to the pandemic.
Then you’re led through into another room where the Roma is set against a Rome-themed backdrop. It’s pretty cool and set up for safety, allowing the dealer team to clean the environment and car before another customer rolls through.
Look and feel
I’m happy to admit I wasn’t entirely convinced by the car in the launch photos. I liked some of the elements and the usual internet hue and cry afterwards suggested not everyone was happy.
And, no disrespect to the photographer, you don’t really get a sense of the car’s beauty in these photos either. The body work is incredibly smooth, the kind of smooth Rob Melville at McLaren would be proud of. That really changes the feel of the car and it’s a design that I think will age well.
The bonnet’s shapeliness is more obvious in the overhead shot above, but it’s genuinely lovely in the same way the 812 Superfast‘s is, and you get a similar view down the bonnet from the driver’s seat.
Those controversial lights look much better when they’re not darkly lit as in the photos. I think they work well, but less convincing is the grille, which I found a bit flat-looking.
The car in the photos has a carbon front splitter, skirts and diffuser and the retractable wing can also be had in carbon. As can pretty much everything else.
Interior and tech
You’re probably ready to furiously write me an email/tweet/text about the 2+ typo in the intro, but that’s what Ferrari is calling the Roma because the rear seats are fundamentally useless – they’re bottom shaped bucket behind the front seats. A cut-price GTC Lusso it isn’t.
The Roma introduces some new technology bits, though. The 16-inch digital dash is really cool, although I will miss that big central tachometer with the analogue dial. I know, oh the humanity.
Also new is the 8.0-inch portrait-oriented media system sprouting out of the centre console. Ferrari calls it Human Machine Interface and packs in the kind of stuff you find in McLaren’s terrible IRIS system. It seems (and looks) much better in the Ferrari and yes, you can still spec the hideously-priced Apple CarPlay into it.
A new steering wheel frames the digital dash, with a lovely new touch concept. The start-stop button sits at the top of the lower spoke and responds to you brushing your finger over it to activate the electrics (or “turn on the reds”).
And the centre console sports a new shifter for the eight-speed twin-clutch transmission, shaped to resemble the old gated shifter of a classic Ferrari.
The cabin itself is split in two and is rather cosy. The seats felt super comfortable and, naturally, the driving position felt spot on.
It really, truly, is gorgeous.
How much is a Ferrari Roma and when can I get one?
Australia: $409,888 + ORC New Zealand: $386,888 +ORC
Shots fired, folks. The Roma is about ten grand more than a Portofino and has a whole bunch of new stuff in it. Ferrari says its parts are 70 percent new compared to the drop-top with which it shares a fair bit of stuff. They didn’t say how that 70% was calculated, but it doesn’t look like a Portofino with a fixed roof.
$410,000 buys you a lot of car (relatively-speaking) and takes on the Aston Martin DB11 and AMG’s GT range, from where Ferrari expects to garner 70 percent of the Roma’s sales.
The first cars will arrive here in the first quarter of 2021 while Maranello sorts out the European and US left-hand drive markets.
The Audi RS6 Avant has always been a firm favourite of the fast wagonista. The latest iteration is loaded with stuff and tech, but does it still hold the crown?
https://youtu.be/noj_2a49efY Don’t forget to like and subscribe while you’re there!
The A6 Avant has a cult following as it is, but throw in a high-performance twin-turbo V8 (or V10, as in the past) and you have the searing hot RS6 Avant. For 2020, there is a heap of new tech, plenty of Audi Sport magic and a newer, crankier looking car.
How much is a 2020 Audi RS6 Avant and what do I get?
2020 Audi RS6 Avant: $216,000 + ORC
Well, Audi got straight down to business with a sticker north of $200,000, didn’t it? Thing is, though, it’s cheaper than the previous car by a whopping $32,000, down to $216,000 from over $248,000.
You get 22-inch alloys, Valcona leather interior, heated and ventilated RS sport seats (also electrically adjusted), four-zone climate control, LED lighting, Nappa leather over the doors and console and a few other surfaces, panoramic glass sunroof, soft-close doors, 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit with the new double-screen MMI and control screen, auto HD matrix LED headlights, head-up display, wireless charging, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, around-view cameras, auto wipers, power tailgate, heated folding rear vision mirrors and a tyre repair kit.
The Virtual Cockpit screen is the usual 12.3-inch unit with the new RS layout, which is pretty nifty. You also get wireless CarPlay and USB Android Auto, a 16-speaker B&O stereo with 705 watts, DAB and you can option a DVD player for $350. Still. In 2020. Those crazy Germans.
A choice of eight colours is available along with a matte effect option ($10,900!) on selected colours. The freebies are Nardo Grey (co-pilot Mark loves* this colour), Glacier White, Florett Silver, Daytona Grey (pearl effect), Mythos Blac, Navarra Blue and Tango Red. The eighth colour is $1400 and it’s Sebring Black. I don’t know about you, but I don’t this RS6 Avant is going to look good in black.
Options and Packages
As it’s an Audi, there is plenty to choose from.
Sensory Package ($11,000): 1820-watt B&O 3D Advanced Sound with 19 speakers, sunshades for rear windows, black alcantara headlining, leather airbag cover and heated rear seats.
Do you need it? No. Is it nice? Yes.
RS Dynamic Package Plus ($19,500): RS ceramic brakes with red brake calipers, top speed rises to (gulp) 305km/h.
Do you need it? No. But these brakes are immensely strong, don’t feel like carbon brakes in normal traffic and keep the wheels clean.
Carbon and black exterior package ($8,700): Front spoiler, front side flaps, sill inserts and rear diffuser in gloss carbon black. And trim strips and mirrors in black plastic.
Do you need it? No. Looks mean, though.
Matt aluminium styling package NCO): The bits in the carbon pack, but aluminium, along with roof rails and mirror caps.
Do you need it? No. Is it naff? Yes. I don’t like that crap on M cars, why would I like it on an Audi?
RS Design Package $2900: Available in a choice of blue or red, you get lots of stitching all over the cabin, including steering wheel, shifter and console. Comes up nicely on the seatbelts and floor mats too.
Do I need it? No. Cool? Yep, especially the blue.
Single options are available, like heated outboard rear seats ($900), a luggage rail system with extra bits ($750), wood inlays ($750), carbon twill inlays ($1700),
Safety – 5 stars (A6 and S6, ANCAP May 2020)
The RS6 lands with six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, forward AEB (pedestrians and cyclists 5-85km/h, 250km/h for other vehicles), fatigue detection, pre-sense rear (detects someone about to run into you from behind, tensioning seat belts and closing the windows), collision avoidance assist (helps you steer out of trouble), rear cross-traffic alert, intersection assist (stops you turning across oncoming traffic by shouting at you and punching the brake), exit warning system (stops you dooring cyclists or other cars) and a few other bits and bobs.
So it’s a comprehensive package. Note, however, that the rating does not officially apply to the RS6 but covers the A6 and S6. Do with that confusing information what you will.
Look and feel
If you’ve watched the video, you already know what I think. It’s a gorgeous design, with just the right amount of meanness without the being a dumb thug. The 22-inch alloys look tremendous, more so if you go with the blue calipers and ceramic brakes.
The headlights look terrific with the LED daytime running lights and with the standard black pack, it’s just superb. I’m not normally a red car guy, but this one is the business. The car in the pics has the carbon styling pack, but the black will do just fine.
Inside, it’s predictably lovely, with the A6/A7 dash design and all those black screens that come to life when you start up. The front seats are very nice indeed and you can see the red Audi Sport design pack has been applied.
You get plenty of space in the big boot, lots of occupant space for four (pinch for five with the transmission tunnel), four cupholders and bottle holders and a good sized centre console. The wireless phone charging is great, especially if you’re an Apple person.
Drivetrain
Audi’s 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 is a proper heavy-hitter, spinning up 441kW between 600 and 6250rpm and 800Nm between 2050 and 4500rpm. An eight-speed ZF automatic delivers the power to all four wheels via Audi Sport’s version of quattro.
