The Lotus Exige is turning twenty and you’ll never guess what Lotus is doing to celebrate. Go on. Have a gu- oh, yes, it’s a special edition. Well done.
As I may have mentioned a little while back, the Lotus Exige is brilliant. It made tackling the daunting Mount Panorama much less worrying than I was expecting and it was fast. And so much fun.
Lotus is no stranger to specialeditions and I don’t think I’ve seen one I haven’t liked.
How much is a Lotus Exige 20th Anniversary and what do I get?
$169,990 + ORC
See the many colours that Lotus says is a retro-inspired palette. Chrome Orange, Laser Blue and Calypso Red are standard and you can spec Saffron Yellow, Motorsport Black or Arctic Silver (footage not found).
On top of the colour choices, you get a bunch of bits meant to remind you of the original from, well, the year 2000. Remember then? Fun times. No Twitter or Facebook, turbos still weren’t very good and Mitsubishis still were. Sort of.
The roof, side air intakes and rear wing are all in body colour with a black stone chip protector ahead of the rear wheels.
On the front wings you’ll find a 20th Anniversary black silhouette depicting the original S1 Exige and there’s another one on the rear bumper.
The colour choices follow you inside and as you can see from the images, you get carbon fibre seats. The interior also scores a premium sound system with DAB radio, full carpeted footwells (what!?!), sound insulation (I mean to say!) and premium paint. Oh, and cruise control if you’re totally soft.
Obviously I jest, it’s still quite bare.
Lotus says before options you’re getting $11,545 of extra gear. You can also spec a lithium-ion battery, carbon fibre sills and a titanium exhaust to counter the extra sound deadening.
If you’re not familiar, the special is based on the Exige 410, which means it’s got a supercharged 3.5-litre V6 from Toyota, mounted behind the driver’s back driving the rear wheels.
When can I have one?
Lotus Australia will bring in a selection of Exige 20th Anniversary cars from the global allocation of 150 units. So if you want one, you should have a chat with your local Lotus dealer so you won’t end up with the wrong colour.
The V10 powerhouse Audi R8 returns in brand new, facelifted form with a new, more aggressive face and the usual detail updates.
We’re big fans of the Audi R8 and, as we discovered, the RWS became the favourite within thirty seconds. So it was really nice to see a few months ago that with the refreshed model the rear-wheel drive is now a permanent fixture.
For 2021, the R8 gets a top and tail and some tweaks to the interior and spec. But the core, screaming V10 engine and seven-speed twin-clutch transmission is there.
Look and feel
You can see the new wheels here and the car carries on in both coupe and Spyder forms. I quite liked the Spyder until the RWS came along.
Anyway, the main changes are around the more aggressive front end with new headlights, grille and various aero bits. It’s going to be more recognisable as an R8 but not trash the ability to take it anywhere. This car really is the Huracan for people who like to be able to park outside.
The R8 sticks with the fine interior it already had, with a few minor tweaks. The red interior looks cool.
Audi resisted adding a central media screen, with the MMI Plus system soldering on as part of Virtual Cockpit. Its Italian twin was screaming out for the new screen in its refresh because the system in the dash sucked.
Chassis
Here’s an interesting stat. Both the R8 RWD and quattro coupes weight 1595kg. So while they share the Audi space frame concept, the more expensive quattro R8 uses more carbon fibre reinforced polymer to balance it against the lighter mechanicals of the two-wheel drive car. Audi only mentions the 2kg saving by using a CFRP front stabiliser.
The R8 RWD features crinkle cut steel brakes, static double wishbone suspension and all cars run on 20-inch alloys which look extraordinary. No idea what they’ll do to the RWD’s ride quality, though.
The quattro Performance cars get magnetic ride, ceramic brakes (a $21,500 option on the RWD!) which explains some of the weight-saving, chopping 11kg.
The Spyder is 44kg heavier.
Drivetrain
The glorious 5.2-litre V10 continues on. Who doesn’t love a V10?
As before, it’s available in two versions. The RWD pumps out 397kW and 540Nm. That’ll get you to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds (coupe) and 3.8 (Spyder).
Move up to the quattro Performance and you get a staggering 449kW and 560Nm to push you to the ton in 3.2 seconds (3.3 for the Spyder) and, eventually 330km/h. Whoosh.
I don’t really care about those figures, the V10 sounds awesome.
It even has fuel-saving cylinder-on-demand. Audi claims 12.2L/100km for the RWD and 13.4 for the quattro.
How much and when?
2021 Audi R8 Coupe RWD 397kW $295,000 + ORC 2021 Audi R8 Spyder RWD 397kW $316,500 +ORC 2021 Audi R8 Coupe performance quattro $395,000 +ORC 2021 Audi R8 Spyder performance quattro $416,500 +ORC
If memory serves me correctly, the RWD seems slightly cheaper than the RWS that went before. The rest is about the same, so a bit more for the same money equals less. The R8 now comes with three years free servicing, too, but it would be nice if the warranty was longer. Having said that, on cars like these, nobody expects a Kia warranty.
The cars will be here in almost exactly a month on July 24, 2020.
The McLaren 720S Le Mans Special Edition is a limited-run machine to celebrate the incredible McLaren F1’s Le Mans success 25 years ago.
Today (18th June) is the 25th anniversary of one of motorsport’s greatest victories – the McLaren F1‘s win on debut at La Sarthe. Not only was it the McLaren F1’s first attempt at the classic endurance race, it was the first appearance for McLaren.
Piloting in the F1 GTR were JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya while three other cars made up four of the top five places in the race.
It was an extraordinary achievement. The 298 laps covered by the lead car will be reflected in each car’s VIN, which is pretty nifty.
