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SMMT Test Day 2012

May 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Range Rover Evoque

The hill route - part of the Millbrook playground

With its miles of test track secreted away in the Bedfordshire countryside, Millbrook proving ground is a sight to behold for the fledgling motoring journalist.  As the venue for the SMMT’s annual test day, it’s also a playground where journos get the opportunity to drive a vast array of metal under one roof, so to speak.

Held on a balmy Thursday in May, the 2012 event was my first test day outing. The day began with a presentation by SMMT top bod Paul Everitt, after which several hundred assembled car scribblers poured out of Millbrook’s auditorium and onto the tarmac, to be met by a smorgasbord of four-wheeled temptation. With the morning mist rapidly burning off, test cars began trickling towards the legendary hill route – and with that I was off in search of my first drive. Hackneyed though it is, I can only wheel out the kid in a sweet shop cliche to describe the feeling. I know some came with a game plan, but I just hopped into anything I fancied.

It’s been going for a while, so most seasoned car scribblers take it in their stride, but for those of us who’ve not been in the game long, the SMMT Test day is, frankly – a bit of a treat. I drove cars back to back from 9am to 5pm, stopping only to refuel myself for lunch. That saw me get behind the wheel of around 20 different cars, exploring the limits with increasing cockiness on the hill route. Here’s a run down of some of my highlights.

Porsche 911 (991) Carrera Cabriolet PDK

First drive of the day and I made a beeline for the Porsche stand, bagging the keys to a vanilla 991 drop top. Thing about this one is it was my first go in a 991 – and having only driven the 996 3.6 Carrera iteration previously, my reference points were limited. Without jumping on the electric steering bandwagon, I found the topless 911 experience pretty memorable – thanks largely to a wonderfully vocal sports exhaust and that PDK ‘box. With every downchange accompanied by an intoxicating blip of flat six, a couple of laps of the hill route in the new 991 cab provided far more of a hit than Millbrook’s slightly tepid coffee. A good start to the day…

Porsche 991 Carrera Cabriolet PDK

First drive of the day - Porsche 991 Carrera Cabriolet PDK on the hill route

Jaguar XKR-S Cabriolet

Next stop Jaguar – and the XKR-S. The coupe is already out on track, so I’m thrown the keys to a burgundy cabriolet. And it’s just monstrous. Motoring clichés were invented for this car, which serves up a wonderfully uncouth 542bhp from its supercharged 5.0-litre V8. And it does it with all the quiet reserve of a Spitfire on fly-past. Aside from slightly disconcerting steering which at first feels a bit light, but then turns out to be quite talkative, the 542bhp XKR-S is a marvel of accelerative mischief. What throttle response. And that bassy, resonating bent-eight snarl – oh the noise. Yes, £103k is a touch heavy for a Jag, but I was smitten – and went back for seconds. I’d love to live with one of these on the road to see if it could cosset as well as thrill. Hello, Jaguar PR.

Jaguar XKR-S Cabriolet

Brutal - the Jaguar XKR-S Cabriolet

Mercedes – C63 AMG Coupe, SLS AMG Roadster, SLK 250 CDi

As a bit of a Benz obsessive, I stalked the Mercedes stand with conspicuous regularity throughout the day. Target number one was the C63 AMG Coupe – a 6.2-litre V8-engined brute, which looks rather apologetic and under-wheeled considering the certifiable lump of handbuilt madness lurking under its nose. Endowed with the 480bhp performance pack, Merc’s SMMT example embodied that intoxicating AMG recipe – engine-led, effortless performance, as loutish or civilised as you choose. Predictably, given it’s a V8 Merc, I absolutely loved it.

From hairy-chested hot rod to hairdresser’s car – next up was a slightly effete white SLK 250 CDi. To me, oil-burning roadsters sound conceptually unpalatable, the combination of fresh air and diesel particulates not being something I’ve ever fancied sampling. The reality is that the open-roofed diesel Merc makes a lot of sense – it steers pretty accurately, like most current Mercedes fare – and despite betraying a penchant for the black stuff with some clatter at idle, the 2.1-litre 200bhp diesel version is quite appealing as an ownership proposition – if you buy into the SLK image. A claimed 56mpg, in conjunction with 500NM of torque lends it really strong cred as an all-rounder too. Punchy and agile, I’m not sure why anyone would opt for the pricier petrol SLK 250 over this – aside from the slightly reluctant throttle response of the oil-burner. Otherwise, the SLK 250 CDi is of its genre, a convincing effort.

Mercedes SLK 250 CDI

Mercedes SLK 250 CDI - the frugal hairdressers choice?

Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster

Over before it had begun - the SLS AMG Roadster

And the SLS AMG Roadster? There was a long wait for that one and it was restricted to the high speed bowl only – so beyond a furious blast of right pedal up to the spoilsport 100mph limit imposed by Millbrook, it was all over too quickly. That evocative F1 safety car snarl did make the wait a touch more worthwhile though. On to the next one…

Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible ISR

Yes, there’s a theme emerging – I did go after the more tasty and exotic stuff first. And possibly the most exotic of the day was my 1pm date with the Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible Ice Speed Record. A bit of a mouthful, and at 640bhp and £190k, the vital numbers are pretty arresting. So too is the sight of this leviathan from Crewe, particularly when festooned with the contrasting red wheels and graphics of the Mulliner pack equipped test car. You can get away with gaudy stickers on a GT3 – but on a gentleman’s express like the Conti? I’m not so sure.

The ISR, a special edition built to celebrate rally champion Juha Kankunnen’s 205mph ice speed record, is a beautifully crafted, gorgeous thing to sit in – particularly with its distinctive red carbon fibre weave which adorns the dash. Discreet Naim audio logos on the door speakers and beautifully trimmed quilted leather also appeal. Sadly, given traffic levels out on track when I drive the ISR, it’s not possible to explore the performance envelope of this 2.4-tonne Bentley on the tight hill route, and the high speed bowl is closed, so I meander back to Bentley base and hand the keys back feeling a touch deflated.

Bentley Continental Supersports ISR

Throwing 2.4 tonnes of Bentley Continental Supersports ISR around the hill route

Subaru BRZ

Very much a car of the moment, this – and not surprisingly the queue for Subaru’s new kid on the block was a long one. When I finally bag the keys to the squat little coupe, late in the afternoon, I have to concur with some of the sentiment coming out of the established motoring press. I end up wringing its neck around the hill route, and the chassis is clearly tremendously biddable and well wrought. But the elephant in the room makes itself known pretty soon. No two ways about it – 197bhp just doesn’t feel like enough. I love the direct steering, I love the inherent balance and unfiltered purity of the driving experience – but it’s like the original ’96 2.5 Boxster – crying out for more power to fulfil its potential. Surely a light pressure turbo and about 40 more horses is what the BRZ needs.

Subaru BRZ

The much-hyped Subaru BRZ - does it deliver?

BMW 116D EfficientDynamics

A bit of a wildcard this one – I went in search of the new 640D Gran Coupe – BMW’s CLS rival. I came away with the keys to an uber-frugal white 116 diesel – not the raw deal you might think. BMW’s most parsimonious diesel 1-series makes obvious sense to company car drivers, with 73mpg capability and tax-friendly sub-99g/km emissions (the only Beemer under the zero road tax threshold) – but it’s a genuinely good drive too. Slightly lower suspension which helps cut emissions over the standard 116D lends it a firmer ride, and thanks to the accurate, snappy six-speed ‘box you can make the most of the 2-litre engine’s modest 114bhp. Body control on the hill route was also great and it felt entertaining when pushed, the eco tyres providing a degree of slip when provoked. Proving to be one of the surprises of the day, I wouldn’t feel short-changed if had to choose one of these as corporate wheels. But it’s not a car I’d want to glance wistfully out of the office window at -  it’s growing on me, a little, but there’s still hints of Amazonian sloth about that front end.

BMW 116D EfficientDynamics

BMW 116D EfficientDynamics - frugal, fun - just don't look at its face

Suzuki Swift Sport

This one has to get a special mention. After a couple of laps of the hill route, I handed back the keys to most of the cars I tried – with limited time to play I wanted to drive as much as possible. But one of the exceptions was that diminutive nugget of Japo-fun that is the Swift Sport. So much did it engage me on the twisty hill circuit that I went back for a third lap – sorry Suzuki PR people. A modest 136bhp means it isn’t especially swift at 8.7 seconds to 60mph, but it makes the business of thrashing it and wringing out every last drop of performance, an absolute hoot. From the keen turn-in and direct steering, to the short-throw ‘box, it’s just so – *cliche warning* – effervescent. And it doesn’t feel like the plasticky buzz-box you might expect. This is a fine handling, beautifully un-pretentious warm hatch. Another surprise – less is definitely more sometimes.