A 3.6-second zero to 100km/h time is quite sobering as is the 280km/h top speed, especially considering the car’s 2150kg weight. The 0-200km/h time is also quite something, clocking in at 12 seconds dead.
Audi says the aluminium crankcase weighs 39.1kg, the cylinders are plasma-coated and there are two fuel pumps and a fully-variable oil pump.
Both turbos are twin-scroll units, which helps explain how little lag there is.
The new car includes the now-familiar 48-volt mild hybrid system which can recover power at the rate of 12kW when coasting. The stop-start cuts in nice and early at 22km/h.
Fuel Consumption
Audi claims an official figure of 11.7L/100km on the combined cycle, but we all know that will be near impossible to reach. You do get some help from cylinder on demand and the mild hybrid system (Audi says it’s worth 0.8L/100km), but expect mid-teens when you’re on it or city-bound.
Chassis
There’s a lot going on here.
The quattro all-wheel drive system is rear-biased, do not complain to me that it isn’t. Standard is 40:60 front to rear, with up to 85 percent going to the rears. A sport differential on the rear axle also plays around with the rear torque split.
Standard is all-wheel steering along with variable ratio steering. I didn’t even notice the latter, so it’s getting very good.
Air suspension is also standard, which explains the ride in Comfort mode and can also raise or lower the car. You can specify the RS sports suspension with dynamic ride control, which reduces pitch and roll ($2850 and why the hell not?).
If you stick with the steel brakes, you get 10-piston callipers gripping staggeringly large 420mm front discs (that’s a new record for me) and 370mm rears. Spend the $19,500 on the ceramics and you score 440mm front discs (and another record). Either way, your stopping power is immense.
Keeping you on the ground is a set of Pirelli P-Zero 285/30 R22s.
Driving
Cars this big and this fast are almost routine now. The arms race between the Germans has been going on for a while and it’s a pity the current Jaguar XF has bowed out of the race.
Audi has somehow cracked the code on the Avant, though. The BMW M5 last had a wagon version in the E60 series. The E63 does have a wagon version, but we don’t get it. So Audi owns the fast wagon market (with one exception, I’ll talk about it later).
The RS6 is, unsurprisingly, an enormous amount of fun. While I would probably prefer non-air suspension for just me, the air suspension setup on this car means its capabilities are astonishingly broad. Yes, it adds weight, but it means riding around Australia’s pot-holed, rubber speed bumped mess of a road system is genuinely calm.
Punch the RS button on the steering and it crouches down over those big wheels and tyres. Punch it again and the electro-nannies take a step back and, quite honestly, this thing absolutely hoots along.
Initial turn-in feels a bit woolly (and we’re speaking in relative terms here) as the weight shifts around, but once that’s happened and the air suspension has gathered itself (we’re talking tenths of a second), it hunkers down and grips.
That means you’re more than capable of getting on the power very, very early, the quattro system sending you where you point the wheels. As it happens, you’re pointing all four of them, with the fronts turning in the traditional direction and the rears opposite (or the same when you’re not hammering it). The turn-in is flattered by the rear rotating around you but it feels quite natural after a while, almost hot-hatchey in its response.
The brakes are immensely powerful but easy to modulate. That delivers piles of confidence in the car as you power towards a corner knowing you can jump on them and they’ll be there. The chassis responds well and covers up mistakes, too.
But that V8 – what a colossal thing. It’s not quite as vocal as I remember the old car being, but I’ll take the huge torque any day. It’s massively flexible as an every day road car and so unbelievably powerful when you’re on it. There’s almost no turbo lag and when you hit the torque band, you’re gone. Few cars will be able to stay with you.
Competition
Not much. The Alpina B5 Touring is as close as you’re going to get. Being an Alpina, it’s much more of a comfort machine. And being a 5 Series, way less cool to look at. Terrific interior – especially with the right options – and it runs with the Audi on the tech offering if not the presentation.
The B5 Touring starts at $210,000 but you won’t stay with an RS6 in the corners.
Redline Recommendation
I mean, obviously, yes. I’d have one in a heartbeat and I’d suggest that my hard-marking wife would too, just like the old one.
Give it to me in Nardo Grey, not that fussed about the ceramic brakes (but if you insist) and let the black pack stay as-is. It’s an awesome car that will crush every task you throw at it, from a mundane Ikea run to racing down the coast the back way to avoid the dullness of the motorways.
The Audi R8 RWS was by far my favourite of the R8 range and it seems a lot of people agreed. It’s back as the R8 RWD and I couldn’t be happier.
Audi’s R8 has found a very special place in my heart as it’s the supercar I reckon I could actually own. If I ever had properly dumb money, I would think very seriously about dropping $300,000 of it on an R8.
It would be a very specific R8, though. While I am very, very fond of the quattro version – and in its second generation, it used to be the supercar I could own – the R8 RWS really woke me up.
Following a mid-life facelift and recent release to the Australian market, I had the huge privilege of taking the R8 RWD as it is now known for a quick drive in the country. Around some good bends.
How much is a 2020 Audi R8 RWD and what do I get?
2020 Audi R8 Coupe RWD: $295,000 + ORC 2020 Audi R8 Spyder RWD: $316,500 +ORC 2020 Audi R8 Coupe performance quattro: $395,000 +ORC
When you really think about it, the Audi R8 RWD is astonishingly well-priced. The closes thing you can get to this car is a McLaren 540C which is substantially more expensive at $350,000+ and doesn’t even have Apple CarPlay. So while $295,000 is a flipping great wodge of cash, it’s a proper mid-engined supercar for under $300,000.
Spec-wise, it’s a step up from the RWS which was a bit stripped-out as a 1 of 300 special edition. You get Nappa leather with diamond pattern stitching, 20-inch cast aluminium wheels, cruise control, LED interior lighting, front and rear parking sensors, laser LED headlights (these are spectacular), auto headlights and wipers, heated seats, keyless entry and start, 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit, air-conditioning, wireless phone charging,
Audi’s MMI comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (both via USB) and DAB+ radio. Obviously it comes up in the dash as there isn’t a separate central screen. Somehow the cabin is packed with 13 B&O-branded speakers and 550W amp. I don’t remember a supercar with that good a system as standard. Which I’ve always found a trifle odd given the money folks spend on these beasts and generally are speaker bores (in my experience).
Carbon ceramic brakes are optional at a whopping $21,400 with a choice of red or blue calipers and are the same as those on the quattro performance.
Look and feel
The R8’s facelift is quite tame but has added a bit more grr to the car’s appearance. One of the most appealing things about the R8 is that it isn’t overtly supercar-ey, which is one of the reasons I feel I could own one. Take it anywhere, park it anywhere, you don’t need a lift kit stop it scraping the front splitter. From the rear it’s close to anonymous, but I’m alright with that.
The new front end us slightly wider looking, with new grille and brake ducts along with a couple of aero parts. I’m almost not on board with the 20s because I liked the smaller wheels/higher tyre aspect of the RWS, but that’s just me hankering for the McLaren F1 look.
The cabin is largely unchanged, which is no bad thing. The RWD now has a full leather interior rather than the more plastic iteration of the older car in this spec. As I said, that didn’t really bother me, but this feels a bit richer and more appropriate to the price point.
The Virtual Cockpit has had an update too, but it’s lovely, clean minimalist interior that once again adds weight as to why this is the kind of car I could own. And it’s got a Big Red Button for the starter.
Chassis
As we all know, the R8 road car is a good chunk of the race car underneath, but obviously things depart when it comes to, you know, ride and handling.
Here in the RWD we have a traditional spring and damper setup, no doubt with a few tweaks for the update. Audi saved the magnetic ride for the quattro performance spec, which also has things like a CFRP reinforced front anti-roll bar. It also has fixed ratio steering (which I prefer, but it’s a less contentious issue these days), with the only chassis option being the carbon ceramic brakes.
The standard brakes are those lovely crinkle cut steel brakes with eight-piston calipers up front and four at the rear.