Look and Feel
The 720S Le Mans Special edition is available in two colour schemes – the winning car’s Sarthe Grey and the familiar McLaren Papaya orange. The grey you see on the orange car (and is also on the Sarthe machine, just hard to see in the photos) is called Ueno Grey after the victorious car’s Japanese sponsor.
A McLaren F1-style roof-mounted air scoop is genuinely functional and works to help clear heat from the untouched 720 horsepower 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. Sadly, a redux of the BMW Motorsport V12 was not going to happen.
And those gorgeous five-spoke LM wheels. Phwoar. Again, pity they weren’t an inch smaller to get that McLaren F1 sidewall vibe.
You also get a ‘McLaren 25 anniversary Le Mans’ logo on lower body side panel, polycarbonate rear glazing, carbon fibre louvred front fenders, gold brake calipers and gloss black contrast body bits.
Interior
The two-tone colour schemes continue inside, and from what I can tell, you can choose the interior colours independently of the body. Interesting.
Inside you get carbon fibre racing seats, embroidered headrests with the‘McLaren 25 anniversary Le Mans’ logo, 12 o’clock steering wheel marker, dedication plate with ‘McLaren 25 anniversary Le Mans’ logo and floor mats with ‘McLaren 25 anniversary Le Mans’ logo.
Imagine that – standard floor mats.
Apart from that, the interior is pretty much as standard, although I reckon if you ask nicely, McLaren will do whatever else you want.
How much and when?
Of course you want one. I do and I think buying supercars is insane.
For a mere £254,500 (half a million Australian dollars, before GST, LCT etc) you can have one of just sixteen Le Mans Special Editions. Although I won’t be surprised to see a Spider version if they sell out quickly.
Like, as in, it’s the new Lexus IS. It’s exciting that it IS unveiled, but it would be rude to shout about it. Or would it?
The 2021 Lexus IS has been unveiled and it looks good. At first glance it looks like an all-new car because there is a lot of new panel work to make the Lexus mid-size sedan a bit more grrr.
This isn’t an all-new, TNGA-based IS. The 2021 Lexus IS is a very heavy update of the N platform based car we already know and love.
Also on board for the new car is a few new safety features, new cabin technology and a choice of drivetrains. It’s an important car for Lexus – the IS is its top-selling non SUV.
2021 Lexus IS Exterior
And I reckon it has absolutely worked. The IS it replaces is a bit dumpy in places (but better than when it first launched), the new one is sharp. This iteration is a more coherent design although it does still have those weird front lights I thought Lexus was going away from.
The new front end gives even the basic car a really muscular down-the-road look. The big spindle grille makes it look lovely and wide and the lights integrate a lot better.
The profile is fairly familiar but the pumped rear guards remind you that it’s rear-wheel drive. I like all the new creasing along the car, too.
And I am absolutely on board with the new rear lights.
2021 Lexus IS Interior
The new cabin is fairly familiar buy there is lots of new stuff. Like the 10.3-inch touchscreen bucking the integration trend by sitting proud on the dashboard.
It looks typically Lexus, of course, which is to say tight as a drum but with too many buttons and that silly analogue clock.
I am really hoping those awesome seats are standard, they look brilliant. The colour isn’t standard, but part of the F Sport spec and is called Fire Red.
Lexus is keen for you to know that the new IS has funky new door trims.
Drivetrain and chassis
As before, the range starts with the 180kW IS300 (which used to be known as the IS200t) then moves to the 164kW IS300h hybrid.
The IS300h now has better throttle response, which is handy, because Lexus hybrids can be a bit doughy. It’s still a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder paired with an integrated electric motor with a tiny battery. They’re called “self-charging” hybrids which never fails to amuse me.
And – thankfully – the 232kW 3.5-litre V6 continues with an eight-speed auto (and not a silly 12-speed or something similar).
Still no new IS F, though. Boo. But…US Lexus execs were at least willing to talk about the possibility of a V8 IS.
Lexus says the new car has a better chassis courtesy of a swathe of rigidity improvements, newly-available 19-inch alloys and some clever dampers.
There’s the new Shimoyama test track, too, part of the Lexus technical centre. Makes a nice change from a Nurburgring claim.
Lexus Safety System +
The new car scores five new safety functions over the outgoing car. Lane Trace Assist is an new stability system that helps keep you in your lane.
Driver Emergency Stop Assist will bring the car to a gentle stop if the driver doesn’t respond to warnings. If it thinks you’re out of it (say, having a medical episode), the car will place an emergency call.
Emergency Steering Assist will help you if the car thinks you’re overreacting or messing up.
Pre-collision Safety System adds Audi-style protection from driving into oncoming traffic when you make a courageous right turn.
And the clever Low Speed Acceleration control will stop the car if the system thinks you’ve hit the throttle instead of the brake.
How much is the 2021 Lexus IS and when can I have one?
No idea and later this year.
Well, “no idea” is probably a little silly. Prices will almost certainly rise but Lexus is unlikely to go nuts. It will still be competitive, cheap to run and have an okay warranty.
If the chassis updates are anything to go by, it should bring the car up to speed with the new 3 Series. While the IS has always oozed comfort and refinement, a bit more mongrel won’t go astray.
The (in)famous dash across Paris, filmed in the early hours of a Sunday morning has been recreated in Monaco in a real Ferrari this time.
Let’s be honest, none of this makes a lick of sense, but that’s okay, because the world has gone stark raving bonkers anyway.
We’re all Jonesing for a bit of an escape, though, and our friends at Ferrari are never shy in throwing a bit of escapism our way.
The new film, Le Grand Rendez-Vous, stars Ferrari F1 star and Vettel-toppler Charles Leclerc. Unlike the Lelouch original, C’était un Rendez-Vous, which was reputed to have been filmed with a Ferrari 275 GTB.
That is spectacularly unlikely given the footage doesn’t feature any bottoming-out over the cobbles of Parisian streets.
