Not all car ads were bad in the dim dark past. Ford popped out a hilarious ad with a great soundtrack for the Fiesta in 2004.
The Fiesta was new to our shores back then, replacing the absolutely dire, Kia-sourced Festiva. Which was an utter dog of a car.
Perhaps as a reaction to the junk that was getting around at the time (both cars and their TV ads), Ford’s agency grabbed Groove Armada’s I See You Baby, which was still absolutely massive five years after launch.
Naturally, some people took exception to the line
I see you baby/Shakin’ that ass
and complained to the Advertising Standards folks (original here). Obviously it was dismissed and a good thing too.
It’s a great ad – funny, clever and turns a few cliches on their heads. Taking the stereotype of the humourless German, sticking them in white coats and having them say these lines was a bit borderline, but it was a reaction to some of the ridiculously sexist ads that had gone before them.
Having not seen it in over fifteen years, the “Who’s your daddy?” line made me snort-laugh.
What the ad did was convey – as the more recent Holden Astra spots did – that this was a European car. Breaking away from the perception of the previous dung box Ford sold in the light car segment needed something bold.
The 2004 Fiesta was just that. And it got a funny, memorable ad to go with it.
Would they get away with it now?
Yeah, probably. While the ADSB would get another round of complaints about the Groove Armada track (a timeless classic, I think you’ll agree)(also used by Renault in the UK Megane ad), it would be a welcome relief from car insurance ads with people shouting at us from horseback.
The Mitsubishi team upped the ante with a pair of ads that not only made no sense but made the Toyota ones from last week look like they were written by Fred Nile.
Last week I covered two well-made but ultimately very silly and alarmingly saucy Corolla ads.
The theme is, again, suggesting that the product a car company is selling might be rather more exciting than it actually is. Not all bad car ads are like that, but we’ve got a pair of doozies today.
Mitsubishi threw caution to the wind for 2000 and 2001 with a pair of TV spots for the ho-hum Lancer that made me double-check if they were real.
2000 Mitsubishi Lancer VR-X
Obviously, we all understand that saying, “Here’s a steel-wheeled Lancer, it’s cheap and easy to live with, buy it,” isn’t going to work. But this…
“Get a dressed-up Lancer VR-X with 15-inch alloy wheels.”
This ad is in trouble from the get-go. Starting with a woman “dressing up” for a night out, you’re treated to several shots of the terminally uninspiring special edition Lancer on sale at the time. And plenty of leery hidden camera-type stuff in between.
Screaming, “Get wild” at you while guitars and drums screech a similar sentiment, it was probably out-of-date before it was even conceived. The values seem to hark back to when the model in the ad was conceived.
This is one of those pitches that made a few blokes in Mitsubishi Australia’s Adelaide offices fairly hot under the collar. You can guarantee the ad got green-lit on condition those sweaty blokes got to be at the shoot.
The idea that a very hum-drum car is “wild” isn’t the ad’s biggest problem. Outdated, leery sexism and overt sexualisation of a product (a car), this one ticks all the boxes.
I mean, everyone I knew who owned one of these was over 60. So the ad didn’t even work. And it makes me sea-sick.
2001 Mitsubishi Lancer – Lancer Girl
The next year the ad for the Lancer coupe (rather than the VR-X spec) was a little less frantic but no less creepy.
The ad team returned to the girl-getting-dressed theme. From a cinematographic perspective, it’s a far less annoying ad because it isn’t so hyperactively edited.
However, the fact that the ad actually had a narrative rather than looking like a cam-girl promo was a step up. Pity the director didn’t think through the “comedy.”
Lancer Girl strides out past her parents. Dad looks suitably agog but lets her go. Then the big twist – he sticks his head out the window to forbid her going out in the mild child Lancer. Harking back to the old Sandman with a “don’t bother knocking” sticker vibe.
This would have been way funnier if Dad was fine until he realised she was going out in the Lancer, because that’s unexpected. The fact he looks mad about the outfit and then uses the car as an excuse seems like a comedic own-goal.
Either way, the crass use of skin was never going to make this handsome, well-built but ultimately very dull car seem any cooler. At least we didn’t see the hub-capped version in a desperate attempt to link the two.
WRC Championship Ad – 2000
Mitsubishi almost pulled it out of the fire with this visually clever ad linking its formidable World Rally Championship success with the boring road cars (Evo excepted). Have a watch and tell me what absolutely destroyed the hard work of the storyboard team.
It’s bad enough you go from a winged WRC Lancer Evo out in the dust and then switch to a hub-capped sedan. I mean, that’s bad but I guess that’s the version that sold by the thousands.
I mean at least it wasn’t crass to look at. So they went with a crass soundtrack instead. I just can’t even imagine how big the pile of cocaine was before and after someone said, “I’ve got it! Kids today really love a 20 year-old Joe Dolce track!”
Would they get away with today?
The first two? Hell no. They’re terrible.
The third one, maybe, although some idiot would write in to complain about cars being driven fast on TV or not keeping a safe distance behind.
Are they worse than the ill-fated “It’s a Mitsi”? Difficult decision…
Toyota’s reborn Corolla hatch – now properly good to drive – has a sedan version. Does the hatch’s dynamic flair carry over?
In days gone by – well, at least the last three decades – Corolla did not spark joy. Every now and again Toyota would try, with sporty version that maybe had some scandalously…okay, slightly stiffer dampers and maybe poxy spoiler.
And who could forget the two Corolla ads in 1999 that were slightly…uh…optimistic about the car’s sexiness. The last interesting Corolla was the SX/GTi with a mighty 100kW, and that’s getting on three decades ago.
The sedan, however, has never been particularly cool. And it still isn’t, obviously. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it, because sometimes you just need a boot on a car that’s alright to drive.
How much is a Toyota Corolla SX Sedan and what do I get?