The 20-inch wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber with 245/30s up front and 305/30s at the rear. I often wonder what rubber like that costs, and it turns out the fronts are an almost-reasonable $450 per corner and around $600 each for the rear.
The aero is a bit cleaner with the new front bumper and the rear retractable wing is also still with us.
Audi claims a kerb weight of 1595kg for both the RWD and quattro performance coupes, but I wonder if that is, shall we say, overstated for the RWD. The quattro performance adds a front diff and the associated shafts and bits to get the power to the front wheels, but it has more stuff and only has a couple of obvious weight-saving measure, like the anti-roll bar.
Drivetrain
My favourite engine currently in production is rammed nice and close to your spine. The 5.2-litre V10 FSI develops 397kW at 7800rpm and 540Nm at 6500rpm. The seven-speed twin-clutch (also almost definitely tweaked) drives the rear wheels only.
All that power delivers a 0-100km/h time of 3.7 seconds and that’s probably a couple of tenths off the same car with all-wheel drive and half a second down on the 449kW/560Nm quattro performance.
Top speed is an impressive 324km/h.
The engine is beautifully presented and unlike its nearest non-VW Group competitor, you can actually see the damn thing. In the coupe at least – you can’t see it in the Spyder.
Driving
Oh, my. I am not afraid to admit that driving this car is quite emotional for me. I’m a long-term V10 fan – F1 “in my day” was V10s, I owned an E60 BMW M5 V10 and I just love this configuration.
The best car I’ve ever driven, the Lamborghini Huracan Performante, is a turned-up version of this engine. But I couldn’t own that car, and most of us can’t because it’s more than twice the price of the R8 RWD and looks ridiculous.
The R8 RWD version isn’t in a different league to the quattro, it isn’t a different car. What I really like about it is that it feels like much more of a fast road car than one you yearn to take on the track.
A rear-wheel drive mid-engine supercar – like its English and Italian rivals – is a thing of beauty. The R8 is light on it’s feet and the lighter front end is even more keen to go where you point it.
Obviously, if you were keen enough to switch off the stability systems, you’d be able to steer more with the rears than you can with the quattro. That’s not my bag on a road drive like this, but as I discovered at the Bend a while back, you can drift them both in the right conditions.
The R8 RWD just has that little bit more movement and playfulness – and without the magnetic ride and active steering – purity compare to the quattro performance model.
And that’s good because the R8 is playing to two similar-but-different crowds.
Rear-wheel drive
What’s great about the R8 RWD is the way it attacks corners. The steering is just lovely, with lots of feel but not too weighty and with what I consider to be the perfect ratio.
The throttle response of the V10, allied with the ever so slightly more responsive front end means you can power into out of corners with a glorious V10 wail and a bit of a waggle, even in dynamic mode.
On the road, the steel brakes are just fine, with plenty of feel and immense stopping power from the pedal. So better than just fine, they’re epic and also do without the noise of the carbon ceramics. Which aren’t hugely noisy, but they’re noisier.
The thing about the R8 is how it makes you feel – you can get in and drive it down the road with the V10 rumbling away and you’ll smile. You can get out of it after a long, hard, windows-down run where the V10 made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Neither trip will leave any aches or pains and you’ll smile. You’ll see it in your garage and smile.
The RWD will make you smile, too, because it’s more fun, a bit more agile and puts your right foot in more control. That’s what I like about it and it doesn’t make it any better or worse than the quattro, but it plays to that slightly different crowd.
Competition
If you look purely at price, the only thing that gets anywhere near this car is the Jaguar F-Type SVR, which you can’t buy anymore.
As I’ve already mentioned, you can get a McLaren 540C for about fifty grand more and it has the same vibe – detuned engine, steel brakes, it’s the best fast road car in the McLaren range because it doesn’t have track pretensions.
The Ferrari Portofino is the starter car at Ferrari, and is more sports car than supercar. The F8 Tributo, replacing the 488 is a substantially more expensive car at nearly half a million dollars and has a lot more power and torque but far less utility. And not as many delicious revs.
The Mercedes GT range starts at around $320,000 with a lovely 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that has the R8 on power and torque but not on weight or mid-engineness.
BMW hasn’t got anything up here in the stratosphere since the death of the wonderful i8.
Redline Recommendation
Naturally-aspirated V10 – check.
Rear-wheel drive – check.
Attention-grabbing – negative.
These are all great things. I think saving $80,000 (or $60,000 if you want the big brakes) and getting that slightly purer, more traditional supercar experience is a win-win situation to start with.
But to own something this amazing with a proper dealer network behind it, a proper warranty (even if it’s too short) and a reputation for genuine reliability inside and out, it’s as bulletproof as a supercar ownership experience can be.
Since its release, the Audi RSQ3 has been one of the nuttiest cars on the road and the road is all the better for it. There’s a new one now, and it’s very good.
Some years ago I sat in the driver’s seat of the RSQ3 and considered what was about to happen. This was Audi’s already-ageing small SUV packed with a rip-snorting five-cylinder turbo petrol.
While there was nothing wrong about the Q3 as it stood, it was hardly remarkable and didn’t feel like the obvious place to drop such a powerful engine while also claiming it’s fun to drive.
I was very much expecting a shut-up-and-hang-on drive. I was wrong. It was hilarious. It had plenty of dramas like a terrible driving position and old interior tech, but all was forgiven with the brawling five-cylinder’s performance and SQ5-like physics defiance.
How much us a 2020 Audi RSQ3 and what do I get?
2020 Audi RSQ3: $89,900 + ORC 2020 Audi RSQ3 Sportback: $92,900 + ORC
The spec is fundamentally the same between the two, so you won’t have to dither over which bodystyle to choose.
You get 21-inch alloys (!), adaptive damping, keyless entry and start, electric tailgate, auto Matrix LED headlights, electric heated front seats, three-zone climate control, LED ambient lighting, auto wipers, flat-bottomed steering wheel, leather trim, wireless phone charging, four USB ports (1 USB-A, 1 USB-C in front, 2 USB-C in the back) and a 16-speaker B&O 3D sound system, auto parking, reversing camera, around-view cameras, front and rear parking sensors and a tyre repair kit.
The main spec difference is the sunroof. It’s slightly complicated, but the Sportback comes with a big dual pane roof and a tilt open front section and electric blind. The SUV comes with a single pane opening sunroof with a manual blind. You can have the dual pane in the SUV for $2900 or the single pane in the Sportback for $2700 but that seems mad to me. Mostly because I hate sunroofs, but partly because why would you?
The Audi Connect Plus system adds all sorts of fun and the big 10.1-inch MMI screen delivers wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. The 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit Plus has all sorts of RS-specific nonsense in it but it’s still excellent.
The RSQ3 comes in eight colours – Nardo Grey, Pulse orange, Turbo blue, Kyalami green (that’s the colour of the Sportback), Glacier White, Tango red (the other car in the pics), Mythos black and Daytona grey. And guess what? All are freebies (and should at this price point).
Options include black $400 wheels, $10,600 for carbon ceramic brake discs (front wheels only), carbon fibre mirror caps ($1300) and a carbon fibre gloss engine cover ($1200).
Packages come in at $2500 each, with the RS Extended Design package in red or blue and adds alcantara bits, colour edged seat belts, coloured stitching on the wheel and shifter and floor mats with accents in the chosen colour.
Safety
You get six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, adaptive cruise with stop and go, lane assist, lane departure warning, driver attention detection, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and forward high and low-speed AEB (pedestrian detection up to 85km/h and vehicles up to 250km/h).
The RSQ3 is not included in the Q3’s five star ANCAP rating for…reasons. I’d say they have a lot to do with the bigger engine.
Look and feel
The two cars are pretty singular from most angles and you really have to pay attention. The Sportback has a slightly lower frontal area (I know you noticed) due to its lower roof and is also slightly slipperier through the air.
In profile it’s a bit more obvious, as the Sportback’s racier rear end rake contrasts, um, a little bit with the already fast back on the standard car. The red SUV you can see in the pics has the aluminium styling pack ($700) and – honestly – I’m not a fan. The standard blacked-out badging and trim bits are best left as they are, I reckon.
