Issue 34 “2011 Car of the Year”

Inside Lane

Hello and welcome to the last issue of Inside Lane for 2011. Hasn’t it been quite an interesting 356 days! We have seen manufacturers come and go, new cars wowing the crowds and an extra helping of the unexpected.

In this Issue of Inside Lane we will crown our much anticipated car of the year. What made the short list? Turn the pages and find out for yourself.

“British Brute”

The cries of “the sky is falling” from

environmentalists is a chorus that grows ever

stronger and one that car manufacturers must now

take note of. Every badge is looking to do its bit for

the green party but when you are the likes of

Bentley, well known for making coal powered

luxury, what do you do? The company have aims

to reduce their carbon emissions greatly and their

starting point is a new engine for the Bentley

Continental.

The new Continental has a twin-turbo 4.0 litre V8

engine under the bonnet as opposed to a W12.

Producing 500BHP and 487lb-ft of torque, the new

cars motor shares its origins with the top line Audi

S8. 0-62MPH is also below 5 seconds making the

luxury GT still quick off the mark. Whilst these

figures don’t make this machine appear particularly

green, emissions are down by 40% over the larger

unit. They even say that this Bentley Continental

can cover 500 miles on a single tank of fuel.

The Continental has never been my cup of tea but

at least they haven’t built their equivalent of an

Aston Martin Cygnet.

BMW’s New

Gran Coupe

German luxury really does rank rather highly in the world of cars. It not only is of very high quality but it is also

unlikely to disintegrate over the period of a few weeks. Both Audi and Mercedes-Benz have cars in the sport

coupe inspires saloon section of the market and BMW very much want a slice of that pie. The BMW 6 Series

Grand Coupe was once a concept, but now is a firm pillar of reality.

The sleek new saloon really is a good looking machine sticking close to what we first saw in concept form.

Muscular sculpting of almost every panel gives the car a very dynamic appearance, one that makes the

handsome A7 look a bit flat. With all the luxurious toys you can imagine inside, the Gran Coupe will be offered

with two petrol and one diesel engine. The 640i gets a 3.0 litre turbo straight six producing 316BHP, the 650i

gets a meaty 4.4 litre V8 with 444BHP, and the diesel 640d has a twin-turbo 3.0 litre armed with 309BHP. The

quickest of the bunch, 650i, will do 0-62MPH in just 4.6 seconds.

What is even more exciting is that next year we will get an M6 Gran Coupe with a twin-turbo 4.4 litre V8 and

552BHP! The cheapest Gran Coupe starts at £61,000.

It is almost as if the 1990’s are returning to the automotive world! Hot-hatches are becoming more powerful

than ever, luxury saloons are taking back their boxy stances, and now the Japanese are making affordable

sports cars again. Yes, the time has come for us to AT LAST, after many concept cars, see the finished

product of Toyota’s labors. It is called the GT 86.

Powered by a 2.0 litre boxer engine with direct injection, the Toyota/Subaru partnership has churned out

what looks to be a fantastic all-round package. 197BHP and 205NM of torque push the car onwards to

155MPH. A six-speed manual or automatic will be available at the cars launch in June. Priced at around

£28,000 the stunning looking coupe is a welcome return for the Japanese manufacturer to a market that

has been barren for years.

Toyota GT 86

Seeing Double?Seeing Double?

Toyota have just shown us the astounding GT 86 as their share of a cooperation with

Subaru to produce a new sports car. The joint venture results in both companies

sharing resources but eventually ending up with the same car with minor visual tweaks.

Today Subaru show their completed slice of the pie.

The finished Subaru BRZ looks much more akin to its Toyota counterpart than the STI

Concept we saw a few weeks ago. Almost every curvaceous line is identical to the GT

86 with a less defined front end but a more aggressive rear diffuser. The BRZ produces

just 3 more BHP at 200BHP and an identical level of torque, 151lb-ft. Though the car as

similar in many respects we have been assured the Subaru gives a very different feel

behind the wheel.

Pure

EVIL

For those unfamiliar with Ferrari’s XX program here are the head lines. Ferrari build a very specific number

of test cars labeled XX. These are a pure track monsters used to develop new technologies that go into road

cars. The prancing horse allows the wealthy to drive these cars for them at a princely sum whilst they collect

data. The 599XX was incredible but the Italians have now fed the back beauty raw adrenaline.

This snarling, fire breathing beast is the 599XX Evolution. More focus, more technologically advanced, and

just more of everything in general. The car weighs 35KG less than the standard 599XX, that is if there is

such a thing as a standard 599XX. The biggest change, however, is the cars new mounted rear wing that is

taken directly from Formula One. It features DRS (drag reduction system) that opens a flap in the wing at

high speeds reducing drag and increasing the cars top speed. The wing is electronically programed not to

open whilst going around a corner to maintain downforce when it is required.

This isn’t just interesting from the perspective this car, but also from Ferrari as a supercar manufacturer.

How long before a road car has DRS?

Taking The Scenic Route...

Renaults current Scenic is a brilliant people

mover. Over the years its design both inside and

out have moved it to the top of its class. In fact,

you could even call it an attractive MPV, not

something heard often. Above its appearance is

its functionality, after all that is why you would

buy such a car, that is sublime. The French aim

to build upon their formula for success with the

updated 2012 model.

The New Scenic is just as good to look at as the

previous model bringing a new more sculpted

front bumper, muscular body line and more

refined rear end. Two new engines have been

added to the range, a 1.2 litre petrol and a 1.5

litre diesel, tightening the cars grip within its

class. Renaults involvement in F1means that this

car can be fitted with break energy recovery

systems and brag about it in the brochure.