Corolla SX CVT: $28,235 + ORC
The SX is the second step in the Corolla pantheon, with a 1.8-litre Ascent Sport manual and auto a few grand cheaper (and, presumably, quite bare-bones).
On the SX get 16-inch alloys, a six-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry, cruise control, sat nav, LED headlights, keyless entry and start, powered and heated door mirrors, power windows, cloth interior and a full-size spare alloy.
Not amazing, not terrible.
Not amazing and actually terrible is the standard Toyota touchscreen software. The hardware performs well but the screen itself is low-res and the colours are all washed out. The big improvement that had been forever coming was the addition of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, both of which fix almost all of the system’s problems. So Corolla now has 21st-century cabin tech to go with the brand new platform.
There is just one option – you can add DAB+ digital radio and sat nav for $1000, which seems a bit stiff.
The only free colour is, predictably, Glacier White. The rest are $500 for Ink (black), Lunar Blue, Saturn Blue, Celestite Grey, Volcanic Red, Wildfire (another red), Silver Pearl and Crystal Pearl.
Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP, November 2019)
The Corolla ships with seven airbags, ABS, stability and traction control, forward AEB and forward collision warning, auto high beam, reverse cross-traffic alert and lane departure warning.
You also get two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors for child or baby seats.
Warranty and Servicing
5 years/unlimited km (+2 years engine and gearbox) Capped price servicing – 48 months/60,000km
Toyota’s legendary reliability is probably what kept the company from joining the five-year crowd, but they’re there now and that’s what’s important.
What had always been handy with Toyota was the bargain service pricing. The first four services are capped at $180 per service, meaning four years only costs $720, as long as you’re doing less than 15,000km per year.
Keep servicing with Toyota (and why wouldn’t you for that price) and you’ll get two more years warranty on the engine and transmission.
Look and feel
Look, there’s a pair of funky headlights and then it all goes hyper-dull. It’s not a curious move for Toyota – they’ve been doing it for well over two decades – but the Mazda3 sedan is now considerably duller than the hatch.
The Corolla is perfectly inoffensive, nicely proportioned and absolutely nothing stands out down here in the Ascent Sport. Couldn’t be duller, but it’s not ugly. The hatch is hardly avant-garde, but it is at least attractive.
You could say the same for the interior. The cloth trim is perfectly fine and seems hardy. Given a lot of these cars end up in fleets, that’s entirely unsurprising and comforting for owners.
It’s quite roomy too, which you can see from the interior photos I got. The front seats are cleverly-shaped to maximise knee room. And, as is now a habit for small Toyotas, the front seats are as good to sit in as they are to look at.
It’s not colourful, it’s not wild, but it’s well-built and fits in the Toyota oeuvre without causing trouble.
There is plenty of storage, with the obvious jump in cargo space from the hatch’s ho-hum boot to 477 litres. Drop the seats and there’s a probable tripling of space (Toyota does not offer an official figure).
Front and rear rows of seats score a pair of cupholders each, there’s a useful but small centre console (with sliding armrest) and a wireless charging pad for your phone. Each door will take a small bottle.
Chassis and Drivetrain
Toyota fits the tried and true naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder M20A-FKS for 125kW at 6600rpm and 200Nm between 4400 and 4800rpm. And as always, it’s front-wheel drive and the power gets there via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
I don’t like CVTs. I used to absolutely hate them, but Toyota and Honda have worked hard to make them less crap. I still don’t like them, but they get in the way less in a Toyota than, say, a Subaru.
There’s nothing remarkable about the chassis except that it rolls on the bang up to date but too-heavy TNGA. The Corolla weighs almost as much as 3 Series.
The 16-inch wheels have 205/55 Bridgestone Ecopia rubber. You can’t win them all.
Driving
Corolla has never been the last word in driving dynamics. Until recently, my experience with Toyota’s small hatch has meant skinny tyres, mushy-but-comfy ride and chronic understeer.
The last version of the Corolla on the previous platform felt old. Dead steering and not a drop of soul. Nothing. Naturally, most buyers didn’t care because they were either fleet accountants who liked the fact they got them cheap, they were affordable to run and had good residuals.
I really didn’t like it at all.
The TNGA Corolla, which I first drove eighteen months ago, was good, even if it was the slow hybrid. I was very impressed that it had equally good ride and handling. It looked good. It was almost fun.
Want to know something? The sedan isn’t all that much fun, but it’s still good. The sedan has traditionally not been an excitement machine with a mix of a doughy CVT (the 10-speed paddle-shift function is largely pointless) and the weight blunting the torque.
The CVT does a good job of making the most of the 200Nm, but it’s more to keep things moving than to provide any thrills.
The Corolla sedan is lovely and quiet, though. Everything is within easy reach, the controls all feel really good and it’s an insulating experience the like of which you only found in very expensive (or very large) cars not that long ago.
The Ecopia tyres don’t do the handy chassis any favours, either, but that’s the same on any car they’re on.
Competition
There’s lots, so I’ll keep this brief. You can have a Suzuki Baleno but you’ll probably die of boredom and it costs a lot to service.
The Subaru Impreza has a terrible CVT and isn’t especially good value when compared to the Corolla. It has a slightly better head unit, though, and is slightly roomier and even more solid-feeling. The extra cost does go on all-wheel drive, so that’s something. And it’s, uh, challenging to look at.
The Hyundai Elantra is heading for a(nother) facelift and for this kind of money you can have an i30 Hatch N-Line, which is a very good car indeed. Strong warranty, good capped-price servicing and it’s better to drive with a proper six-speed automatic.
The Kia Cerato Sport is cheaper than any of them and despite feeling a bit on the old side, looks pretty good if you like the back end it seems to share with a BMW X6. Hammer the dealer and/or spend a few more bucks and you can have the 1.6-litre GT.