Suzuki Swift Sport

Suzuki Swift Sport - simple unpretentious fun

The ones that got away…

There patently wasn’t enough time to get behind the wheel of everything on display. Here’s a few that I wanted to sample but which will have to remain on the to do list, for now. Unless any friendly PRs are reading this and want to chuck some keys my way?…

BMW 640D Gran Coupe

Bentley Continental GT V8

Mazda MX-5

Renault Megane Renaultsport 265

Mini John Cooper Works Coupe

Mazda CX-5

Kia Cee’d

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Chevrolet Aveo 2012: First Drive

January 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

What is it?

Emphatically not a Daewoo hand-me-down this time, unlike the 2008 original. The all-new 2012 Chevrolet Aveo is GM’s budget B-segment contender, based on the latest ‘Gamma II’ platform that’ll underpin the next generation Corsa.

As a five-door supermini priced between £9,995 and £13,615, its wheels are planted firmly in the budget sector. That’ll see it do battle with the five-door Hyundai i20, Suzuki Swift and Kia Rio – although the latter’s pricing is a bit more Waitrose than Aldi these days.

New Chevrolet Aveo 2012

Chevrolet's purposeful budget supermini starts at £9,995

What’s it like in five words?

Game, agile, good value. Surprising.

The 2012 Aveo in more detail

Outside: To look at, the Aveo is a pleasingly sculpted small hatchback. It’s a touch rakish, and as Chevrolet is keen to stress, purposeful. The crease stretching along the flanks to meet the hidden rear door handles, along with an aggressive, twin-headlamped nose, make the 2012 Aveo look like it’s up for it. ‘It’ being a good thrash.

There’s a but. Contrivance in some of the exterior detailing jars – for example, the exposed headlights, which feature chrome-effect bezels inspired by motorcycle headlights, look unfinished. It’s the same story at the back, where naked tail lights have that slightly Halfords, aftermarket look going on.

Then there’s the squiffy front badge which appears to have slipped off the grille onto the bumper crossbar. But, credit where it’s due– the Aveo is still a coherent, well resolved piece of design.

2012 Chevrolet Aveo

Exposed tail lights look a bit aftermarket

Inside: Sporadic wackiness continues into the cabin, which features a motorcyle-inspired instrument pod and digital speedo ensemble, the effect being part Knightrider, part despatch rider. Elsewhere, switchgear is borrowed from the Astra and Insignia – no bad thing – whilst different shades of textured materials on the dash and door cards break up the large expanses of plastic.

The Aveo’s trim quality isn’t going to win any awards for tactility, but it feels tightly screwed together and remained rattle-free over some very scarred Cotswolds tarmac. At this price point it’s good enough, but Polo-like perceived quality and soft-touch plastics don’t figure in the Aveo’s budget remit.

If the Aveo scores a pass for quality, it deserves a distinction for its roomy cabin. There’s ample headroom on offer in the front for taller drivers – lanky supermini buyers need look no further. Oddment stowage opportunities also abound, with twin glove boxes, various dashboard cubbys and under-seat trays providing plenty of space for mobiles, Marlboros and the like.

In the back, it’s not quite as spacious, but there’s enough legroom for carrying averagely-proportioned adults on shorter journeys without risking cattle-class syndrome. The rising window-line and hefty C-pillar do make it feel a touch claustrophobic though. Boot capacity is pretty much bang on for the class, at 290 litres with the seats up.

2012 Chevrolet Aveo interior

Roomy interior, but motorcycle-themed instrument pod is contrived

Chevy Aveo – Price, Equipment & Safety

Three trim levels, four engines and two transmissions are on the menu for Aveo buyers. It’s well-equipped across the board, with even the base 1.2 LS petrol getting air-con, CD stereo, electric front windows, and unusually at this level, cruise control as standard. The lengthy standard kit list is one of its strongest suits – similarly equipped Fiestas and Corsas are substantially less wallet-friendly.

With a price tag of just under the magic £10k mark, the entry-level Aveo 1.2 LS undercuts Hyundai’s equivalent i20 by £400, whilst a comparable Fiesta would be £1600 dearer, at list price. Moving up to the LT gets you Bluetooth, USB music port, steering wheel audio controls and 15-inch alloys – for another grand. But the pinnacle of Aveo-flavoured luxury is the LTZ, which adds rear parking sensors, auto headlights and front fog lamps to the spec sheet. Forget the top spec model though, the Aveo is amply-specced lower down the range.

2012 Chevrolet Aveo engine

1.2 petrol is a better bet than the thrashier 1.4 unit

Which is the one to have?

Plump for the priciest 94bhp LTZ 1.3 diesel and it’ll set you back £13,615, but the sweet spots in the range are the LT-spec 1.2 petrol, and 94bhp 1.3 diesel Eco models, which come in at £10,995 and £12,795 respectively. Shave those price tags a touch using an internet broker and the case for an Aveo gets stronger.