The interiors are fundamentally identical, too, with the awesome new interior filtering through the range. The big integrated screens look brilliant and it’s all just a bit bloody delightful in here. The ambient lighting can be as kitcsch or cool as you like and the seats are absolutely superb, at leat up front.
You can get in the back if you’re my 180cm height and you’ll be reasonably comfortable as long as neither your legs nor torso are freakishly long. If you have both at once, question your parents’ genetic proximity.
Drivetrain and chassis
Audi’s delightfully weird 2.5-litre five continues on in the RSQ3 and with all the delicious off-beat noise you could want comes with it. Developing 294kW and 480Nm, it fires the RSQ3 to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds.
It may not be the most powerful engine (it’s not far off) but it’s got the most character in the segment (and in the RS3 segment) by a country mile.
It’s an absolute beast, basically. Fitted with the seven-speed twin-clutch, the power goes to all four wheels as per the quattro badge.
There’s an RS button on the steering wheel which gives you access to two configurable modes that make the car hot to trot. That includes making the two oval exhausts bellow madly when you’re on it.
In what could have been a risky move, the RSQ3 rides on 21-inch alloys shod with 255/35s. I was expecting an horrific ride, but the adaptive damping and some next-level black magic means it’s surprisingly comfortable. It’s not soft and pillowy, but it gets away with it.
Fuel consumption
The officials figures between the SUV and Sportback are 8.9L/100km. It’s fairly unlikely you’ll ever see that.
Mostly because you’ll be too busy flooring it. Don’t protest, you know you will.
Driving
I really liked the original RSQ3 despite it being a bit of a Frankenstein car. Based on some really old underguts, it somehow came together and became a bit of a cult car. Heck, I drove it on a wet skidpan came away impressed at how much grip it had and how fast it will go through half an inch of water.
Now, the new Q3 fixes so many of the problems of the last one, it’s hard to explain how much better it is. The old Q3 was quite good, but felt old. The new one is bang up to date and way more fun to drive.
Chuck in the TTRS’ 2.5-litre five-cylinder, a hair-trigger throttle and impressively sorted chassis and you’ve got an RSQ3 built on a better base platform.
The five-cylinder from the TTRS and RS3 is an absolute unit, with crap tons of power and a whopping 480Nm of torque. The seven-speed isn’t always a reliable companion, but in the RSQ3 it’s nicely-calibrated and ready to rumble when you get on it.
I drove both of them and can’t really tell you any glaring differences between the two. It was fine puttering around the suburbs, was really good on the freeway despite a bit of wind noise around the mirrors and climbed the Blue Mountains like they weren’t there. And it rides surprisingly well given what you’re about to learn about it.
The best bit, though, is being able to hang on to the back of pretty much anything. I chased all sorts of cars over two days behind the wheel of the RSQ3 and it really hung in against some pretty heavy hitters.
It will – eventually – understeer, but you really have to be moving to get that kind of reaction. The rest of the time it sticks the road as tenaciously as Tom Cruise to a moving plane/train/car/motorbike while being chased by villain/helicopter/ex-wife. It’s high and physics eventually step in.
But the core point of the car remains – it’s family-friendly but has the hot-hatch power and driving dynamics, even if it’s not actually a hot hatch.
Redline Recommendation
Sportback or not, it doesn’t matter – fill your boots. The differences are tiny. Ninety grand for a car is a lot of money, but you’re getting a huge slice of performance, a classic five-cylinder engine with character to burn and a lot of goodies.
While the first car was flawed, it was a heroic amount of fun. This one has far fewer flaws (none of them major), it’s still hilarious to drive but a far easier car to live with. Ya gotta love a car with a lot to offer.
The 2020 Mini Countryman PHEV is – I think – the only plug-in hybrid compact SUV on the market today and certainly the most fun.
The Countryman – heck, the whole Mini range – cops a lot of stick for being too big or too this or too that. Nobody is ever happy. And I bet when the purists discovered that not only was there going to be a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Mini, it was the Countryman.
And – shock horror – it was to be rear-wheel drive. Okay, only some of the time, but a rear-wheel drive Mini is the sort of thing you see in Youtube videos with people wearing backwards baseball caps who start by saying, “What’s up Youtube?”
Naturally, I’m classier than that. Not very much more, but I am.
How much is a 2020 Mini Countryman PHEV and what do I get?
Mini Countryman Cooper S E All 4: $57,200 +ORC
Ah, yes, nearly sixty large for a Mini. You do get some stuff, though.
You get 18-inch alloys, a six-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, sat nav, auto LED headlights with auto high beam, auto wipers, partial leather (ie some fake, some real) trim, auto parking, power tailgate and run-flat tyres.
The Mini media system is basically iDrive (not the latest OS 7.0) and also has DAB+ radio and Apple CarPlay. It also has the stupid armrest-mounted wireless charging pad that doesn’t fit larger phones. That’s really annoying, but seems to be on the way to being fixed in other BMW Group cars.
The Mini Countryman PHEV is available in seven colours – Midnight Black, Island Blue, British Racing Green, Moonwalk Grey, Thunder Grey, Melting Silver and the only freebie, Light White. The rest are another thousand bucks.
Options and Packages
Being a Mini, there are plenty to choose from. You can choose a different 18-inch wheel for no money or 19s for $1200.
Climate Package ($2400): Includes sunroof, tinted windows and heated front seats.
Convenience Package ($2500): adds an alarm (?!), electric front seats with lumbar support, electrochromatic rear-vision mirror, dipping door mirrors for parking. That last thing should be on all cars and not optional. Yes, I will die on this hill.
Media Plus Package ($2000): This one adds a premium 12-speaker stereo and a head-up display. You should get this for reasons I will mention later and the HUD should be standard for those same reasons.
There is a bunch of other stuff like headlining and leather options for hundreds each that are down to taste rather than utility, so go nuts.
Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP, May 2017)
The Mini Countryman D scored the five stars and ANCAP wants you to know that.
The Countryman PHEV ships with six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, forward low-speed AEB with pedestrian avoidance, forward collision warning, speed zone recognition and pedestrian alert for when it’s running in electric mode.
Warranty and Servicing
Like parent company BMW, Mini still only offers 3 years/unlimited km with roadside assist thrown in.
The dealer will try and flog you pre-paid servicing for five years/80,000km and it’s not a bad deal. From what I can tell, the Countryman PHEV costs $1495 for Basic and $4031 for Plus which covers brake discs and pads and clutches (if required).
You can buy servicing for up to ten years or 200,000km, but that’s POA.
Look and Feel
Yeah it’s big for a Mini, but it does have a really big COUNTRYMAN across the back so you don’t have to explain it to people. I don’t mind the Countryman but I’m not sure about it in BRG. I had the great privilege of attending the Countryman launch in the UK a few years back. It looks good in blue.
The PHEV is festooned with those big yellow E badges that look – and in the case of the plug-in cap – feel flimsy, which is a shame. Plastichrome is better than this. Apart from that, it looks good and not too self-consciously rugged if the usual Mini self-conscious retro-ness.
For the biggest Mini, you get plenty of space. From the B-pillar forward it’s the same Mini as any other with a few small tweaks (taller air-con vents) but behind you get good space for rear seat dwellers on comfy-looking seats. The sunroof does steal a bit of headroom, but you won’t be carrying tall people regularly back there. Will you?
The boot is a decent size at 405 litres. You lose a spare, though, as the batteries are under the boot floor, along with a well where the portable charger goes. Push down the rear seats and you get up 1275 litres, which again isn’t bad going.
I also didn’t hate the white leather, which I probably should have.
Drivetrain and Chassis
Being a Countryman, it’s all-wheel drive. And front-wheel drive. And rear-wheel drive. Not all at the same time, of course.
Under the bonnet is BMW’s normally punchy B38 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo serving up 100kW and 220Nm. The engine drives the front wheels through a six-speed automatic.