I almost clean forgot about the Honda Civic VTi. That car has a ton of space inside and a very, very clever interior. Tidy handling, good warranty, Honda vibe and a half okay CVT. Only problem is there’s not much power from the gasping old 1.8, so you need to spend a few bucks and get the 1.5-litre turbo. No slower in the real world than the Corolla, though.
Oh, and it’s not very good looking.
Redline Recommendation
The Corolla Sedan isn’t an excitement machine and – crucially – doesn’t pretend to be. This mild boy does everything it says on the tin, without costing too much and without sucking.
Actually, that’s damning it with faint praise, which is unfair. The new Corolla is a very good car. I’ll stick with unexciting, but it’s good to drive, not bad to look at and will most likely outlast humanity.
Classic German tuning house has turned its attention to the big fella X7 and popped out this absolute monster – the Alpina XB7.
The BMW X7 is an absolute whopper of a machine and a very, very good one. Like compatriot Audi, the company saw the gap above its previous flagship SUV, the X5, and filled it. Thing is, the Audi Q8 went for the big limo approach, not bothering with the third row.
BMW went all out, building a tall ship with buckets of room and some serious box-on-wheels aesthetics.
Alpina has done its usual chassis and styling mods as well as amping up the power unit.
Look and Feel
Alpina certainly likes to square a few curves in bits it can change, with a distinct 1980s West German vibe in some cars. This one has a little bit of that, but the styling team can’t do much to reduce the size of the big kidney grille.
The wheels probably make the biggest difference, as does the low(est) ride height. Alpina adds the funky “floating” lettering in the lower edge of the front bumper and adds some slots and bits as well as a metallic bar across the air dam.
It’s big in here. Usually, you’d say there is acres of room, but it’s so big I’m going with hectares. The top-spec Merino leather is everywhere and you get the Crafted Clarity glass look on the shifter and iDrive controller. And BMW’s awesome big screens are of course along for the ride and the Live Cockpit.
At the risk of labouring the point about how big it is, the boot starts with a massive 750 litres when the rear seats are stowed, through to 2120 litres with all the seats down. You can also punch a button to drop the car’s height by 50mm.
Drivetrain
Under that huge bow, I mean bonnet, is BMW’s twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8. It’s already a belter of an engine, but Alpina likes to adjust the character of BMW engines for what I call relaxed speed.
The engine spins up 457kW and 800Nm of torque. Maximum torque is available from just 2000rpm all the way to 5000rpm. All that power heads to all four wheels via the usual eight-speed ZF automatic, which is tuned Alpina-style and works with the signature Comfort+ setting.
Despite its obvious heft, 0-100km/h arrives in just 4.2 seconds. Just 10.7 seconds later, you’ll have doubled the speed for a 0-200km/h figure of 14.9 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 290km/h.
Alpina’s work on the engine included tuning the two 54mm twin-scroll turbochargers while adding two additional water coolers, a bigger transmission oil cooler and a set of their own intercooler setup.
Behind the engine, Alpina fits a stainless steel exhaust with a set of flaps to either drop the V8 burble or turn it up.
Fuel consumption – 13.9L/100km (WLTP)
The big beast is a drinker. This figure, though, is going to be far closer to reality than the figures we’ll see on the XB7’s windscreens in Australia.
The figure checks out, too, as the sleeker and lighter M550i xDrive went through 11.3L/100km in our hands.
Chassis
With air suspension on both axles, the XB7’s ride height can drop by up to 40mm. That probably helps a bit with high-speed fuel economy. When you hit Sport mode at any speed, the height drops 20mm. If you’re in Comfort or Comfort+, it will drop 20mm at 160km/h and a further 20mm north of 250km/h.
Probably best not to check that claim on public roads in Australia.
As you might expect, the XB7 has adaptive suspension with electromechanical anti-roll bars to reduce body roll.
Huge 21-inch wheels come as standard and are, naturally, in the Alpina multi-spoke style. Shod with ALP-coded Pirelli P-Zero tyres, they’re 285/45s all-round.
You can spec an absolutely massive set of hoops – 23-inch forged alloys with 20 spokes. Along with the gangster look, the wheels shed 13kg off the bulk of the XB7, despite running 285/35s at the front and huge 325/30s at the back.
The XB7 features an electronic LSD between the rear wheels for a bit of fast-moving shenanigans. Alpina is keen for you to know it has a locking torque figure of up to 2000Nm.
The rear wheels also have steering, with up to 2.3 degrees of pivot. All-wheel steering is very handy for such a big unit.
Alpina also fits its own dome-bulkhead struts and reinforced torsion struts to stiffen the shell.
Hauling this thing to a stop are four-piston Brembo calipers gripping 395mm front discs and 398mm at the back. You can also specify lightweight drilled discs.
How much is the Alpina XB7 and when can I have one?
First of all, it is coming to Australia. It won’t be here until 2021, though, which is a bit of a drag, but hey, it’s not like we’re going anywhere.
This one is an obvious one for Alpina – the X7 is already a cracker, but with the extra comfort, Alpina-exclusivity and the whole vibe of Alpina rarely has anything but a positive effect on Bavaria’s finest.
The price will no doubt be north of $200,000 but still well below Bentley’s vulgar Bentayga.
Sometimes car companies are in chronic denial about their cars or are trying just a little bit too hard. Like the 1999 Corolla ads…
Sometimes television commercials for cars go completely bonkers. Too much, too little, too abstract or there are people who look like they are simulating sexy times, like the recent BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe ad.
In 1999, Toyota’s marketing department attempted to improve the image of its evergreen bestseller with not one but two expensive-looking TVCs. They’re well-made, beautifully shot and even use Blur’s Song 2 (aka “Woo-hoo!”).
They’re also completely bonkers and just a little bit blue. But it seems back in 1999, this was all perfectly acceptable.