Safety-wise, all get six airbags, the mandatory ESP and an energy absorbing front bumper for enhanced pedestrian protection.

New Chevrolet Aveo: how does it drive?

Not badly at all, actually. On a mix of sweeping A-roads and tight B-roads around the Cotswolds launch route, the Aveo is pretty game when pushed. It’s not the last word in dynamic finesse, but the ride and damping are well enough resolved to satisfy spirited drivers. Through tighter corners, the steering is accurate enough to place the car with confidence, but it’s devoid of feel, whilst a slightly artificial centring effect around the straight-ahead position betrays the electric system fitted to 1.2 and 1.3 variants.

Chevrolet claims the handling has been tuned for European tastes, and aside from pronounced body-roll when you’re really ‘on one’, the Aveo feels sure-footed and keen. Its engineers worked overtime to tweak the refinement and sound deadening too, which means wind and road noise are relatively well suppressed at lower speeds over a variety of surfaces. Nudge the national limit and it’s appreciably less refined than the best though.

2012 Chevrolet Aveo road test

The junior Chevy rolls a bit when pushed, but handles tidily

If you’re going to have a petrol – the 85bhp 1.2-litre unit is a better bet than the 1.4, thanks to a sweeter, slightly less raucous nature than the bigger engine. Okay, the performance won’t set your pants on fire at this level, but winding up the 1.2 feels easier, and it’s happier to be thrashed whilst feeling less harsh than the 1.4. The drop off in performance feels negligible out on the road and a claimed 60.9mpg on the combined cycle betters the larger Ecotec motor. But ultimately, there’s not much in the locker power-wise – so overtaking needs to be planned with military precision.

For higher mileage users and die-hard diesel fans, the 94bhp 1.3 VCDi Eco model is where the smart money should go. With CO2 emissions of 95g/km, it dips under the road tax radar, whilst BoJo can’t mug you for driving into the capital. Standard stop-start helps it nudge 78mpg on the combined cycle, and as you’d expect from an oil-fired supermini it’s a gutsier (if noisier) companion for attacking steep inclines, once the lion’s share of torque arrives above 1750rpm.

The plannet-hugging Eco is also nearly a second quicker to 62mph than the identically powered non-Eco diesel model, thanks to a five-speed ‘box which enables it to pass the benchmark figure in second. As for the ‘box itself – it’s a reasonably smooth cog-swapper, but rush it and you risk grabbing the wrong gear – it’s not quite accurate enough to be rifled around the gate by your average hire car nutter.

Verdict – is the 2012 Chevrolet Aveo a good buy?

Dismissing the Aveo as airport hire car fodder does it a bit of a disservice. Not that the thought of torturing one on a winding road in Southern Spain doesn’t appeal – thanks to the Aveo’s stiff chassis and Eurocentric handling bias, it’s capable enough on the right road.

But the hand it plays best is the unpretentious budget supermini – and at the price point it’s a fairly good contender. Spend some time in the Aveo and a broader skill-set emerges – it’s well-equipped, roomy, good value and with a five-year warranty, carries obvious appeal as an ownership proposition.

Whether its talents shine brightly enough to shake off the re-badged Daewoo image and tempt Fiesta/Corsa buyers into Chevrolet showrooms is moot, but it deserves more than a passing glance.

Overall: √√√

For: High equipment count, sweet handling, good value

Against: Some detailing looks cheap, rivals are more refined

Pick of the range: 1.2 LT Petrol @ £10,995

2012 Aveo – Performance & Economy

1.2 85bhp: 0-62 13.6, CO2 111g/km, 60.9mpg

1.4 100bhp: 0-62 12.2, CO2 125g/km, 53.3mpg

1.3D 74bhp: 0-62 14.0, CO2 99g/km, 74.3mpg

1.3D 94bhp: 0-62 12.6, CO2 108g/km, 68.9mpg

1.3D Eco 94bhp: 0-62 11.7, CO2 95g/km, 78.4mpg

New Chevrolet Aveo picture gallery

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Low Voltage

November 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Is the £5k electric car grant enough to stimulate sales, or are the batteries running out for the electric car movement?

You could be forgiven for thinking the electric car buzz has been a bit quiet of late. That’s perhaps because, like the cars themselves, the sales figures haven’t been making much noise on the showroom floor.

So what’s going on? Well, let’s look at where we are first. The tuts about CO2 emissions from the anti-car and environmental lobby have been getting louder for years, but instead of doggedly clinging onto internal combustion, the car companies have actually done something about it. And they’ve done more than just tinkering around the edges with one-off tomorrow’s world concept stuff.