The 2012 Renault Scenic goes on sale in

February. Ca va?

“Topless For The Summer”

The new Porsche 911 is a refinement of a well

defined breed of sports car; the world’s most

successful no less. Offering more comfort and

even sharper responsiveness, the German flat-six

will spawn a seemingly endless number of

variations. Next up is the Cabriolet and whilst

Porsche took a tin opener to their new toy, they

added a few innovations at the same time.

So, here it is. The 2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet. Set to make its debut in Detroit during January, the car

features a new patented roof that uses a fabric-composite making it lighter and more resistant to the high

speed tortures of the 911. It takes just 11 seconds to transform the Cabriolet into alfresco motoring perfection

and the process can be completed on the move providing the car is traveling at under 37MPH.

Prices for the Carrera start at £79,947 and £89,740 for the Carrera S.

Expect to see these machines flaunting themselves come March.

2011 Car of the YearAwards

4X4 of the Year: 2011 Land Rover Defender

The Land Rover Defender, for decades, has been the ultimate off-roader. Made of sterner stuff than Margaret Thatcher, this army-bred brute with its changes made in 2011makes it a firm favorite. It is fantastic to see such a classic design beat the emissions regulations.

Hatchback of the Year: 2011 Ford Focus

The new generation Focus really impressed with its huge step-up in quality. It is more practical than ever and millions will find loving homes grateful for such a fantastic all-rounder.

Biggest Surprise of the Year: Hyundai i40 Tourer

Wow! We didn’t see the i40 coming. This car surprised us with its elegance, build quality and usability on long journeys. It is quite simply the best car that the Korean manufacturer has produced to date.

Performance Car of the Year: Ferrari 458 Spider

Not only is the Ferrari 458 Spider just as handsome as its coupe counterpart, but it sacrifices nothing in the performance department in becoming a convertible. With the V8 howl now even more audible, the prancing horse has done a fine job.

Concept Car of the Year: Alfa Romeo 4C

Pure Italian passion and style. The Alfa Romeo 4C Concept is gorgeous with its highly sculpted body and 1.7 litre turbocharged engine. Better yet, come 2013 it will enter production!

2011 Car of the Year: Porsche 911 Carrera S

Evolution. It occurs over millions of years. It is natures way of finding perfection in a world of organized chaos. Porsche over the decades have used the very same principle of natural selection to rebel against the conformity of the sports car world. No matter what anyone says, putting the engine in the boot is illogical. However, Porsche with their flag ship of the 911 have made it work and not only is the car of great success in the show room, it is also the most successful race car to ever have existed. It is the definitive sports car and the 997 rage was simply unrivaled in its efficient delivery of performance. At this point I would like to level with you... I am not the 911’s biggest fan. I like them, but I do not love them in the same way I adore an Aston Martin. They are fantastic machines but I feel that they lack the character and soul that the afore mentioned has. If a Porsche 911 were a guest at a party it would not dance on the tables, crack a questionable joke or vomit on the hosts cat. It would politely mention its occupation and spend the rest of the evening surveying the houses paintings. It is fantastically functional like a spoon and for that it is greatly appreciated, but it is not as memorable as struggling to use chopsticks in a chinese restaurant. But now their is an all-new 911 that claims to be only the third complete

reincarnation of the car. Can you teach a 48 year old dog new tricks?

This is the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S, though still unmistakably a 911, the cars further pronounced profile is rather handsome. In particular the rear with its broad hunches and aggressive detailing does tick the “pleasing to the eye” box. As always with Porsche, it is not a styling revolution but an evolution. That said, the cockpit is class leading in design and functionality. Our car fitted with Porsche’s optional PDK 7 speed gearbox had brilliant interior architecture with bold lines and fantastic attention to detail. Everything tangible has taken a real step up in terms of quality over its predecessor. The seats deserve particular admiration as the support they offer in every area is faultless. The cars boot has also increased slightly in capacity making an already practical car that little more helpful on a day to day basis. These are all great points about the new 991 911, but as someone once told me, “the only real way to experience a 911 is to drive one.”

The moment that its 3.8 litre flat-six is fired up a change in demeanor is instantly established. The burble of the car at idle is much deeper giving this 911 a hint of testosterone even whilst not in motion. But this best selling single turns into an album of greatest hits when you open taps! The sound this car produces is a really throaty progressive roar that is intoxicating. Hit sport plus and not only does it blip the throttle on downshifts, but the exhaust crackles and spits making short bursts of acceleration feverishly addictive. Clicking through the gears is effortless with millisecond changes taking place with the precision of a laser guided smart bomb. That said, leaving it in automatic unveils a new trait of the Porsche 911. Softening the suspension settings and quietening the car down transforms the dramatically involving machine into a luxurious grand tourer. No 911 before it has dialed out the road, tyre and engine noise better than this. It is a car you could cover vast distances in without even realizing. It has not taken anything away from the cars biblical performance, but it has added a new dynamic that the 991 911 is all the better for.

The steering may no longer be belt driven but the engineers for this car have created the most perfect balance of precision in its new electric system. It is sharp, well calibrated and still offers that all important feedback that true drivers crave. A byproduct of this is that the 997’s signature understeer has been eradicated. The carbon ceramic breaks in our test car were sublime bringing this 911 to a rapid halt from speed in mind boggling distances. You are never afraid to really push this car because you know you will always be able to stop. It encourages you to drive exuberantly with torque vectoring allowing for even more vigorous changes of direction.

This 911has almost left me speechless. The Germans have addressed everything that hindered the previous model. They have improved upon their formula for success by giving the car the ability to be tranquil, by giving it more definition, by giving it the latest performance tech. But better than all this, Porsche has given the 911 a soul.