Connected only by clever software, the rear wheels have a 65kW/165Nm electric motor juiced by a 7.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
Mini says the combined power figure is 165kW and 385Nm, pushing the 1700kg machine to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds. As quick as a normal Cooper S, then.
There’s nothing cute about the chassis – being a Mini it runs on UKL2. The 18s are shod with Continental Premium Contact 6 SSR tyres measuring 225/50.
Range and charging
Mini says you can drive up to 40km on a single full charge in EV mode. Which, incidentally, is when it’s in rear-wheel drive.
Charging to 80 percent takes three hours on a normal domestic socket, dropping by 40 percent if you go for a wall box. There is no DC charge capability, but really, that would be silly.
The city range isn’t far off but the highway range is nothing like 40km, so stick in Battery Save mode when you’re on the open road.
Fuel Economy
The ADR fuel figure on the combined cycle is a very silly 2.5L/100km and the NEDC is just as silly. I didn’t really have the car long enough to give you a real world figure (it’s in high demand this thing), so I’ll go with the consensus and say that in mixed mode it will managed somewhere between 5.5 and 7.0L/100km.
Driving
Fundamentally, it’s a Countryman. It does retain the basic Mini feel of taut suspension and responsive steering, the extra height does dial back the hot hatch feel.
There is a bit of body roll through the corners – well controlled and not even approaching what you might see in other compact SUVs – but the grip is addictive.
I went in thinking I would really notice the difference in all-wheel drive that’s electric at the back and “trad” at the front, but it was pretty good. In full EV mode, the electric motor is responsive and fun, near-perfect around town. It’s kind of like a fat i3.
Where it isn’t like an i3 is the regenerative braking. It’s nowhere near as aggressive and I couldn’t find anywhere to up the aggro. I think that probably goes back to the fact that the rear brakes probably don’t have that much recovering ability compared to other EVs.
Thing is, though, the brake pedal is really soft at the top as the transition between the limited recovery and actual braking is a bit awkward. You get used to it, but it took a while.
The dash is largely unchanged, which is not great. The speedo is too tightly-packed and a pain to read. Normally that’s easy fixed by cycling through the dash display to get a digital speed reading.
Not in the Countryman, so get yourself the HUD in the Media Plus package.
Redline Recommendation
All Minis are a good laugh. The Countryman PHEV’s biggest problem is the price. While it’s cheaper than the JCW version, it’s really not that from the price of the full EV Kona Electric.
But you might want a quick-ish Mini Countryman and have the ability to run around town on electrons. That’s not as niche as it sounds and absent any real competition, this is the compact SUV PHEV to have.
What’s great about it is that it feels like a Mini Countryman without being a jerk about having electric power.
We return to Jaguar’s pioneering I-PACE before its impending update and in light of the imminent arrival of the Audi e-tron.
I have been fortunate enough to have already driven the I-PACE, not long after its launch and again at Sydney Motorsport Park. Doing 200km/h in near silence is hilarious, by the way.
When I last drove the I-Pace, I was impressed by Jag’s first attempt at an EV. As Tesla will tell you, they’re hard cars to make and harder to make well.
How much is a 2020 Jaguar I-PACE and what do I get?
The up-spec HSE is obviously the one with the most stuff, but even then this one has a few options, pushing the price ever higher.
To start with, though, you get 20-inch alloys, a 15-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting, front-side-and-reversing cameras, keyless entry and start, front-rear-and-side parking sensors, active cruise control, electric front seats, sat nav, auto LED headlights, digital dashboard, heated front and rear seats, leather trim, auto parking, powered tailgate, power everything else, auto wipers and a wireless hotspot SIM function.
InControl Touch Pro powers the big central touchscreen and just as it’s about to get the boot, it’s gotten really good. There is some lovely functionality in there but I’d like to see a lot more of the EV stats. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are along as well, but the USB port is under the armrest and there’s no wireless charging (yet) or wireless CarPlay.
Unusually for a lowish volume model, there’s a good selection of colours.
Santorini Black, Caesium Blue, Borasco Grey, Corris Grey, Firenze Red, Photon Red, Indus Silver, Eiger Gray, Portofino Blue and Yulong White weigh in at $1950.
Farallon Black and Aruba land at $3900. Fuji White and Caldera Red are free. As you can see from the photos, it looks a treat in white, especially with gloss black wheels ($390).
Packages and options
It’s a Jag, so there’s heaps of stuff to add. I’ll stick with the highlights.
Air suspension is $2002 (highly recommend that one), full leather ($2763), black contrast roof ($1495), fixed panoramic roof ($3380, cooks the interior, so be careful with that one), head-up display ($1040), four-zone climate control ($1820) and heated steering wheel ($494).
The Black Exterior Pack runs to $760 and blacks out the grille and window surrounds. Go for that, I reckon it looks the business in most colours.
There are heaps more to choose from, so have a look here.
Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP, 2018)
The I-Pace whirrs on to your driveway with six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, pedestrian airbag, forward AEB (high and low speed) with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, pedestrian alert, exit alert and rear cross-traffic alert.
You also get two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors.
Warranty and Servicing
Jaguar’s three years/100,000km warranty lags Mercedes but is the same as German rivals BMW and Audi. Could be better and for June 2020, Jag extended it to five years, so we’ll see if that returns full time.
Today you can extend he warranty by 12 or 24 months and up to 200,000km if you fancy paying for it.
There’s also a separate battery warranty which feels a bit skinny at six years/80,000km
Look and feel
The front end is very Jaguar but, oddly, not as we know it. As there are no front-wheel drive Jags, the short bonnet is something different, but the slim headlights work a treat. The aero profile fits in the Jag pantheon, but again, isn’t all that Jaguar, flowing less obviously than the traditional look. That vertical wind tunnel backside is not at all Jag but has the current signature taillights.
I like it. It looks good from all angles and that big proud leaper across the rear helps break up the space between the rear lights. The heavy rake on the rear screen does compromise rear vision from inside, but not fatally.
And as I’ve already said, I’m digging the white with black wheels.
Like all current Jag interiors, it’s beautifully designed. I really like the way the I-Pace is put together, too. You can’t say that about all Jags. I love the dished steering wheel more than is probably appropriate.
Leg room in the back is good but headroom might be tricky for taller folks. It’s very comfortable, though and with the seat heating, you’re well looked-after in the HSE.
Being a dedicated EV platform, the boot is gigantic at 656 litres (along with the small front at the front which is the right size for the charger). Drop the seats and you’ll easily double the space. Flat packs will fit. Sorry, Ikea dodgers.
The I-Pace can tow 750kg which is jet-ski territory.
Chassis and drivetrain
The headline figures are big – 294kW and 696Nm at zero rpm. That’s a truckload of grunt no matter what you’re driving. With an electric motor at each end and a single-speed transmission, that’s enough to send the 2.1-tonne I-Pace to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds.
The skateboard chassis is a big block of batteries on to which either coil suspension or air suspension is attached. I haven’t driven a static suspension i-Pace so can only tell you that the air suspension is really good.
Range and charging
The 90kWh battery has a claimed 470km WLTP range which translated to around 450km for me in the real world, which was mostly urban and suburban driving.
You can charge with the supplied 7kW charger from 0-80 percent in about 10 hours, which is really quite good. Not many people drive 300km per day every day, so for most people it’s a once-a-week charge or every few days. Unless you’re going the distance, topping up to 80 percent is a good way to keep the battery in good shape.
Well. As far as we know today.
If home charging is critical, wait for the 2021 update which upgrades the onboard charger to 11kW. That means you also need three-phase power but it reduces the overall charge time by a third.
The current machine has some onboard config for scheduling charging. Predictably, there’s an app for it as well which also lets you pre-condition the cabin temperature.
Driving
I had forgotten how flexible a pure EV can be. Quick when you want it, smooth when you need it, always quiet. I feel like the software has been fine-tuned since launch, too, with a more natural throttle pedal feel.
It has always had the jump-to-hyperspace vibe of price-competitive EVs but now it feels more refined in traffic, especially with creep mode enabled.