1999 Toyota Corolla Seca and Sedan
The 1999 Toyota Corolla was not an attractive machine. The Seca was a particular duffer. The front end was disastrously ugly and for some reason, the creative folks thought that this dreadful colour would help promote it.
The ad is full of some fairly questionable imagery. Straight up we have a water main bursting in a workman’s face who himself is looking a little too pleased to see what was not a particularly attractive car. We see at the end why he was perhaps a little hot under the collar because – surprise – there’s a pretty lady at the wheel.
Then there is the slightly inexplicable ice and fire juxtaposition as the hideously-coloured Seca drives past a hair salon. Bafflingly, ice suddenly falls from the sky while inside a customer’s hair is set alight. Presumably the hairdresser is an anarchist rioter.
Then a cyclist is basically monstered off the road and up a ramp. Luckily it seems like a 50-50 situation because he too is perving on the car and/or occupant. I’m going with the occupant. Then he shows off by doing a big jump and jettisons the bike. Did you see the Citroen DS in there, too? Cheeky. Also the best-looking car in the ad by far. Drawing that kind of comparison is pretty brave.
The car causes a stir in a cafe, although I’m not entirely sure why. The chap who gets a lap full of coffee deserves it just for the outfit. And why is the car on the wrong side of the double white lines?
Then the ghastly yellow car pulls to a stop, the driver checks the mirror for the mayhem she has caused and eyes up a gentleman who is at the boot of the even duller sedan. Then we see the ice was in fact water as the lady in the pink jacket huffs and puffs.
In today’s world, the young lady at the wheel would be hastily milkshake-ducked by the Murdoch press and the Daily Mail would suggest she was “flaunting her curls” as she climbs out of the car.
There are too many long reaches in this ad to cover here, but in Australia at least, this car is more remembered for the ad and not the driving experience.
1999 Corolla CSX
The ad for the weird-looking CSX, with its different front end and one of the earliest perforated mesh-style grilles I can remember, is thematically more consistent.
The team stuck with Blur’s instantly recognisable Song 2 and kicks off with a bunch of well-groomed adults goo-ing and gaa-ing over a young baby.
The theme of being “the centre of attention” is quite consistent as the ad’s male protagonist is the subject of first the attention of his sporting peers and then a series of attractive women.
Then we get a bunch of dynamic, moving shots that would all have been done in-camera. This sort of thing was the zeitgeist back then, with MTV having introduced the world to jump-cuts and mystifying cutaways.
The women seem surprised at the speed with which the Corolla is being conducted and I’m with them. It was a total slug. They also seem a little too excited to see the car – as with the first ad – but clearly this fellow was deemed “hot” in 1999.
Then we’re suddenly introduced to a new character, a blonde woman driving the same car the male was previously. It’s a strange, unexplained jump. As are the rather obvious set of headlights, if you get my drift. Perhaps the 1999 Corolla had extremely effective air-conditioning.
Then the bloke reappears right at the end, looking confused. Well, at least he understands the product.
Would they get away with this today?
Nope. Car ads are pretty boring these days, partly due to cost pressures, partly because of mithering bores (VW sent this up well in the VW Amarok spot). But these ads are sexist and this kind of leering sexism just isn’t on anymore. It was never cool (and there’s some stuff coming, let me tell you), but it’s forbidden in advertising now.
Thank goodness.
Anyway, that was kind of like watching the first Ghostbusters with your kids. You had forgotten how blue the first one was.
And put more Woo in Hoo you are? I hate it.
Got any other ads you can think of that are terrible? Let me know!
Lexus’ big SUV scores a styling and technical refresh to take it through the next few years and make it more attractive.
I used to regard the Lexus RX as a bit of a Yank Tank, perhaps unfairly. Big and soft with a distinctly Palm Springs vibe mixed with Lexus’ signature Japanese vibe.
It always had a brilliant interior. You may not have liked the look, but it was stunningly well-built, the whole car is.
The sheetmetal, though, had a sharp, angular look that just never gelled with me. It didn’t seem to stop buyers, of course, because the RX sells quite well, thanks very much.
But the 2020 update is quite appealing. A lot of the creases are gone, it’s less busy and the interior tech scores a couple of nice upgrades to get the Lexus back on the tail of the Germans.
How much is a 2020 Lexus RX300 and what do I get?
$71,920
One of the most puzzling things in the Australian car market – to me, anyway – is the enduring popularity of the Toyota Kluger. It’s not cheap, the interior is practical but boring and the 3.5-litre V6 either spins the front wheels and/or drinks fuel like oil is $20 a barrel.
Okay, that last bit might be true at the moment, but you get the picture.
The properly-loaded RX300 is $71,920 is at the high-end of the Kluger range but is in every way a better car.
You get a 12-speaker stereo, 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, sat nav, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, electric front seats, powered tailgate, wireless charging pad, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, fake leather interior and a space-saver spare.
There’s a massive screen running Lexus’ largely terrible (but vastly better than the dog in the Kluger) entertainment system. It is slightly better these days but when you factor in the lovely implementation of Apple CarPlay and (I presume equally good) Android Auto, everything is alright. The 12-speaker stereo is really rather good and it’s a lovely screen. It looks terrific, has a lovely clear resolution and the hardware is fast.
Safety – 5 Stars (ANCAP, January 2016)
The RX300 ships with ten airbags (including knee airbags for both front passengers), ABS, stability and traction controls, blind-spot monitoring, forward and rear collision warning, forward AEB with pedestrian detection, reverse AEB, reverse cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and speed-zone recognition.
The RX300 scored five ANCAP stars in January 2016 and I reckon would breeze through another test now with all the extra gear.
Warranty and Servicing
4 years/100,000km Capped-price servicing
Lexus buyers automatically score entry in to the Encore program. Lexus is rightfully proud of this scheme because it’s really quite good. The warranty length is suddenly under pressure from both sides, though, given parent company Toyota and premium rival Mercedes have both shifted to five years. Encore includs a pretty hefty roadside assist package, too.