Nissan, for example, has sunk around four billion Euros along with sister company Renault, into developing a range of pure electric vehicles (‘EVs’) which will be on sale over the next two years. BMW is also on track to release a range of pure and hybrid electric vehicles under the ‘i’ sub-brand, starting with the rear wheel-drive i3 hatchback in 2013. Volvo, too is waiting in the wings with an electric C30, complete with bio-ethanol passenger heating. The inertia, then, isn’t coming from manufacturers it would seem.

Neither is it down to the cars themselves – they work. First out of the blocks was Nissan’s LEAF, the first bespoke, ground-up pure electric vehicle to enter mass-production. And that car has seemingly done the unthinkable – won the respect of car journalists the world over, not to mention the accolade of European Car of the Year 2011. It’s even got the Hollywood set clambering to bask in the glow of its eco-glory, snatching Toyota’s Prius-shaped halo. So it’s good, and it works….in theory.

Nissan Leaf

Nissan's LEAF is good, but the infrastructure needs to catch up

Like any technology new to the mass-market, even more so one that demands a sea-change in consumer behaviour, it will only thrive if it’s a compelling alternative to the status quo. For the electric car movement to gain traction it needs more than positive reviews and a handful of early adopters to stoke up the fires. It needs the right political and socio-economic environment. The government expects to see thousands of electric vehicles on UK roads by 2015, but judging by the early signs, the EV movement is still struggling to get out of first gear.

Yet it’s not for lack of government interest – there are plenty of civil servants working in Whitehall producing white papers and strategising about how to wean the British public off their addiction to suck-squeeze-bang-blow. Even in this era of never-ending belt tightening they have put their money where their mouth is and dug into the nation’s piggy bank, by subsidising the EV movement with the plug-in electric car grant.

Under the scheme, administered by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (‘OLEV’), buyers of qualifying electric, and plug-in hybrids are eligible for a grant of 25%, or a maximum of £5,000 towards their purchase. A quick browse through the list prices of the current crop of electric vehicles reinforces just why this grant is needed – EVs are expensive.

Despite Nissan making a very good fist of it with the LEAF, they shifted less than 350 units in the UK in the first half of 2011. And it really is a good car, but that’s not enough to make people sit up and take electric cars seriously. There’s no escaping from the fact that it’s a deeply compromised Golf-sized hatchback with a list price of £25,990 – after the £5k grant has been deducted. Or, to put it another way, around £10,000 more than a conventionally-powered alternative.

The government has thrown other sweeteners into the mix – EVs don’t need that pricey little paper disc in the windscreen, and they can swan about the capital without having to pay Boris for the privilege. The fleet market is another interesting avenue – electric cars attract zero benefit-in-kind tax, making them effectively free for company car drivers.

Yet none of these incentives have put enough feet on showroom floors. When the grant was given the green light in 2010, manufacturers clambered to get their EVs ready for launch, whilst the SMMT gamely predicted sales of 8,500 in 2011. But the latest available figures from the OLEV show that only 680 plug-in car grants were taken up in the first half of 2011. That’s a take-up of just £3.4 million out of a total pot of £43 million which the government has pledged, until it reviews the funding in spring next year. Evidently, the £5,000 plug-in grant is vital to stimulate sales of overpriced electric cars, but there is an elephant in the room.

It’s more of a small herd of elephants, actually. The big one is range-anxiety. It doesn’t matter that the majority of British motorists’ journeys are less than 25 miles, because there just aren’t enough charging points by half. Think about the ‘practicalities’ of owning an electric car with a typical range of 90-110 miles (on a full charge). If you’ve plugged your EV into the national grid overnight – assuming you don’t live in a congested urban area where you have to park on the street – and want to travel to see a friend who lives, say 40 miles away, you’ll need somewhere to plug in when you get there. And you might need to outstay your welcome to allow for the typical 10-12 hour charging time, unless your chum has a fast-charge point installed at their home. You could, of course just choose to be friends with other electric car drivers who have fast-charge points. Or you could decide, like many people, that owning one of these ground-breakers is too much hassle by far.

Energy Secretary Chris Huhne may have stated the government wants to install 9,000 charging points across the country by 2013, but they haven’t really scratched the surface yet. A recent BBC report revealed that only 704 out of the 4,700 public charging points expected to be installed by the end of this year, are in place. In the same report it was revealed that two-thirds of towns with a population over 150,000 have no charging infrastructure at all. So it’s not hard to see why they aren’t selling. It’s a useful thing to be able to insulate yourself from oil price rises, but financial savings and good eco-intentions don’t help much if you run out of juice at the road-side.