I feel like the steering is better, too, more accurate and less artificial. I could be imaging this because I have no evidence anything has changed. Bottom line is, this is easily my favourite EV (although I’m yet to drive its immediate competition).
It takes a while to get over the psychological barrier that is the obvious weight. It didn’t bother me in a straight line but learning to understand the way the weight shifts in corners took a while.
Once I got it, hoo-boy. This thing is alarmingly quick. While the 0-100km/h is in the realm of an Audi RS4, the rolling acceleration is vivid. You can take on just about anything when you’re rolling between 20km/h and 100km/h and unless it’s another expensive EV, you’ll win.
But if you’re carrying passengers, the hushed cabin makes conversation so easy and in traffic, the almost one-pedal operation is close to perfection.
Competition
You could argue that all Teslas are competitors one way or another. Until you sit in one (again, excepting the Model 3 here) and realise the Jag’s interior is miles ahead. Even if it doesn’t fart when you press a button in the media system. The Model X and S are cheaper than they were two years ago but they’re both getting tired.
Audi’s new e-tron is here very soon. The pricing looks close on the surface, but the entry-level has a much shorter range than the similarly-priced i-Pace and you have to go for the 55 SUV or Sportback for a similar range. The 50 will crack 300km/h WLTP while the 55 has a range in excess of 400km (WLTP) with its 95kWh battery. It’s also (on official figures) 200kg heavier.
The Mercedes EQC is more expensive again but is more comparable for range and equipment and has an equally cool interior. And a longer warranty.
Redline Recommendation
This is an excellent car that happens to be an EV. And it’s even better than when I first drove it. I do like a Jag and this one is a proper vision of the future. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2021 and beyond.
You may, however, have to look past the short warranties and take a punt on the battery longevity, but the latter issue is hardly Jaguar-specific.
The Audi Q2 is Ingolstadt’s compact SUV. It treads its own path, not just in the way it’s a unique design in the Audi range but it’s also unashamedly dynamic.
I’m not afraid to admit that I am a straight-up fan of the Audi Q2. I first drove it on the Australian launch in 2017 and then again with my partner-in-crime Nikki Cousins for Carsguide’s Torquing Heads.
Time has passed, the range has changed and there are shiny new badges on the tiddly SUV’s rump. The Q2 now only comes with petrol engines, the 1.4-litre turbo four in the 35 and the 2.0-litre turbo four in the 40 TFSI.
More than an A1, less than an A3 and obviously less than the Q3, the Q2 is a nice little gap-filler in the Audi range.
Before the inevitable ticking of the boxes, the 40 TFSI scores 19-inch alloys, an eight-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, sat nav, auto LED headlights, leather(ish) trim, leather steering wheel, auto wipers, sports seats and wireless charging.
Audi is slowly working its way through the range with the new interior (like slotting the Q8‘s dash into the Q7 and the fun new A1) but for the moment, it’s still the same dash design as the ready-for-the-back paddock A3. That means old school MMI. That’s no shame, but it’s not a touchscreen and there’s no wireless CarPlay (although both Apple and Android Auto connectivity is available via USB).
The Edition #2 I had adds $3000 to the 40’s price while – Audi says – adding $4000 of value. You get painted wheels (which sound awful but are actually really cool), convenience key and side assist safety tech.
Packages
Assistance Package: For $1100 you score lane departure warning, lane keep assist, auto parking, active cruise and auto high beam.
Comfort Package: This is $1300 and adds a bunch of storage items that – again – should be largely standard – but also adds electric lumbar support, heated door mirrors and heated front seats.
Technick Package: In this $2500 add-on, you score Virtual Cockpit (yes!), a flat-bottomed steering wheel (why?) and an upgraded sat nav (good, I guess).
You can also spec a heads-up for $990 and heated seats on their own for $600.
Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP, 2016)
Off the bat, you get six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, forward AEB (low speed) with pedestrian detection and forward collision warning.
In 2016 that was enough for a five-star ANCAP rating but really, there should be a few more safety gadgets as standard at this price point.
Warranty and Servicing
Audi is still on the three-year warranty/unlimited-kilometre warranty train, along with BMW, while its (admittedly much more expensive rival) Mercedes has gone to five years.
Servicing is every 12 months/15,000km and you can prepay three years for $1580 and five years for $2140.
Audi dealers, at least in metro areas, are pretty swanky, so you can at least see where your money is going.
Look and feel
Audi was very excited when this car launched, with lots of chatter about the new polygonal design language. It really sits well in this car and it sill has one of my favourite design elements. Along the top edge of the doors is this lovely chamfered edge, as though someone grabbed a bit of clay wire and ran it along the sharp character line that starts at the headlights. It looks amazing,
Yes, I’m weird.
The painted wheels work really well on the white Edition 2, but your mileage will vary on the colour.
I’ve already mentioned it;’s the old A3’s interior but that’s no sledge. It’s a lovely piece of design and has aged spectacularly well. The 40 TFSI Q2s get the sports seats and they’re great. Storage isn’t wonderful in the cabin, but you do get a decent-sized boot starting at 355 litres and that triples with eth seats down.
It’s got a great driving position, too, with heaps of adjustment for seats and wheel.
Chassis and drivetrain
The Q2 rides on the Audi’s MQB platform, which underpins about a zillion cars. The 40 TFSI features a multi-link rear end (as opposed to the 35’s torsion beams) which means better ride and handling.
The 19s are wrapped in 235/40 rubber, in this case Bridgestone Potenza S001.
Under the bonnet you’ll find the 2.0-litre turbo four so beloved across the VW Group, delivering 140kW at 600rpm and 320Nm between 1500-4200rpm. The seven-speed twin-clutch sends power to all four wheels (when required) and will propel the Q2 to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds.
Not messing about, then.
Driving
I remember thinking that the original Q2 2.0 TDI (RIP) was pretty close to being a warm hatch. Just higher. The 40 TFSI has reinforced that idea. With the quattro AWD and decent punch from the 140kW turbo, the only thing holding it back is the seven-speed DCT’s low-rev reluctance.
It is really good fun to punt around, with tons of grip from the wheels that somehow don’t destroy the ride. It’s not a soft cruiser, obviously and is firmer than you might expect, but it really works.
Once you work out the need to have the throttle down to keep the engine and transmission from falling off the boil. The seven-speed version of the Audi twin-clutch is a little hit and miss (hit in the A4, miss here) but once you learn how it behaves, you’re good to go.
The car does handle the city beautifully, which is pretty much where they all live. High speed cruising is a doddle but it does have a little bit of wind rush around the mirrors, something it shares with the Q3. Apart from that, super solid and a genuine ball of fun.
Competition
BMW has two on offer, the X1 and X2. Given the Q2’s style focus, the X2 is closer to the mark. The German rival is throwing the kitchen sink to jump start sales. The X2 has a newer interior and wider engine choice but its probably the less practical of the two.
Mercedes is running out the current GLA in favour of the new one coming down the pipe. Unlike the Q2 and X1/2, the GLA is obviously a jacked-up A-Class rather than a really distinct design. Longer warranty, though.
The Lexus UX is a fine car, but with a tighter interior. Lovely to drive, though and has more stuff and also has a longer warranty, if not as long as the Merc’s.
Redline Recommendation
I still love it. Sure, you need to tick boxes to match a Kia Seltos GT-Line’s spec (and therefore spend a lot more) but it’s such a cool car with plenty to give. The Edition #2 isn’t the real deal here, but the 40 TFSI is. Warm hatch performance, excellent ride and handling and a very cool design.
The 35 TFSI isn’t the one you want. Spend the extra for the 40.
A BMW Z4 manual is the kind of car really keen people want. It’s not that there’s anything wrong an automatic…we just want to do gears ourselves.
We’ve driven Z4s and we like them. The new platform might be a touch heavy, but with the 30i and a diff, it’s a nicely balanced car. In M40i spec, it’s a dead-set monster.