The capped-price servicing regime runs for four years but the website currently throws a page not found for the pricing. From past experience, though, it’s competitive. And when you talk to owners, nothing goes wrong.
When you’ve booked a service, Lexus will either come and get the car from you or will give you a loan car for the day.
You also get access to a some pretty on-brand luxury events that mostly include food and wine type stuff but there are also track days where you might score a ride in the arse-kicking LF-A.
You also score benefits at places like Jackalope and One and Only Wolgan Valley (aka Emirates Wolgan Valley), including a free airport transfer, late checkout, that sort of thing.
Look and Feel
The changes aren’t huge, but I think they’re enough to soften the sometimes overbearingly sharp lines of the original. This fourth-generation RX has been around since 2015 and has always been a bit in-yer-face. I really like the new headlights and the interplay with the grille. I like the spindle grille, others don’t but yeah, whatever.
The profile disguises its considerable bulk and I quite like the creasing in the doors, particularly along the base of the doors. Not sure I’m hugely onboard with all of the detailing, including the black piece that makes the rear part of the roof “float”. But it’s nicer than before and the fourth-gen was already much better than anything before it.
It’s very Lexus in here, which means beautifully built and nicely finished. Even though the leather is fake it doesn’t matter because it all feels really nice. Lexus dashboards are a bit imposing and still feature that naff analogue clock, but you just know that all of it will age really well. There are still too many buttons, though.
Storage
It’s roomy, has plenty of space for four passengers (the base model is not a seven-seater) and can cope with five. Boot space starts at a reasonable (if conservative) 453 litres rising to – again – a very conservative-sounding 924 litres with the rear seats folded away. You get cupholders front and rear and a big centre console bin. The storage space under the centre stack also contains the wireless charging pad.
Chassis and Drivetrain
Under that high bonnet is the 300’s 8AR-FTS 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder. Spinning up 175kW and 350Nm, it seems an unlikely engine for such a big fella. Big in that it’s long (4.89 metres) and weighs 1995kg.
The engine drives the front wheels via six-speed automatic, which seems perfectly suited to the job.
The updated RX features a few tricky engineering bits – there’s a whole bunch of new body adhesive and 36 new weld points to increase body rigidity. The front suspension member features a dynamic damper to reduce vibration and there is a Friction Control Device fitted to each shock absorber to reduce high frequency vibrations.
There are heaps of other detailed changes to the suspension and steering. The difference to the earlier versions of the car is subtle but noticeable.
The RX 300 rolls on 18-inch wheels and Dunlop SP Sport Maxx rubber measuring 235/65.
Driving
When you saddle up in a Lexus, you know exactly what you’re going to get. If it doesn’t have a solitary F (as opposed to F Sport), expect super-smooth everything.
The RX used to be a six-cylinder or hybrid proposition only and I bet I know why – Lexus customers are sticklers for the brand’s known attributes, chief among them is super-smooth progress. The RX300 absolutely delivers.
I was quite impressed with the way the 2.0-litre turbo shifts the hefty SUV and the six-speed was more than enough for the time we had it. It was frugal, too, which you can’t always say for Toyota products without electric assistance.
This is not a straight swap for a German SUV, though. Don’t think you’re going to get the kind of dynamic poise you get in an X5. This car is skewed heavily towards isolation and comfort. It’s deathly quiet inside, the chunky body keeping out noise from around and underneath. The steering is light and the suspension is spookily absorbent.
You pay for it with a bit of body roll, but I’d much rather be at the wheel of this than a top-spec, wallowing Kluger Highlander. While that car is smooth and quiet, the RX brings cabin sophistication, reasonable fuel consumption and a very much more stylish exterior.
I’d love it if Lexus could sort out the software and controls for the media system but one of my former complaints – too much obviously Toyota switchgear – is now much more muted. While I generally don’t care when big car companies share the bits around, those horrible block Toyota switches are crap in a Yaris let alone a luxury SUV.
Competition
It’s a large SUV, no question about it. If you were looking to Germany, you’d see the choice of X3 and X5 from BMW, the RX sitting neatly between them for size but is quite a bit cheaper on price. As I’ve already said, the dynamic nature of the other car’s might be what pushes you to the Lexus. The after-sales package and legendary reliability might keep you there. I’d still have the BMW – at this price, it’s an X3 xDrive 30i with less stuff but AWD drivetrain.
Mercedes doesn’t have a large SUV within cooee of this price point.
Audi’s Q5 is substantially smaller than the RX but you can have a Quattro 45 TFSI for a few grand less than the Lexus. You won’t get near the Q7, which starts at over $100,000.
There’s a Genesis coming soon, but we don’t know enough about it yet.
Redline Recommendation
A Lexus on the drive is a fine thing indeed. They’re not the most dynamic cars (GS F and RC F excluded, obviously) but they’re sharply-priced, stacked full of gear and super safety-conscious to boot.
I liked the RX300 more than I expected I would. It’s calm, cool and collected and so much nicer than its under-the-skin relative, the Kluger. Stop whining about the lack of third row – you never use it unless you forgot to stop breeding.
The RX will serve you well for as long as you want it to, will carry you mile after mile in near-silent comfort and deliver you relaxed and fresh. It’s a lovely machine.
The Mercedes Benz AMG A35 bridges the gap between normal and nutty, but with plenty of power and gear to keep things very interesting.
I’ll be upfront and honest – I was not a huge fan of the old A-Class. I know it’s heresy to say it, but the A45 didn’t really move me. It was fast, absolutely and I like fast. But it didn’t want to play, it just wanted to run. The gap from A250 to A45 was a yawning chasm.
AMG knew this, of course. It also knew that BMW’s switch from the glorious rear-drive platform of the M140i to the new M135i’s UKL2 meant that there wasn’t going to be a proper A45 competitor, at least not for a while.