The glacial roll-out of a proper charging infrastructure is, in part down to the failure to agree a common standard for pan-European EV plugs and charging sockets. This means many governments and local authorities are holding off on investing in new charging infrastructure until the standard is resolved. It’s a situation which looks likely to short-circuit electric vehicle sales unless it is sorted out quickly. According to the European Auto Manufacturers’ Association (‘ACEA’), that may not happen until 2017 – by which time the government optimistically hopes several hundred thousand EVs will be gliding serenely up and down our nation’s highways.

At the moment, choosing to buy an electric car because the government pay £5k towards it is a bit like buying an overpriced new-build house just because the builder pays the stamp duty. It’s the bigger picture you need to think about, and at the moment, EVs just don’t make sense to the end-user. Plug-in hybrids and range extenders would seem a far more palatable way of tempting customers away from conventionally-powered cars. Take the Vauxhall Ampera for example, which combines a 74bhp petrol engine with a 148bhp electric motor to provide a 311-mile range and a claimed 175mpg. Despite not being a pure EV, it will qualify for the plug-in car grant when it hits showrooms in 2012. Perhaps manufacturers need be pouring their R&D funds into more saleable cars that don’t force owners into a white-knuckle ride of range-indicator roulette every time they get behind the wheel.

The technology required to make cars like the LEAF go 100 miles purely on electricity, is very expensive, and there remains a big question mark over long-term battery life. Nissan claims the Lithium-ion batteries will last up to ten years, but also states there will be a gradual loss in capacity of up to 30% depending on driving style. Tellingly though, they only warrant the LEAF’s battery for five years or 60,000 miles, so resale values could be hit hard as cars reach their five-year anniversary. Oh, and a LEAF battery costs £8,000 to replace.

Such thoughts are possibly cold comfort to Nissan, Mitsubishi and other pioneers who may begin to rue the day they were so keen to be first to market with pure EVs. The stark reality is that the whole EV movement is running on trickle charge at the moment, just about alive. Unless the infrastructure catches up fast, the batteries might just run out.

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Eagle E-type – perfecting a flawed icon

February 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Pictures: James Lipman

Eagle E-type magazine feature

If you put Enzo Ferrari, Michael Flatley and Martin Brundle in a room together, what would they have in common? For the avoidance of confusion, this is not a continental variation on the Englishman, Irishman, Scotsman scenario. No, they would all be talking about E-type Jaguars, believe it or not. Mr. Riverdance and the former F1 driver-cum-pundit, are customers of Sussex based E-type specialists Eagle, and ardent enthusiasts of a modern take on the original icon. Meanwhile, the late Ferrari founder proclaimed the original E-type to be the most beautiful car in the world in 1961, some accolade considering the sculptures which have left Maranello’s hallowed gates.

The Eagle E-type roadster

Eagle E-type roadster - indistinguishable externally from the original

Fast forward fifty years and the E-Type remains an unutterably beautiful, iconic shape. If English Heritage could preserve cars like they do listed buildings, it would be unlikely that anyone could do anything more adventurous than wipe an oily rag over an E-type. Yet whilst it may have been and still is, a jaw-dropping sight, it is not by modern standards a great drive. This is where the expertise of E-type gurus, Eagle comes in.

Eagle walks on dangerous ground, as not only does it restore, but it modifies the original 60’s sports car. As is the way in the classic car world, originality is a treasured commodity and restoration is normally just that – painstakingly bringing a car back to how it was when it rolled off the production line, staying faithful to every nut, bolt and foible. And there is the operative word, foible.

A baulking, noisy Moss gearbox and brakes which worked when they felt like it, as opposed to when you wanted to slow down, were two of the idiosyncrasies of the original E-type driving experience. Headlights which struggled to illuminate anything beyond the end of the bonnet, let alone light the road ahead, were another. Why not improve on it then? Technology has moved on a bit in 50 years, which is why the Eagle approach is such an appealing one – taking an icon, retaining the character but making it safer, more powerful, more reliable, and crucially, more usable.

Eagle E-type

Power upgrades along with totally re-engineered handling and ride make for a modern driving E-type

Proprietor Henry Pearman believes the Eagle USP comes from being able to offer fully restored cars whilst ‘dialling out the worry’ for those that would love to own a classic, but are petrified of owning an old car. They have been working exclusively on E-Types for nearly 30 years, meaning they should know a thing or two about them. So, how does Eagle improve on a flawed icon?