It later emerged that the car was Lelouch’s Mercedes-Benz 450SEL which makes a heck of a lot more sense. Strapping a camera to a car with hydro-pneumatic suspension is far less fraught.
The film owes its existence to the completion of director Lelouch’s Si C’était à Refaire. The director found he still had 1000 feet (300 metres) of film left and thought it would be a jolly jape.
For younger readers, movies used to be shot on long strips of photographic film and its capacity depended on its length rather than the size of hard drives. Back then a one gigabyte hard drive was four years away and even then weighed 250kg.
The original
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu-LZfQIdag
Once the camera was on the car and there was enough light, the earliest known dash cam went into action.
There’s a fair bit of incriminating stuff, the driver accelerating through nearly 20 red lights. He had just one spotter, at the Louvre, but their walkie-talkie broke. Instead of, you know, not launching out on to Rue de Rivoli, he did. Even Lelouch concedes it was “totally immoral.”
That’s straightened that out, then.
The remake
https://youtu.be/nZQUgHC_t-4
With the cancellation of the Monaco Grand Prix, there was a famous street track to use without a race to run on it. Lelouch and Ferrari weren’t too bothered by the stretch of imagination required to link the two, but that’s fine by me.
We get to see the bonkers new SF90 Stradale in action around the streets of Monaco. Young Charles is a Monaco local, so apparently a lap of the track before a date is a narrative idea that should work.
Unlike the first film, we get to see things from multiple camera angles and it’s great to look at.
In a nice nod to the original, we meet the granddaughter of the young lady at the end of the original, which is kind of cute.
It’s all a bit of fun and a nice start to the week, non?
The 2020 Kia Rio GT-Line is the tropical-themed warm hatch from that tries really, really hard to please. Like, really hard.
I am absolutely loving the wave of warm hatches we have now. Most of them are in what industry nerds call the C-segment – Focus ST-Line, Hyundai i30 N-Line, Kia Cerato GT-Line , Renault Megane GT-Line, Peugeot 308 GT – it’s a good list.
Step back to the B segment and it’s not so busy. IN fact, you’re kind of looking at it (for the moment) – the Kia Rio GT-Line. This must be one of the most unexpected warm hatches to appear and it knows it. And it tries so hard to make you like it, which is nice, because there’s already a lot to like in the Rio.
How much is a Kia Rio GT-Line and what do I get?
$23,950 + ORC
It’s a Kia, so you get a ton of stuff crammed into this little package. You get air-conditioning, 17-inch wheels, reversing camera, rear parkings sensors, cruise control, LED fog lamps, keyless entry and start, projector headlights, fake leather interior, powered and heated door mirrors, power windows and a space-saver spare.
The six speaker stereo is run from the 7.0-inch touchscreen with Kia’s quite good version of its media software (rather than the excellent version in the Seltos). It also has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so the lack of GPS or sat nav is no big deal.
There’s only one free colour – Clear White. The Aurora Black, Signal Red, Silkey Silver and the Mighty Yellow in the photos are another $520. Hmmm.
Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP, Sept 2017)
The Rio arrives from South Korea with six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, forward AEB (low speed), forward collision warning, lane departure warning and driver attention detection.
You also get three top-tether anchors and two ISOFIX points.
Warranty and Servicing
The Rio comes with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist.
Annoyingly, you have to drop in to your dealer every 12 months or 10,000km but it’s a city car, so that might not be a big deal, I guess. A bigger deal is that the servicing is a bit on the pricey side. It’s fixed-price and very comprehensive but the cheapest service is $285 and the fourth is a huge $625. Total servicing cost over seven years is $3202 or $457 per year. That’s a lot.
Not a Mercedes a lot, but it’s over ten percent of the new car value.
Wait, isn’t there a facelifted Kia Rio GT-Line coming?
There is a lightly updated Rio on the way, but don’t expect any major changes on the styling or handling front. The new car looks a bit different and has a bigger touchscreen. It also has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but no wireless charging pad…so…
The upgraded Rio GT-Line You also get forward collision warning, lane keep assist, driver attention detection and high beam assist.
Look and feel
I do like the cut of this thing’s jib. That’s an old person’s way of saying it’s a good looking car. In this vivid yellow, I reckon it really works in a bumblebee kind of way. The wheels on their own are total old man rims but bolt them on the Rio and it all suddenly works.
The GT-Line additions are commendably modest, mostly black surrounds and inserts, but the job as you can see, is done.
It’s very contemprorary Kia in here, which is to say it’s pretty good. The screen looks lifted from a bigger car and really dominates the small-but-roomy cabin. The materials (fake leather or not, doesn’t matter) feel like they’re from something more expensive and that’s a bonus.
Six-footers can squeeze in the back behind other six-footers, but I don’t recommend it for long trips. You get cupholders int eh front but not in the back but all four doors score a bottle holder each.
The boot is actually not bad at 325 litres – that’s bigger than a Mazda3 hatch (from memory), and bigger than a Mazda2 by a whopping 75 litres. All seats down and space triples to 980 litres.
As it’s a small car, its 10.2 metre turning circle is probably pertinent. Not small but not big, either.
Drivetrain and chassis
The GT-Line in Rio is mostly courtesy of the funky little 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo. If you don’t like a gravelly three-cylinder, you’re just a sourpuss.
Shared with the Picanto GT, it serves up 88kW at 6300rpm and 172Nm between 1500rpm and 4000rpm. And it does it vocally.
Getting the power down to the front wheels is a seven-speed twin-clutch transmission shared with Hyundai.
There’s not much to report on the chassis. Tuned by the local team, it’s mostly centred around improving the handling from the base model. The steering has had some tweaks, too.
To that end, the dampers are stiffer but you do get some fairly expensive factory-fit Continental ConiSportContact 2 rubber measuring 205/45. They’re $250 a throw, if you’re interested.