The time has come, though, with automatics making up the vast (and we’re talking 97%) of Z4 sales, to try a row-your-own. BMW is one of the few carmakers left with any genuine commitment to sporting manuals. Yep, you can buy little buzzboxes with a manual gearbox, but you can’t buy a manual Ferrari or Lamborghini.
A manual roadster is a classic so it’s nice to see BMW stepping in to the ring with a nicely sorted machine fitted with a clutch.
In 2020, BMW is not mucking about with pricing. On the flip-side, the company is loading up its cars with gear.
You get 18-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, electric heated front seats, sat nav, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, head up display, leather (and fake leather) trim, auto parking, powered and heated door mirrors, electric folding roof and a tyre repair kit.
BMW OS 7.0 continues on in the huge iDrive screen and you can run it with the rotary dial or touchscreen. The car I had didn’t have Apple CarPlay (or it didn’t work) which is fabulously irritating but it is standard, with an OS upgrade later in the year to add Android Auto.
Colours include Alpine White (freebie) and the rest are paid for. Like $2000 (!) for black sapphire, Misano Blue, San Francisco Red and Glacier Silver.
Frozen Grey is a whopping $6100.
Options and packages
Options include adaptive LEDs ($2200), Comfort Package (active cruise, lumbar support on the seats), 12 speaker harmon/kardon stereo ($800), M Sport brakes for $1400. Adaptive suspension on its own is $1100.
You can get the M Sport Plus package which throws in 19-inch wheels blue-painted brake calipers, adaptive dampers, tyre pressure monitoring and M seatbelts for $3500. The car in the pictures had the M Sport Plus package.
The Precision Package ($2600) bundles a 12-speaker stereo, ambient interior lighting and the adaptive LED headlights with auto high beam shadowing for $2600.
Safety
The Z4 arrives with four airbags, stability and traction controls, as well as the expected electronic stability controls, forward collision warning (FCW), lane departure warning (LDW), rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), traffic sign recognition and rear collision warning.
There is no ANCAP safety rating, nor has EuroNCAP crashed it.
Given the Audi TT Spider got four stars and the Mazda MX-5 five stars, who knows how trustworthy that one is anyway. We’re actually getting to the point where four stars is actually pretty good, but that’s another story for another day.
Not having a crack at Mazda – no way –
Warranty and servicing
Three years/unlimited kilometre Pre-paid service plans (5 years)
BMW is sticking to its pea-shooter warranty of three years/unlimited kilometres, although at the moment I think you’d find a two-year extension won’t cost you very much. Should be standard, though.
You do get the option of rather cheap (for a German brand) servicing, with the five year Basic Plan costing $1373 or the Plus at $3934 for the same period. Sounds like a lot, but that’s not bad considering what you get.
Driving
I quite like the four-cylinder Z4s because they’re the sort of car that you really drive. The six-cylinder is absolutely hilarious – a bucking bronco if you want it be or a super-smooth and fast weapon. Adjustable and fun, even if the balance is firmly in favour of the turbo six’s sledgehammer power.
The auto fours are very nice and balanced. Obviously you get shift paddles and you can make the changes yourself, but nothing beats a third pedal and slick gearbox to ensure ultimate involvement.
Let’s address the third pedal. Co-pilot Mark drove the car and wasn’t sure about its placement. There’s a running joke about my left leg, which is turned inwards due to being trapped in a womb with another human. He joked that it was probably perfect for me given that particular defect.
And I have to report, it was fine for me. Your mileage, obviously, may vary. But Mark also agreed that it didn’t really matter because it was so lovely to drive.
The 20i is the least powerful engine you can get in the Z4 but that doesn’t mean it’s slow. It’s also not over-tyred, so you when you’re threading the car through the fun stuff, it will react to your right foot as well as the steering wheel.
I might be imagining it, but I felt a lot more connected to the car than I have in the autos because when you’re not blatting along at maximum attack, the car comes to you a bit more and you can really enjoy it.
I say it a lot, but having a manual ‘box means there’s a mental workout you just don’t get in the autos. Sorting out the downshifts in particular is a joy in this car as the shift is just nice enough to be enjoyable and gives you the chance to learn how the engine revs and delivers its power.
Of course, in the typical BMW fashion, your elbow fouls the cupholders, but you can’t have everything in a car just three or four percent of buyers will choose.
Redline Recommendation
Of course you should buy one if you can. And for two reasons.
One, BMW keeps making manuals when other carmakers are giving up on them. That’s a good thing because in the not-too-distant future when the internal combustion engine eventually dies, we’ll have no choice at all.
Gun motorsport (and supercar) photographer and all-round excellent fellow, Rhys Vandersyde, reviews his own Toyota RAV4 Edge.
Sure the latest iteration of the Toyota RAV4 is getting a good wrap at the moment, especially the hybrid models. But what about the non-hybrid Edge version?
Paying homage to the 4×4 versions of the Toyota RAV introduced in the late 1990’s, the go almost anywhere but very much “softroader” attitude of those early RAV4’s has been re-envisaged with the current modernised Edge.
By no means is it a full off-roading, get you anywhere you could dream of going type machine. But it does give you that little bit of hope that you could be almost as adventurous as your friends who own proper 4WDs. You know, those two/three times a year.
Based on that description alone, you might think that the ruggedised Toyota RAV4 Edge would be a sidewards step in the range as alternative to the very popular hybrid models, especially given the current waiting list on those versions. Instead it sits at the top of the current model line-up, above the GXL that Peter recently reviewed as well as the previously top-tiered Cruiser. That said, it is decked out accordingly with some top tier trimmings.
So, with the current wait times on the super popular RAV4 hybrid, do you stick with the cheaper 2WD non-hybrids, spend the extra money on the top tier Edge or look at any number of other brands mid-sized SUV offerings? Spoiler alert… I picked the Toyota RAV4 Edge as my daily driver so I’m going to tell you all about it.
Words and images: Rhys Vandersyde
HOW MUCH IS a 2020 TOYOTA RAV4 EDGE AND WHAT DO I GET?
As I just mentioned, the Edge is the most expensive variant in Toyota RAV4 line-up at the moment and the only version not to offer a hybrid option.
With that $50k price tag, you get unique exterior and interior styling that includes bigger 19-inch two-tone alloy wheels and front bumper/grill exclusive to the Edge that looks like it has come off the North American, Toyota Tacoma.
You will also get an upgraded 9 speaker JBL audio system with DAB+, tilt and slide moonroof (with a $1365 option to upgrade to a panoramic moonroof), power-assisted rear door, panoramic around-view cameras and softex seats (a synthetic hardwearing leather alternative, apparently) on top of the features already included on the other RAV4 models (see Peter’s GXL review).
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now installed out-of-the-box across the Toyota RAV4 range (previously they had been offered as a free upgrade on the new model when it was originally released in 2019) which is a significant improvement on Toyota’s native software included on the 8.0-inch central touchscreen.
(Rhys is being kind to Toyota’s head-unit – it’s horrific – Peter)
Also unique to the Edge is the off-road drive mode select dial with options for Mud/Sand, Rock/Dirt and Snow (on top of the usual Eco, Normal and Sports modes) as well as Downhill Assist Control and a Torque Vectoring Differential to help it live up to its namesake. Which at the very least will give you the feeling that you could be really adventurous, you know… if you really wanted to be.
In terms of colours, Jungle Khaki (a green/brown-ish grey) is the only free colour on the Edge with a $600 upgrade to Eclipse Black, Atomic Rush (metallic red), Electric Blue or my pick of the colours, Graphite (gunmetal grey)
SAFETY: 5 STARS (ANCAP, MAY 2019)
Toyota’s Safety Sense is common across the entire RAV4 range, including lane departure warning, lane keep assist, forward AEB with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, road sign recognition, auto high beam and active cruise control.
By default, all these features are turned on at their most obnoxious settings the car will beep and talk to you almost constantly while driving, which can be annoying. You will need to dive into the menu setting on the dash to tweak and fine-tuning back down to something more reasonable.