In pretty much every way apart from the looks, is the answer. Bespoke is the nature of the Eagle approach, meaning there are endless permutations of specs and upgrades available, limited only by the size of your wallet. What is common to all Eagle E-types is a breathtakingly thorough approach to the rebuild. A full commission can take up to 4,200 man hours or 18 months, bringing new meaning to the ‘nut and bolt’ restoration cliché.

And if you commission an Eagle, it will upgrade the nuts and bolts to stainless steel items should you so wish. Starting with the body and chassis structure, Eagle addresses the corrosion-prone original areas with wax cavity injections to prevent future corrosion, and fits new braced and reinforced chassis frames. The result is the production of what is essentially a ‘new’ monocoque structure with considerably more torsional rigidity. Subtle modifications can also be made, such as reshaping the lower front valance to reduce ‘nose lift’ at speed. However, Eagle is keen to stress that none of the modifications carried out ever dilute the unique spirit of the original, and even to the trained eye an Eagle is virtually identical to the standard E-type.

This faithfulness to the original car means that, should you want to install a modern Jaguar V8 unit, you will be politely told it is not on the cards. But whilst they work within their own strict parameters, there is still enormous scope to refine the original concept. Eagle can re-engineer the XK engine to 4.7 litres, by taking an original 4.2 block, and adding a bespoke billet crankshaft and reworked head with special cylinder liners to increase capacity. They quote a ‘useful’ power increase to around 300bhp, but the increase in pulling power to well over 300lb.ft of torque is what would grab your attention in real world conditions. Compare this to the original 1964 S1 4.2 E-type which mustered 265bhp and 283lb.ft, and you begin to understand there is less likelihood of being embarrassed by a modern hot hatch. These are approximate figures though – given the various options available no two engines will produce identical figures. Exact power output depends on variable criteria such as porting, valve size, induction system, sequential fuel injection/ carburettors, and ECU spec. You can also choose an aluminium engine block to save weight.

Eagle E-type in build

Eagle commissions can take up to 4,200 man hours to build, dependent on spec

As much for the sake of design purity as to satisfy the classic car beards out there, all the options result in a visually identical engine. Although, if you opt for the ram-air intake system and carbon fibre plenum, you are likely to spot the difference if you glance under the mile-long bonnet. It’d be hard not to take a peek now and then – the shiny XK straight-six is almost as good looking as the car itself.

Beyond the engine, a number of key dynamic changes pull the E-type into the 21st century to make it a credible alternative for those on the horns of that Ferrari/ Lamborghini/ Aston Martin dilemma. Not least of which are the brakes. Tweaking a 50 year-old design to well over 300bhp would be somewhat cavalier if they didn’t uprate the stopping power. The Kelsey Hayes vacuum servo and Dunlop discs of the original E-type were not the sharpest tools, slowing down from low speeds being a hit-and-miss affair. So, to prevent you creasing six-figures worth of classic Jag, Eagle can equip your ‘E’ with 4-pot AP Racing calipers, drilled and vented discs, high-power brake servos and braided steel hoses to provide more effective stopping power.

Steering and suspension too, can be enhanced in stages. Revised springs, dampers, torsion and anti-roll bars are available to make the car more sure-footed through corners. You can go even further to refine the handling, with rose-jointed suspension arms and polyurethane bushes both on the options menu. In conjunction with the suspension upgrades, modifications such as speed sensitive power steering (mapped to the ECU), and a high ratio steering pinion make the E-type a much sharper tool than when it rolled out of Browns Lane. Likewise the gearbox, which can be upgraded to Eagle’s all-synchromesh five-speed unit, coupled to an AP clutch. Surely a good choice if you aren’t keen on spoiling the ambience by crunching the noisy old four-speed ‘box.

Eagle showrooms

The Eagle showrooms, based in Sussex

Driving a classic car is often about compromise, and putting shortcomings down to that old chestnut – ‘character’. Nowhere does a classic car manifest itself as a compromise more obviously than on a hot summer’s day. Having to prise exposed flesh off hot leather seats may give you the authentic period experience, but it’s best left in the 60’s. As you might expect, Eagle can engineer an air conditioning system into the E-type to get around this little gripe. Other ‘comfort’ options include custom reclining sports seats, high output halogen headlamps and bespoke audio systems complete with retro-look CD player, iPod connectivity, and component speakers installed behind the original grilles.