Driving
The Rio GT-Line has a real old school hot hatch feel but without the hot hatch performance. And that’s perfectly fine by me, not everything has to be a rocket and therefore over thirty grand.
Like the Cerato GT, the suspension is very stiff and very keen to let you know what’s going on underneath you. That might tire casual drivers but I really enjoyed the constant communication. I applaud it, in fact.
The payback for the fidget is that the GT-Line is a bit of a suburban demon – turning the wheel yields instant results, the opposite of what happens on the skinny eco tyres of the base model. The steering is very light and doesn’t chase feel, but you can feel those Continental tyres bite and that’s good enough at this level.
Couple that with the enthusiastic 1.0-litre turbo which cheerfully delivers its power with a trademark triple cylinder growl. You are always aware of the engine (yes, it’s noisy) but it’s competing with tyre and road noise.
So the Rio isn’t the last word in refinement, but as I said, this is the small warm hatch on the market today, so you get what you’re given.
Competition
There’s no real direct competition for the Rio GT-Line. The Suzuki Swift Sport (also updated this year) is really from the light car class the Picanto lives in but is priced well above the Rio GT-Line. The manual version is good, the CVT…not so much. It’s probably the better car, but costs more upfront, is more expensive to run, has less stuff and is smaller.
The Ford Fiesta ST is from the same class but way more expensive and in another league (not that the Rio is looking for the same customers). There’s also an i20 N from sister brand Hyundai, but again, it’s way over this car’s head.
Redline Recommendation
I think this car is great fun despite its shortcomings, none of which are scary. It’s very firm and busy when you’re on all but the absolute smoothest of surfaces and isn’t the cheapest car to service owing to the turbo engine and short service gaps.
But it really is great fun to chuck around and is a good choice for you or your kids’ first car (new or used). It’s a pity you can’t get a manual…
I love a car that tries so hard and that’s not saying it’s a try-hard – it delivers lightweight chassis thrills without all the insurance dramas and gives you plenty of gear for the dragging commute.
The 840i Gran Coupe is proof BMW can do pretty cars that drive beautifully but don’t have to scream about any of it.
Big, low-slung four-door coupes seem to have survived the carnage wrought by SUVs. I say this, because the company who had a hand in both mass-market SUV uptake and arguably creating the four-door coupe still makes the CLS.
BMW’s new 8 Series arrived last year and it was good. As before with the 6 Series, Munich has stretched the coupe and added a pair of doors to make a luxurious but still very pretty large luxury car.
The 840i Gran Coupe seeks to fit four people in exceptional comfort while delivering serious performance. You couldn’t really do that ten or fifteen years ago. How things have changed.
How much is a BMW 840i Gran Coupe and what do I get?
$204,990 + ORC
Well, that’s not faffing about, is it? But it is a lot of car for the money even it costs more than a similarly-sized – if sober-suited – M5.
You get 20-inch alloys, four-zone climate control, around-view cameras, auto parking, head-up display, keyless entry and start, reversing camera, adaptive damping, active cruise control, Live Cockpit digital dashboard, electric heated and cooled front seats, leather everywhere, glass roof, sat nav, auto laser headlights, auto wipers, power boot lid, electric everything and wireless charging.
Joining the digital dashboard is BMW’s huge touchscreen with BMW OS 7.0, an immensely capable media and vehicle configuration system. It comes with 16 speakers, DAB and wireless Apple CarPlay along with a bunch of connected stuff for dodging traffic or calling an ambulance if you put it on its roof.
Interestingly, there is a wide colour choice. The freebies include Black Sapphire, Carbon Black, Barcelona Blue, Sonic Speed Blue, Tanzanite Blue, Almandine Blue, Dravit Grey, Sunset Orange, Aventurine Red, Alpine White and Mineral White.
Brilliant White is $2000.
The $2600 colours include Frozen Dark Brown (this doesn’t sound great, does it?), Frozen Arctic Grey, Frozen Bluestone, Frozen Dark Silver Matte and Frozen Brilliant White Matte.
And for $10,400 you can have Pure Metal Silver. That’s going to want to be good.
Options
There’s one or two…
You can drop $8200 on a Bowers & Wilkins “diamond” system with spangly speakers, or $9000 on the Indulgence Package which comes with, um a TV, “premium stereo” and gloss inserts (wood). Maybe not.
M Sport Plus adds a bunch of M things like stitching on the seatbelts, performance brakes and sports front seats ($3400). M Sport Technic dials that back a bit with just the brakes and painted wheels for $2100.
A TV on its own is $2300, Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection is $4700 and you can choose from three Merino leather trim packages from $6700 to $10,200.
Then there’s various wood trims, Crafted Clarity glass ($1400, not as horrible as it sounds), M Carbon Exterior ($6900), headlining and wheels. Plenty to play with.
Safety
The 840i Gran Coupe ships with six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, blind spot assist, forward AEB (low-speed), forward and rear collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and reverse cross-traffic alert.
There are also two top-tether restraints and two ISOFIX points.
The 840 has not been tested by Euro NCAP or ANCAP.
The 840 has not been tested by Euro NCAP or ANCAP.
Warranty and Servicing
BMW is still only offering a three year warranty with 100,000kms of coverage, whichever comes first. Mercedes has a five year warranty, so that’s really starting to wear thing, especially on an 840i Gran Coupe’s price tag. You get roadside assist for the duration.
BMW does offer its prepaid BMW Service Inclusive packages but you have to ask your dealer for the price. Hint: get it for free.
Look and Feel
I said in the intro that it’s pretty and stand by that claim. Sure, the grille needs blacking out and I wouldn’t go with that design of wheel, but all in all, it’s quite nice. Folks whine about the taillights, but I reckon they look great and work in well with the overall look. There’s a bit of Maserati Quattroporte in the rear flanks and that’s okay by me.