So the A35 was born. Less power, lower price but with all the goodness of the new A Class, which includes a spectacular interior and a much better looking car than the old one.
Mercedes never messes about with the spreadsheets and hits you square between the eyes at nearly seventy large for a five-door hatchback. Although that price pales next to the mid-$90k cost of the A45.
But let’s be fair, the A35 is loaded up pretty nicely – 19-inch alloy wheels, a nine-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start, cruise control, electric heated front seats, leather trim, sat nav, auto LED headlights with auto high beam, auto parking, folding heated power door mirrors, auto wipers, sunroof and a tyre repair kit.
The stereo and various functions are powered by Merc’s awesome MBUX system. It spreads itself across the two huge screens in front of the driver and above the centre console and is way better than the old COMAND system. It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (with USB-C connectors, so keep your wits about you) as well as DAB radio. There’s almost nothing between MMI, iDrive (aka BMW OS) and MBUX now, it’s that good.
Except for the voice control. Anything that sounds anything like “Hey, Mercedes”, up “she” pipes. It’s a bit annoying. Having said that, when you ask for it and get it, it’s quite useful.
The AMG High Performance Seat Package ($3290) adds a pair of shell-style AMG seats, the Communications Package ($2690) throws in more speakers, heads-up display and a sick subwoofer. And the wing-and-bits aero package festoons the A35 with black aero bits for $2490.
There are nine colours available. Polar White, Sun Yellow and Night Black are freebies. Cosmos Black, Denim Blue, Mountain Gray, Iridium Silver, Mojave Silver and Digital White all come with an $1190 sting.
Safety – 5 Stars (ANCAP)
The A Class is almost weighed down with safety gear – ABS, stability and traction controls (of course) are joined by nine airbags, active safety bonnet, forward AEB with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, speed zone reminder (GPS-based) and road sign recognition.
Annoyingly it goes without reverse cross traffic alert unless you specify the $1890 Driving Assistance Package which also adds active blind spot assist and active cruise.
Warranty and Servicing
5 years/unlimited kilometre Fixed-price servicing and pre-paid service plans
I know I make a big deal about it, but Mercedes stands proud as the first of the premium German manufacturers to offer a five year warranty. Late to the party yes, but there we are.
Service intervals are generous at 12 months/25,000km and you can choose a variety of ways to pay for your servicing. Three years will cost $1950, four years $2950 and five years $4500.
For the three year plan, Mercedes says you’ll save $500 instead of pay-as-you-go capped price servicing for three years. That fourth service looks pretty vicious, so a four year plan is probably the way to go, if not five.
Look and Feel
This new A-Class is a much better looking car than the old one. Mercedes’ lozenge phase is – thankfully – coming to an end, with better-defined shapes and surfaces. About the only loss – to my eyes – is the lack of flush fitting on the lights, like on the C-Class. I’ll live.
The A35 has the usual pumped up bits and pieces. It looks great on the 19-inch wheels and you can tell it’s an A35 (for the time being, at least) by the grille and if someone has put the bonkers aero kit on it. I’m not a fan of the aero kit, but to each their own.
I have, on more than one occasion, been a bit mean about Mercedes interiors. Up until the current E-Class, it was absolute granddad express stuff inside Mercs, the A-Class included. Which was supposed to be more for the yoofs, most of whom wouldn’t be seen dead in a Smart. They bought an Audi instead (probably).
This new one though, boy howdy is it cool. Lots of buttons, yes, but up here in the A35 it looks fantastic. The lovely lighting, even on the deadly cool air vents, smashes the high-tech feel out of the park. The steering wheel is that cool, squared-off one seen in other AMGs and it really feels special, which is good, because this car isn’t cheap.
The back seat is still the tight fit of the old car but that’s hardly a surprise in this segment. You get the usual cupholders front and rear and there is actually somewhere to put your phone which doubles as a charging pad. The boot is a decent (for the segment) 370 litres, with 1210 litres available when you fold the 40/20/40 rear seat.
Chassis
The A35 rides on 19-inch wheels all the way around, with either Pirelli P-Zero or Michelin Pilots for grip.
The car is stiffened with an aluminium plate attached to the engine and two diagonal braces hidden underneath the car. That stiffens up the front end nicely meaning the suspension doesn’t have to be so uncompromising.
A big difference between the A35 and its lesser siblings is the multi-link rear end. Where the lower machines make do with torsion beams, the A35’s adaptive damping has a better set of bits to work with.
Drivetrain
AMG fits the M260 2.0-litre four cylinder with a whopping 225kW at 5800rpm and 400Nm. Remember, this isn’t even the A Class’ most powerful unit, with the A45 S packing a gigantic 310kW from the same displacement.
With this kind of power you’ll smack the 100km/h mark in 4.7 seconds, which is not hanging around. It’s 1.5 seconds quicker than the A250 and 0.8s slower than the new A45S.
Like its rivals, the all-wheel drive system only sends up to half the power to the rear wheels and is most of the time a front-wheel drive car.
The M260 has a twin-scroll turbo – like BMW’s B54 in the M135i – and has all the usual direct injection gubbins. The M260 also has a 48-volt power system, which is becoming de rigeur in Euro-spec high-powered four-cylinder engines.
This engine is closely related to the A250’s engine while the A45’s is a whole different machine.
Hilariously, if you hold the right gearshift paddle on start-up, it will bark and carry on like a race car before settling down again. Your neighbours will not dig this unless they’re unreformed petrolheads. AMG calls it “Emotive start.” Someone will emote if you keep using it.
Fuel economy – 7.6L/100km
The usual disclaimers apply here because I didn’t get quite that figure in my week with the A35. I have to admit I didn’t get to drive it as much as I wanted to because a) corona virus and b) I was recovering from a colossal back injury.
Between my wife and I pedalling the thing around – along with a quick, cheeky (but perfectly legal COVID-wise) blast we scored 9.8L/100km.