You also get seven airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, trailer sway control, blind-spot monitor and reverse cross-traffic alert. Cruiser and Edge models get the addition of a panoramic view monitor for a 360º vision while parking.
Two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors are available for the child seating.
WARRANTY AND SERVICING
5 years/unlimited kilometres 5 years fixed-price servicing
The warranty and the cost of ownership is one of the areas that Toyota really makes its mark, particularly with its capped-price service offering.
Toyota also now bolsters its legendary reliability by offering a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty across the range.
The warranty on the engine and transmission can also be extended by a further two years if you maintain your servicing within the Toyota’s dealer network.
At only $195 per service and a service interval of 12 months/15,000km, there is no real reason to maintain your RAV4 anywhere other than Toyota.
LOOK AND FEEL
As a long time Toyota RAV4 owner, I really like the more angular aggressive look on the exterior of the current model. It’s got a bit of attitude about it. Something the mid-size SUV market has really been lacking recently, in my humble opinion.
The Edge variant takes it one step further with the aforementioned additional styling pack and bigger wheels that just subtly gives the car a bit more of a gritty rugged look. That might appeal to those who want to have that appearance of being a bit more outdoorsy, much like those late 90’s Subaru Outback owners.
Peter’s assessment that the little strip of black on the C-Pillar is spot-on, it really is just oddly positioned. At least with the darker paint (Graphite) it becomes significantly less noticeable.
Inside the RAV4 Edge, it’s almost what I would consider to be roomy for what I normally expect from a mid-size SUV with plenty of space to comfortably sit four adults with a boot load of luggage for a weekend away style road trip.
The pseudo leather seats, officially called softex, are a lot more comfortable that I was initially expecting just by looking at them. They also seem to be more resistant to heat and cold than traditional leather seats, not that I’ve done a side by side comparison. That said, the front seats also feature seat warmers and coolers to make things comfortable more quickly in the extremes.
The orange trim details in the interior is going to be one of those things people either love or hate. I really love it because it gives the Toyota’s (and the mid-size SUV market for that matter) traditionally neutral look a bit more personality which helps match the exterior. It just make the inside of the car interesting.
Toyota have also taken into consideration the whole family with 5 USB ports (only the one in the central console integrates with the Apple CarPlay/Android Auto system) as well as a Qi enabled wireless charging pad that will handle any sized phone, to keep all your gadgets charged up on the go.
While everything else about the interior in functional and practical, you know Toyota-ery…
CHASSIS AND DRIVETRAIN
2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol
The Edge shares the same naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the RAV4 GXL and Cruiser hybrid variants.
However what the Edge does differently is swaps out the CVT, electric motors and batteries to instead deliver the 152kW through a proper eight-speed automatic gearbox and the torque vectoring all wheel drive system to all four wheels. Completely different to the rest of the AWD variants of this latest RAV4 which rely exclusively on eclectic power for the rear wheels.
FUEL CONSUMPTION
Fuel figures: 7.3/100km (claimed, ADR) Real world: 7.6L/100km
My typical driving is a good mix of long-haul trips up and down the motorway as well as short, quick trips around town and occasionally off-road adventure. But for the most part, I avoid a lot of that start-stop city driving, so I tend to get a little closer to the manufacturer numbers than most people.
DRIVING
I’ve always said this as a Toyota RAV4 owner, it’s a functional, practical car that is easy, bordering on boring, to drive. It’s the everyday car that will just hum along and get you exactly wherever you need to go.
That said, this latest version is a significant improvement in a lot of areas. Firstly, it’s a lot more nimble to drive than its predecessors. It points when you steer, and it holds the road with much less body roll making it a lot more comfortable and dare I say it, even fun driving experience on the twisty stuff.
By no means will you confuse it with a sports car but let’s just say it’s no longer completely boring to drive either.
Once you take the RAV4 Edge off road, which how this one is marketed, it maintains that comfort level. The suspension manages the bumps of a gravel bumpy road with ease considering the standard road tyres and on road handling ability.
I have taken it offroad on what I would consider a moderate incline with a loose rocky surface and the all wheel drive system handled it without too much fuss. That said, it still doesn’t have the ground clearance, underbody protection or ability to be a proper 4WD alternative, so you won’t be able to tear up rutted out fire-trails with it. That said, it holds its own loose gravel and sand giving you the option to be able to explore further afield.
COMPETITION
Sure all the usual contenders offer a mid-size SUV option at that $50k price point but what you’ll find is that they are all just progressive improvements to the rest of the line-up. Whereas the Toyota RAV4 Edge is completely its own thing in the range.
Both Honda’s CR-V VTi-LX AWD and Hyundai’s Tucson Highlander are in the ballpark terms of price and comparable on features, but style-wise they’re much more neutral. Both are scheduled for upgrades later this year.
Subaru just released upgraded version Forester, which I haven’t driven, but its top on the line hybrid model could be an alternative worth exploring.
Volkswagen’s offering, the Tiguan 162TSI Highline could also be an option, but once you consider the option packs to match the RAV4’s included features and the ongoing servicing and maintenance it becomes considerably more expensive.
The biggest competition for the Edge, however, might come from Toyota’s own stable. More specifically the Cruiser Hybrid AWD which is slightly cheaper, styled a little more conservatively, but without all the off-roading stuff.
Redline Recommenation
I’ve always said that the Toyota RAV4 is car you buy to make sure you are going to get where you need to go. It’s practical, functional and comfortable, everything a Toyota claims to be.
The new version takes this even further by being packed full of extra features as standard and just generally being better to drive. As a result, a lot of Toyota RAV4’s have been sold recently and will continue to do so. So if you’d like to stand out in the crowd, the unique styling of the Edge might be just the ticket, especially if you want to showcase your adventurous side.
But then again, you might just be impatient like me and not willing to wait months for the next available RAV4 Hybrid stock to arrive in Australia.
The 2021 Jaguar I-PACE is on the way, with upgraded charging, the Pivi-Pro media system and over-the-air software updates.
Jaguar’s all-electric I-PACE was a bit of a revelation when it came out. The British manufacturer went nuts, beating the Germans to the punch and delivering the first long range EV from a premium brand.
For 2021 the car scores a number of useful improvements while still clobbering the Audi e-tron and Mercedes EQC on price.
How much is a 2021 Jaguar I-PACE and what do I get?
$128,860 + ORC
You get a lot of stuff, but there are a couple of important changes.
The I-PACE now comes with an 11kW on-board charger. If you have a wallbox, that means charging time improves to 53km per charge hour (WLTP), up from the 35km you get from the 7kW charge.
You do need three-phase power for the 11kW, but charge from dead falls to 8.6 hours from 12.75.
A 50kW charge station will also deliver 63km per 15 minutes of charge and 100kW chargers deliver 127km in 15 minutes.
The cabin scores air-ionisation with PM2.5 filtration. After last year’s disastrous fires on the East Coast, this is the sort of thing people are thinking about.
Except VW dealers, who when they serviced my Up (RIP), didn’t put a new cabin filter in. Thanks guys.
The 2021 I-PACE also has a wider choice of colours and a new Bright Pack.
Pivi Pro media system
The 2021 Jaguar I-PACE scores the new Pivi Pro system first seen in the sister-brand Land Rover Defender. Well, I say seen, those cars aren’t here yet…
They system runs on the central 10-inch touchscreen. Pivi Pro replaces the old InTouch system which had gotten quite good by the end.
The new system is said to have flat a menu structure and behave more like a smartphone, which is good.
The system can also support two bluetooth a connections as well as wireless Spotify but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto still want a cable from what I can tell. It also wakes up more quickly when you get in, something InTouch wasn’t very good at.
The new optional wireless charging pad under the console also features a signal booster, which is kind of cool.
And lastly, Pivi’s sat nav should be helpful in finding you a charge station and navigating you to your destination with that in mind.
Pivi also supports ClearSight around-view cameras which I found so useful in the Land Rover Evoque.
When?
You can order the 2021 Jaguar I-PACE now and enjoy the electric performance (no, really, it’s good) later in the year.
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