Long and low with a lengthy bonnet, purposeful integration of the headlights but not at all ostentatious, it’s a pretty thing.
Big fan of the current BMW interiors. You can see here that its fitted with an optional two-tone leather pack, but you don’t have to have that. It’s not the two-tone that bothered me but the colour choices. Anyway, it’s super comfortable and is packed with tech and toys. The Crafted Clarity glass on the shifter is obvious and it’s also on the iDrive controller and volume knob.
You get cupholders front and rear and the number matches the passenger count – four. Well, it’s really five, but straddling the climate control, USB and air vent housing would be deeply unpleasant unless you’re that way inclined.
Boot space is a modest but useful 440 litres.
Chassis and drivetrain
Under that long bonnet lies BMW’s B58 3.0-litre straight-six. It seems like not much to shift 1800kg (that’s not bad for a car this size), but with 250kW and 500Nm (and probably more), the rear-wheel drive 840i flashes to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds.
The eight-speed ZF is along for the ride, as always and is predictably superb.
The whole shebang rides on BMW’s CLAR cluster architecture and features carbon core technology. This tricky thing came across from the i series cars and into the 7 Series in 2015 and has been working its way down the line. Carbon core sees CFRP combined with high strength steel to save weight. In the 7, that totted up to 130kg.
The 840i Gran Coupe rolls on a choice of 20-inch wheels, with 245/35s up front and 275/30s at the back. On this car, the rubber came from Michelin and are Pilot Sport 3. I’m assuming there’s a package to get your noisier, grippier rubber if you’re keen.
Adaptive damping keeps things in check if you’re frisky and BMW’s electronic limited-slip diff handles the rear end.
Driving
It will likely not come as a shock to you when I tell you that this is a smooth machine. While not overtly sporty, it’s strung together so well that even in Comfort mode progress can be stately or speedy.
It was supremely quiet on the highway, which was a big change. Sydney’s M4 has a horrific surface but the 840 just whispered across it.
The ride was also very calm and collected, even in Sport mode. Picking up the pace in Sport+, the big coupe was very tidy in the bends, with good braking performance. And a pleasing pop every now and again from the exhaust.
It’s a great car to just be in, though. The cabin is lovely to look at, the seats hugely comfortable and it’s all very serene.
The straight-six has quite a kick, too. The B58 is a ridiculously talented and versatile unit while the rear-wheel drive layout returns the steering feel that the all-wheel drive M850i can sometimes miss.
Redline Recommendation
Beautiful, refined, quick and roomy. Yes, it’s north of $200,000 and my money would go on something with a V8 (like the 550i or M5).
But if you’re looking for a gorgeous sedan and don’t need that middle seat or a big boot, there isn’t anything this side of $400,000 that I would prefer.
The Audi e-tron is Ingolstadt’s first full EV and it’s here to take on Jaguar’s iPace, Mercedes’ EQC and Tesla’s Model Y.
(BMW is yet to confirm it is joining the party with its iX4)
The e-tron SUV and Sportback are the first of a deluge of Audi full electric cars to land. If you’re wondering if it’s a sign of things to come, it is. If you’re wondering if this an affordable start, it’s not. But it’s a start, and that’s the main thing.
Audi is the third legacy carmaker to drop a posh EV and it seems pretty good, at least on paper. With trademark quattro drivetrains, good range and fast-charging along with a comprehensive after-sales package.
How much is an Audi e-tron and what do I get?
The e-tron is available in two body styles and two specs, with a third First Edition trim limited to 70 cars.
What’s more, Audi is offering a comprehensive battery warranty
Audi e-tron SUV and Sportback
50 SUV: $137,700 55 SUV: $146,799
50 Sportback: $147,700 55 Sportback: $157,700
Kicking off at a stout $137,700 for the 50 in SUV form witha ten grand gap to the longer-range 55, Audi hasn’t been shy loading the car up. For this kind of money, it has to.
You get around-view cameras, adaptive drive assist (cruise control with stop and go, lane guidance assist), front and rear parking sensors, 20-inch alloy wheels, power tailgate, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, Milano leather interior, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, interior lighting package, adaptive air suspension and wireless charging.
The Sportback picks up a head up display
Entertainment comes via the 10-speaker stereo with the latest version of MMI, which has a 10.1-inch touchscreen and an 8.6-inch lower screen with handwriting recognition.
You also get Audi Connect Plus with traffic info, parking, weather, car finder, remote lock and unlock, emergency call, roadside assist call function, remote charging, remote climate control and driving data.
e-tron First Edition SUV and Sportback
First Edition SUV: $159,600 First Edition Sportback: $169,950
Seventy First Editions will be available, based on the 55 SUV and Sportback specs. The FE picks up 21-inch wheels, orange brake calipers, black pack, virtual mirrors, Matrix LED headlights, LED puddle lamps, 16-speaker B&O sound, S sport front seats in Valcona leather, four-zone climate control, HUD (SUV), S-Line interior package and colour lighting package. And more leather.
e-tron options
Audi claims a world-first for its optional Virtual Mirrors. Sticking out on stalks out the side of the car, two cameras look down the side of the car, with the image coming up on an OLED screen at the base of the A-pillar. The lenses are heated to help keep them clear and deliver night vision in the dark. Nifty. $3500 of nifty? Up to you.
The Premium Plus package for the SUV comes with 21-inch alloys, Matrix LED headlights, the virtual mirrors, tinting, head-up display, 16-speaker B&O sound, four-zone climate control and a colour interior lighting package. All that costs $9700
On the Sportback you get the same except the HUD is already standard, so the price is $6700.
Warranty and Servicing
One imagines that Audi is offering its usual three-year warranty but there are a number of twists here.