Driving
I’ve driven four quite hot hatches in 2020 and I gotta tell you, in this segment, the A35 punches hard. The old A250 was alright but really wasn’t front of mind for me against anything from either Audi or BMW, especially considering the latter’s now-squandered rear-wheel drive advantage.
I like so many things about this car. It’s comfortable and packed with really cool tech. That double-dashboard set up is awesome and so nice to use. With the optional heads-up, you know what’s going on all the time.
The steering wheel feels great and the driving position, once you’ve perfected it, is lovely. When you’re using the car as an every day driver, it’s nice. Easy to move around, it does the job in Comfort mode you’d expect it to. Fuss-free, easygoing.
Turn it up to Sport+ however (we’ll talk about Sport in a minute) and this car is a proper firecracker. The engine really wakes up in this mode, banishing the double-take of Comfort mode when you ask for more power.
It doesn’t over-do things – that’s what the A45 is for – but it builds a lovely balance between firmness and a fast ride quality that keeps you feeling safe. The steering may not be particularly chatty, but you’ve got a good idea of what’s going on underneath you.
The engine just keeps on giving, too, despite you often finding yourself bouncing off the soft cut-out. The downside of high output/small capacity engines is a low-ish redline so the paddles tend to make more work rather than improve things.
While the power is high, the torque is immense for such a small car. The all-wheel drive system keeps it all in check and while it isn’t especially thuggish, it’s all very neat and quick.
One thing to note is the racket from the tyres. Other cars have these tyres but not nearly as much noise invades the cabin. The steady rumble could get annoying on long trips and one can’t help wondering if AMG doesn’t invest in some active noise cancelling.
Speaking of noise, the engine never really fires up enough to be an aural joy, but I guess you can’t have everything.
And yes, Sport mode. Comfort does make the engine a bit doughy so your Goldilocks mode is Sport. The ride is smooth enough for most people, but having better access to power through a snappier throttle is what you want.
Competition
There’s a bit going on here. The Audi S3 is about to be sent to big carpark in the sky but is still surprisingly competitive, if not class-leading. In a way, BMW’s switch to the UKL2 platform brought the market back towards the S3. Some tweaks to the spec have certainly helped and its genuinely timeless style, inside and out, is still a draw.
The M135i’s recent change to all-wheel drive has changed the car’s vibe significantly. I liked it a lot, but its operating window for those who like a fun drive is a bit curtailed. It’s a different beast – it has to be – but is probably a bit benign for me.
The Mini JCW is similarly-priced and powered to the A35 and M135i. It’s more fun than the latter and its cartoonish looks are far removed from the AMG (unless you slap on the A35’s aero kit). I really liked it in Pure form, too, it’s probably the closest to the A35 in character and fun.
Like the S3, the Golf R is about to bite the big one, too. And it’s a VW, so you pay (almost) Mercedes service pricing for VW attitude (yes, until recently I was Volkswagen owner and I was thoroughly unimpressed)(the car was great, though). It’s also nowhere near as much fun to drive, so save your pennies and get a GTI. Or something else.
Redline Recommendation
As you’ve just read, the M135i has fallen back into the clutches of the chasing pack. Yes, the A35 is effectively new, but the old M140i held its own against the vastly more expensive (and obnoxious) A45, even if it left the crushing blow to the M2.
The JCW is great, but its appeal is rather more narrow than the AMG’s.
The AMG is a terrific all-rounder while delivering on the AMG promise of sparkling performance, a bit of brand cachet and, surprisingly, a long warranty and capped-price servicing program.
I never thought I’d say this – I am, as you may have gathered, more of a BMW guy – but the AMG A35 is the car I’d have in this segment. Yes, it’s expensive but it’s by far the best in its class.
Hyundai’s i20 N World Rally challenger hasn’t had a proper road-going equivalent on which to rest its halo – until now, obviously.
We’re at a bit of an inflection point for small hot hatches. First to drop – as it was in 2013 – was the new Ford Fiesta ST. It’s two years ahead of new challengers from Peugeot and Renault and rejoins the Polo in the local market.
Hyundai is now clearly in the final stages of testing for its own fast hatchback, the i20 N.
There are so many reasons Hyundai needs this car. One is pride – the i30 N has obviously given rival Volkswagen a bloody nose so why not kick it in the shins by going after the Polo GTI?
The second is that the i20 N is Hyundai’s WRC challenger. I got a ride in one a couple of years ago at Rally Australia (remember that event?) and it has puzzled me ever since that there wasn’t a hot i20 on the road.
Third – and this is a local consideration – this is a car Hyundai Australia can sell. I think. If Ford can bring in the Fiesta ST as a standalone – and charge $32k plus on-roads – then there’s no reason why Hyundai can’t join the party.
I want them to join the party. Because unlike normal parties, this is a good one. So I asked Hyundai Australia if the car would come here.
“We’ve made no secret of the fact our focus is on building an N performance family in Australia, and we are likely to take i20 N – but nothing is confirmed at this stage.”
This is most encouraging.
What can we learn from the video?
So in this video, there’s a lot of Thierry Neuville piloting his i20 WRC in the snow. Lovely to look at, but the bit you want to see is toward the end where an obviously production-ready i20 N – less a few bits of exterior trim – gets a run in Neuville’s hands.
The best shot yet of the front of the car is in the video, too, rather than the moody, silhouette of the photos.
You can see over Thierry’s right shoulder that there’s a racy-looking seat, so the N treatment extends to the interior. It’s probably a 1.6-litre four-cylinder but Hyundai might surprise us and will no doubt start with a six-speed manual. And it will likely be front-wheel drive because it’s hugely unlikely a four-wheel drive system would fit in the i20.
Should I care?
If you like small fast cars, the definitely. Hyundai’s expertise comes from BMW and AMG veterans and their long runs in WRC show the company is serious about performance cars.