First, the battery warranty stretches for eight years/160,000km as does the free servicing offer. That seems absurdly generous and helps put the starting price into perspective.
Audi says the drivetrain warranty will cover you for a “significant” drop in battery performance.
When you do service your e-tron Audi is intending to give you an e-tron for the day, gratis.
Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP, 2019)
The e-tron has six airbags, ABS, blind-spot monitoring, forward AEB (high and low-speed) with low-speed pedestrian and bicycle detection, pre-sense rear (protects occupants in a rear-ender), rear cross-traffic alert, exit warning, intersection crossing assist,
Drivetrain
The 50 delivers 230kW and 540Nm through it’s two electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear. That will whisk you to 100km/h in 6.8 seconds.
Moving up to the 55, you get up to 300kW in “boost” mode and 664Nm. The extra grunt knocks 2.1 seconds off the run to 100km/h.
You can tow up to 1800kg with your e-tron, which Audi says is “unlike its competitors. That’ll slam your range, but boys will have their trinkets.
The e-tron’s paddle shifters allow you to choose how strong you want your energy recovery. You get a maximum of 200kW and 300Nm of recovery when you’re braking which Audi says makes up almost a third of the car’s range while “clever thermal management” adds 15 percent.
EV Range and Charging
The e-tron’s floor features a 2.24 metre long, 1.63m wide and 34cm high lithium-ion battery pack. It weighs a whopping 700kg, almost a third of the 50’s 2455kg kerb weight and the 55’s 2555kg figure.
The 55’s battery stores up to 95kWh for a WLTP range of “over” 400km.
Stepping down to the 50, storage drops to 71kWh for a range in excess of 300km (WLTP). In my experience, WLTP is pretty close to reality, so these figures are encouraging.
Cleverly, the e-tron has charge ports on both sides of the car. The driver’s side has an AC port while the passenger scores AC and DC.
The larger battery is made up of 36 battery modules, with the 50 having 9 fewer. Interestingly, Audi will replace a buggered module rather than the whole battery, which is good for you and, probably, for them (at least in warranty period).
Home AC charging is obviously slow, with the 50 taking six hours and the 55 eight and a half. It’s worth knowing that you get an 11kW wallbox – which the portable charge clips into – but you’re up for the installation.
If memory serves, to get 11kW, you need three-phase power. If you don’t have that, you’ll be limited to much slower charging, so expect to double your charge times. Three-phase power is something your electrician can hook up and it’s also good if you have (or plan for) a 10kWh+ solar array.
The e-tron will cop up to 150kW DC charging and with one of those bad boys you’ll get an 855 charge in under 30 minutes with a full charge in 45 minutes.
Audi says its charging is better because it can hold a higher current charge for longer making for quicker rapid charge times.
Chargefox – six years/unlimited km*
Your e-tron purchase includes six years of unlimited charging with Chargefox. They have 500 public chargers, ranging from 22kW through 50kW and up to 350kW. Well, that last one is just in Euroa, but they’re promising more.
While the charging is unlimited, the eminently sensible Chargefox Fair Use Policy applies.
Look and Feel
Look, it’s an Audi but thankfully it’s normal looking. I think that will play really well with Audi fans as well as more cautious, but forward-thinking, buyers. It’s a much better looking car than any Tesla and I think more elegant than the EQC.
The big front grille is louvred for aero efficiency. When the car is at its lowest setting and the louvres closed, the drag coefficient is just 0.27, important when you’re on the highway because it helps the range and it’s quiet. The flat underbody helps a lot here, with what Audi says are golf ball divots to ease airflow.
The cabin has a flat floor and Audi says it’s big enough for five real people. The boot certainly is, with a massive 660 litres in the SUV and 615 in the Sportback across two boots, one up front and behind.
I have to say, I quite like the Sportback design, but both look good. The black pack looks nice, too, so if you can, do.
When?
You can order online from 19th June 2020, with deliveries in September, contact-free if you wish. A small number of Audi dealers will look after you if you prefer face-to-face car-buying.
The 2020 Ford Focus ST is the Blue Oval’s second hot hatch release in two months. This one, though, has a lot more to prove.
The third-generation Focus ST was hilarious. I first (and last) drove one almost six years ago. That car was fresh from belly of the beast after the cult car we called XR5 here in Australia.
It was fun, it was fast but it was a torque-steering monster of a thing, running all over the road on full throttle and generally making mischief. I liked it, but would have taken the old Fiesta ST any tick of the clock and save around fifteen grand.
The new Focus ST, though, different story. The fourth-gen Focus – as a whole – starts from an even better place than the old car, with a massive update on Ford’s C-platform. I drove the Focus ST-Line at launch and loved it.
While the 2020 Ford Focus ST (and Fiesta ST) are new to Australia, they’re not new to the world. We’ve waited a long time for both of them. The Fiesta was worth the wait – let’s see if the Focus is too.
How much is a 2020 Ford Focus ST and what do I get?
2020 Ford Focus ST manual: $44,690 + ORC 2020 Ford Focus ST auto: $44,690 + ORC
As you can see, that’s a solid increase on the LZ ST’s $38,990 and you might also notice that there’s a no-cost option seven-speed automatic.
You get 19-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, electronic damping, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, auto LED headlights, sat nav, auto high beam, heated front seats from Recaro, launch control, leather wheel and seats, powered and heated door mirrors, wireless Qi charging pad, heated steering wheel and a space-saver spare.
The SYNC3 system comes with ten B&O speakers, which is pretty nifty. The 8.0-inch touchscreen sits high in the dashboard and is easy to reach. The sat nav is a bit of a pain to use and the standard keyboard is ABC rather than QWERTY which is super-irritating. Thankfully, you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which makes all that drama go away.
You can add a sunroof for a colossal $2500 and inside my giant head there’s a lot of space and not a single reason to suggest that the glass roof is a good idea. Only Frozen White and Race Red are free colours, the rest (Agate Black, Ford Performance Blue, Orange Fury and Ruby Red) are $650.
Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP)
The Focus ST comes loaded with safety gear. Six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, forward collision warning (low speed), forward AEB with pedestrian avoidance, reverse AEB, reverse collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, speed sign recognition and reverse cross-traffic alert.
There are three top-tether and two ISOFIX points for baby and child seats.
The Focus scored five ANCAP stars in September 2019.
If you go with the seven-speed auto, as well as picking up active cruise control, you get active lane keep assist.
Warranty and Servicing
Ford has an excellent after-sales package, with a five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty with seven years of roadside assist as long as you keep your car serviced with Ford.
Ford offers a bunch of stuff, including fixed-price servicing of $299 per service for the first four years/60,000km. Service intervals are set at 12 months/15,000km.
Ford will loan you a car for the day of your service (remember to book) and offer assurances on tyre and brake costs.
It’s a good deal and the only thing I’ll complain about is that the warranty length doesn’t match Kia’s. Kia doesn’t have a Focus ST rival, though, so that’s kind of moot.
Look and feel
As I’ve already covered, I quite like the shape of the new Focus. The old one was okay but the front end was a bit overwrought with some wobbly lines and wild creasing.
The current Focus is a looker even in Trend form (and not in the olive green you can get in the Active version), designed by sometime Falcon designer Justin Demkiw. Redline co-pilot Brendan reckons it’s generic but I reckon it’s quite handsome. Lovely, simpler surfacing, but more restraint around the headlights, a bit less “BWAAAH!”. The profile also reminds me of the E87 1 Series, which is the antithesis of generic.
Anyway, the ST scores the usual lower ride height, new front and rear bumpers and a big set of 19-inch alloys with red brake calipers behind. The headlight-splitting LED daytime running lights look the business, too.
Inside is quite spacious, including the boot. Ford’s new wave of interiors are a vast improvement on the older generation cars, with consistent switchgear and way fewer buttons and switches.
There’s a certain deja vu about the Focus cabin after the Fiesta ST, with similar switchgear and dashboard layout. The big screen is useful, handily-placed and works well and has CarPlay/Android Auto.
Although it doesn’t look like it in the photo, the boot is only 273 litres – the fully sick subwoofer and less sick space-saver spare take up the room.
Chassis
The ST-Line chassis is already pretty good, so the ST’s was always going to be a cracker.
Or was it? On the 2018 launch of the Focus in France, I drove the Focus Vignale which has continuously controlled damping (CCD). As does the ST. The problem with the Vignale was its CCD setup. It was otherwise a lovely car, but it was, to be frank, a bit of a mess. Spoiler: it’s fine on the ST.
The system monitors steering and braking inputs as well as body and suspension movement to adjust the damping in real time.
The ST’s rear-end is made up of Ford’s short long arm (SLA) independent setup. The dampers are stiffened by 20 percent up front and 13 percent the rear.
Instead of a mechanical limited-slip diff, Ford has chucked in an eLSD. Hydraulic clutches send the power left and right up to 100 percent and talks to the traction and stability systems.
Ford reckons it’s quicker than a mechanical LSD. We’ll see soon see.
Similarly, the launch control has a good chat with those systems. Press OK on the steering wheel to activate it (in Sport and Race mode), dip the clutch, floor it, dump the clutch. Easy.
The power steering helps compensate for the torque steer, filtering the aggro 420Nm under a full-throttle can create.
The brakes are 330mm up front and 302mm at the back. In the video I say it has Brembo calipers, but that’s a giant fib.
Drivetrain
Everyone seems – finally – well and truly over the ridiculous mugging over the EcoBoost name on the 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo. It’s a cracker of an engine. Quiet, flexible and with a heap of power and torque – 206kW and 420Nm. That’s an increase of 22kW and 60Nm respectively, inching rather closer to the old RS’s figures.
Its flexibility comes from the clever anti-lag system which keeps the engine fuelled on lift-off to keep the gases flowing. Ford says the anti-lag is off the bonzo Ford GT.
The turbo is a twin-scroll unit and has an intercooler to keep things from getting too hot.
All the power hits the tarmac via the front wheels and it gets there through a six-speed manual or seven-speed torque converter automatic.
Driving
The old car was a rabble-rousing bar-brawler. Get anywhere near half-throttle and the steering wheel tried to escape from your arms the way a toddler runs straight for the chocolate biscuits. You had to restrain the car, subdue it. I remember my wife telling me she’d never seen me work so hard for a trip to the shops.
And it was very stiff, often wandering all over the road if it wasn’t completely smooth. Even then…
The new car is not a huge change, but it’s much more refined. Like the previous car, it doesn’t have a proper LSD but an electronic one. And you still have to be very patient getting on the throttle out of corners. If you punch it too hard, you will get some understeer before the hydraulic clutches sort themselves out. You learn to drive around this because it’s even quicker that way.
What’s really good about this car is the throttle response – for a turbo four-cylinder, it’s very impressive. The anti-lag is fairly unobtrusive and I have to admit that when I read about it, I expected a bit of rev hang, but it’s not obvious. What is obvious is the giant slab of 420Nm building very nicely to the middle of the rev range and holding pretty well all the way to the redline.
It doesn’t feel like it runs out of revs, either – some turbo fours, like the Renaultsport Clio and Megane have so few revs you feel like you’re constantly changing gears. The old Fiesta ST was like that too.
One of the very lucky things about the job I’m doing is that I’m able to remember pretty much how a car feels to drive even years later. What struck me about the new Focus ST was how similar the steering is – direct but light without too much feel. I’d say filtering out the torque steer using some software in the power steering is partly responsible, but there’s enough there to ensure you know what’s going underneath you.