We’ve only got a few years of these sorts of cars left, so hopefully it’s a belter. Even more importantly, let’s hope it comes here and Hyundai sticks a fighty price on it.
And finally, when I spoke to Neuville (and Hayden Paddon) about the i30 N, the reserved Frenchman flashed a big grin about how good it was. And he was right.
There’s a shorter version of the video if you can’t cope with the longer one…
Mini Electric will shortly arrive in Australia with a driveaway price and some extra goodies for the early adopters.
You wouldn’t know it, but this isn’t the first Mini in the country that can move under its own electric power. The Mini Countryman PHEV holds that distinction. The second one, however, is a fully electric brick so you can commit to the concept in some style.
How much is a 2020 Mini Electric and what do I get?
$59,990 driveway (Australia)
Mini is expecting the Mini Electric First Edition to arrive in Australian showrooms from August, so you might be allowed into the dealership for them to throw you the keys. Literally.
The three-door hatch comes with a 17-inch wheels in two designs, adaptive LED headlights, leather sport seats, head up display, a distinctive digital dash and a harmon kardon stereo system.
No doubt you’ll get a few extras too like wireless Apple CarPlay. Well, we hope so for that kind of money.
Look and feel
It’s a proper Mini, right down to the Union Jack taillights. I really like it when normal cars with normal looks (as normal as a Mini ever can be) have a fully electric option. To distinguish the externals, there are those funky alloys, the yellow mirrors and grill finish and a few badges and bits and pieces.
The interior has the usual changes, including a digital dash and a modified centre console, which still has a shifter. I bet there were heaps of arguments about that.
Drivetrain
The Mini Electric packs 135kW and 270Nm to send to the front wheels. Being electric, the torque is available from zero revs. Mini reckons it will crack 100km/h in 7.3 seconds (Mini Cooper S pace, if I recall correctly) and is front-wheel drive.
The battery is a 32.6kWh lithium-ion unit, delivering a 233km range (WLTP, so it should be reasonably accurate). If you can get your hands on a 50kW DC charger (“in this pandemic?”/”in this backwards country?”) you can get an 80 percent charge in a spankingly quick 35 minutes.
Redline Recommendation
I gotta say, I’m a bit disappointed at the price. For a little bit more money you can get yourself a Hyundai Kona Electric with twice the real world range. No, it’s not a Mini, but boy is it good.
Setting that aside, the price makes it a no-brainer against something like the perky but pricey Renault ZOE and Nissan’s dull Leaf. And apart from the cracking BMW i3, it’s the best-looking electric car. Yes, I said something earlier about normal-looking cars being electric, shut up.
It will be interesting to see how the Mini Electric goes. I think it’s the kind of car that wakes people up to EVs the way cars like the Leaf and underrated ZOE can’t. And because it’s not $120,000 but is a premium brand, I’ll be very keen to see what’s what.
And let’s face it, the world is going to be quite different on the other side of all this.
Lotus has chosen the middle of a global pandemic to give the Elise a few classic paint jobs, paying homage to its long and successful racing history.
Let’s face it, a lot of people have some extra time on their hands at the moment. While the factories are quiet, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on what you’re all about. And for Lotus, there’s a fair bit to think about.
And because Lotus buyers absolutely love a special edition, this year it’s the Elise Classic Heritage Edition to get them excited.
You have a choice of four classic paint jobs (I hate the word “livery”) and the Elises are loaded up with extra gear.
Lotus Type 72D
Coyly – and wisely – dodging the reference to John Player Special, purveyors of death darts (cigarettes for younger readers), people reckon that this is the most iconic Formula 1 paint job. I violently disagree with that but hey, that’s just me.
The great Emerson Fittipaldi raced the 72D in 1972, hustling it to five victories for the great Brazilian over the course of the season.
Lotus Type 49B
Driven by another great, Damon’s dad Graham Hill, the 49B sports the gorgeous red, white and gold colours. Another tobacco product sponsored the team for 1968 and Hill and Lotus repaid their faith taking the car to a world championship win.
Like his son, Hill bravely led the team after the untimely death of a star driver (in this case Jim Clark), having been part of the 1-2 at the South African race won by the Scot.
Lotus Type 81
The roll call of drivers for the 1980 season machine , the Type 81, is impressive. 1992 World Champion Nigel Mansell, Elio de Angelis and Mario Andretti who won the championship in 1978.
The 81 wasn’t a huge success – its best result was second in Brazil with de Angelis at the wheel. The car was powered by the near-ubiquitous Cosworth DFV V8 engine. I’d be quite happy to have back, thanks very much.
Lotus Type 18
The Type 18 goes all the way back to 1960. It was the first Lotus to score an F1 pole position and victory. Just to ensure its immortality, the driver was the late great Stirling Moss and the track was Monaco.
Setting aside the whole “jewel in the crown” nonsense, Monaco is one of my favourite races every year. And yes, you can fight me over that.
How much is an Elise Classic Heritage Edition and what do I get?
$104,990 + ORC
There will be a total of 100 of these cars made but how many of each one will be decided by customers. I quite like that but it also means that there won’t be an unseemly (and stupid) brawl over the black and gold machines.
The Classic Heritage Editions are based on the Lotus Elise Sport 220, which usually retails at $87,990. Lotus says the extra seventeen large translates to $27,000 worth of gear.
That includes a four-speaker stereo with DAB, cruise control, lightweight forged alloys, two-piece disc brakes and black carpets with floor mats.
As you can see in the photos, the exterior paint goes into the cabin, with matching upper door trim and seat inserts along with detailing on the door, shifter surround and dashboard. The Type 18 is slightly different, with red Alcantara inserts on the seats.
You can also access the usual options list, like the fibreglass hardtop, lightweight lithium-ion battery and the titanium exhaust.
You can order one of these now.
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