All of this comes together very nicely into a super-friendly, super-fast hot hatch package.
Competition
Well, obviously, there’s the king of the kids, the Hyundai i30 N (and Fastback). The hatch is $40,900 for the six-speed manual (eight-speed DCT auto next year) and it’s flippin’ loaded. I think the Focus has slightly more room for rear seat passengers and a better day-to-day ride (as well as better tyres). But the i30 is an absolute blast. It’s got a crap-ton of character without getting too unruly and has a better gearchange as well as grip for days.
The Civic Type R is all the way in the other direction for price and is properly bonkers. For $51,990 you’re getting a lot of performance but the price difference is difficult to fathom given the Ford is down on power but has more torque. And is vastly better looking. On balance, the Honda has better seats but the interior could peel your retinas in red. Lots of space, though.
The Golf GTI is more expensive than the Focus at $46,990. It’s the better car than the Golf R because it’s more fun and less a cut-price AMG A45 (old-gen), which itself is dull. Fast, but dull. The Golf is also for the knacker’s yard shortly, so if you’ve got some time up your sleeve, hang on. Don’t hold your breath for a good deal on servicing, though.
And, of course, the Renaultsport Megane. It’s terrific fun, slightly more expensive but for reasons I’ve detailed above, isn’t quite with the Focus. I love it – and still do – and with four-wheel steer, it’s hugely agile, but it’s missing the grrr of the old Megane.
Redline Recommendation
You already know what I think. Fast, fun, capable but now much more liveable, the Focus ST is probably the biggest surprise so far of 2020. While I was expecting the Fiesta ST to be epic, I wasn’t ready for the Focus to be so much better than its predecessor.
And that’s brilliant. Why is that brilliant? Couple of reasons. It softens the blow of there being no more Focus RS (I’m not really going to miss that car, as good as it was) but it also means that we’re in another golden age of hot hatches.
The new 2021 BMW 4 Series – a car we’ve had a pretty good look at already – has finally been unveiled. Striking styling, upgraded engines and tech.
The most controversial design of 2021 has been given its day in the sun with a huge drop of new official photos of the BMW 4 Series. The G20 3 Series has been out in the open for a couple of years now, so it’s time for the fun stuff.
Look and Feel
Some people think that the designers at BMW have been on the fun stuff to produce the 4 Series. BMW’s previous controversial design phase came under the leadership of Chris Bangle, producing the E65 7 Series, E60 5 Series and the Z4. Among others.
From the first two cars we got the Bangle Bum and flame surfacing. The E60 5 Series is still one of the greatest designs in the BMW firmament and the influence of the E65 7 cannot be overestimated.
BMW’s board has clearly taken the same deep breath they took when they saw the first flame-surfaced, Bangle-bummed Beemer.
As a result, we’ve seen the Hooydonk Honker evolve, with the last five years of grille growth.
The Hooydonk Honker
I honestly don’t think it’s that bad. This grill is no bigger or smaller or more whatever than the grille on an Audi RS5. I am not pretending it’s pretty. It is, however, striking. Nobody is going to forget it and nobody is going to mistake this for anything other than a BMW.
There’s a distinct whiff of hypocrisy from that haters who used to complain about how dull BMW styling had become.
Having said that, none of these photos feature a grille without a numberplate. That’s a key point BMW is trying to get across here. The grille is massive but it supposed to be broken up with a number plate. So stop your bleating.
If you’re not in that camp and just don’t like it, that’s fine. Styling is, after all, subjective.
In the end, the market will decide. BMW says customers want big grilles, tying its size to the 328 and 3.0 CSi design classics. There are no quotes from the actual designers, though, which is quite interesting…
This is a bit of a roller-coaster, isn’t it?
Exterior
Schnozz aside, this is a quite handsome car but it’s rather colour sensitive. The white looks fridge-y and from some angles, it’s almost awkward.
This blue is quite lovely and the M Sport bumpers and exhausts give it some elegant aggro.
The wheels are yeah, whatever, but you’ll be able to choose from a bunch, I guarantee you. The surfacing is a little more generous than the previous car, which was a lovely looking thing.
The new car is a solid 128mm longer (4768mm) and 27mm wider (1852mm), which is a lot in a car. The wheelbase has also stretched by 41mm to 2851mm, which should mean a bit more room for the rear passengers.
It’s 6mm taller for some reason, but still 57mm lower than the 3 sedan.
All 4 Series will get the lovely LED headlights and LaserLight will be available as an option.
Interior
No surprises in here. Current BMW interiors are en pointe (there must be a German phrase for that). The M440i shown here obviously has some lovely leather and metallic trim finishes, but Munich has really gotten with the program on the cabins.
Live Cockpit, BMW OS 7.0 and the usual climate control stuff should make this a nice place to be.
The rear seat is split in two, but this time it’s less of an afterthought and more a of a design – the middle section is raise so your rear seat passenger’s butts are snugly in.
Drivetrain and Chassis
Behind the grille you’ll find two engines and three states of tune.
BMW’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder powers the 420i (135kW/300Nm) and the 430i (190kW/400Nm). Step up to the M440i xDrive and you get a 3.0-litre straight-six serving up 285kW and 500Nm.
The M4 will come later with the bananas S58 from the X3/X4 M pair.
There’s not much to report on the basic chassis side, with just the usual improvements in rigidity, aero and geometry. The centre of gravity is 21mm lower, though, so that’s good news.
The M Sport package brings M Sport suspension, 19-inch light alloy wheels and not much else.
How much is a 2021 BMW 4 Series and when can I get it?
We can’t tell you how much yet. Given BMW’s current form, pricing will be reasonable given the amount of clobber the cars will come with.
BMW Australia says we’ll be seeing the cars in October 2020.
You may not like the way they look, but if the 3 Series is anything to go by, they’ll be fantastic to drive.
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