If you are beginning to marvel at the thought of an E-type that can rival much more modern and predictable machinery, you may want to know what they cost. Unless you subscribe to the ‘if you have to ask you can’t afford it’ school of thought, you might be disappointed. Eagle are discreet about prices, citing a loyal client base and the completely bespoke nature of each build as the primary reasons for not publishing them. The other salient point is that you cannot turn up in your own car and ask for the Eagle upgrades to be applied to it. To gain access to the various enhancements, the starting point has to be an original E-type from Eagle stock. Should you decide to turn it into an Eagle E-type, there are four upgrade stages to choose from – Classic, GT, Sport and SuperSport – all with varying degrees of engine and handling enhancements. Pearman quotes the Classic and GT packages at around £10,000 + VAT in addition to the cost of an E-type from stock. To give you an idea of the whole picture, a 1970 Series 2 4.2 Roadster, upgraded to ‘Sport’ specification, comes in at £145,000. But, you can go much, much further than that and a quick glance at Eagle’s website reveals a Series 1 Roadster up for sale at £295,000. But, what price exclusivity?

When you are well into six figure territory, the burning question is why not a Zonda or an Aston? Amongst other compelling reasons, Pearman cites the character and the driving experience, along with the friendly response from other road users. And it’s true, you can’t imagine white van man flicking the ‘V’ sign to one of these, it would be an insult to a national treasure, and about as tasteful as ringing up Andrew Sachs and questioning the virtue of his grand-daughter.

Just picture that hackneyed, archetypal British summertime scene; you roll up to a pub in a sports car, plenty of spectators outside chewing the cud. Now imagine making your entrance in another piece of exotica you can buy for around £150k, let’s say a Ferrari 599 GTB. You can almost hear the resentful whispers – ‘flash git’, they murmer. Then imagine the same entrance, this time in an exquisitely restored classic British sports car, with looks that would melt the most hardened car-hater into submission. Which one would you rather arrive in?

Nevermind the palpable sense of cool this car has, it could also make more financial sense to choose the old-timer, Eagle claiming that depreciation can be far less savage than modern exotica. But really, it’s the hand-built nature of the thing that draws you in. Moreover, the craftsmanship that goes into the 4,200 hour build puts it on a different plain to contemporary ‘rivals’. To quote a certain celtic dance legend whose feet move as if possessed of independent thought, “this is not from some production line – this is a truly hand built car; it’s the real deal”.

Thanks to: Henry Pearman & Paul Brace of Eagle GB, (01825) 830966.

Photos by James Lipman (may not be reproduced without the express permission of James Lipman and Eagle)

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Aston Martin – too cool for school?

January 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

‘Cool’. It’s a perilously naff accolade in the wrong hands. I’m not sure there are any reliable yardsticks by which to judge whether something, or someone is ‘cool’, but there is one unavoidable truth. Yes, the first rule of cool club, is that if you think you are cool, you invariably aren’t. You may once have been afforded a mystique of stylish, aloof desirability, but as soon as a vacuous opinion-forming focus group labels you as such, you’ve lost it. Cool is an intangible, ethereal concept which dissolves very quickly when you begin trying to define it.

Secret agents, pictured with an Aston Martin Rapide

Which brings me neatly onto the topic of the day, Aston Martin. In September 2010, a panel of 35 experts, including paragons of coolness Sadie Frost and Tinie Tempah, bestowed the title of ‘UK’s coolest brand’ on Aston Martin, just ahead of the iPhone. It’s the fourth time Aston have won the award and recent marketing activity seems to suggest the ‘cool’ thing may be going to their heads. If the tone of this column seems a little frosty towards Aston, it’s not meant to. No, any vitriol gets levelled firmly at the door of influential thinktank, the CoolBrands Council, who compiled the list. And the bods in charge of advertising at Aston, who jumped on the honour with all the subtlety of an embarrassing parent on school sports day.

The argument here is that this 100 year-old bastion of British espionage, doesn’t really need much help with it’s image. Although it would be fair to say that certain small details occasionally detract from Aston’s innate desirability. For instance, Wayne Rooney has a Vanquish. And just the other day as I filled up with petrol, a chap who appeared to be comfortably into the autumn of his life, rolled up to the forecourt in a DB9. Nothing wrong with that in itself. But what made it irksome was the registration number doctored to look like ’007′ , and the manner in which he conspicuously glanced around to see who had clocked him and his Bond-mobile. In terms of coolness, that’s up there with drink-driving.

Too cool for school

Look at the cars they are building. Vantage, DB9, DBS, the Rapide – they are all, without exception, things to behold, and they have that most quintessentially British of badges adorning their bonnets. I also understand they are not unpleasant machines to wield down alpine passes or for sauntering around the Côte D’Azur. Aston Martins are immensely desirable and covetable cars, from a company with decades of heritage and enviable brand credibility. Yet now the marketing department have donned their thick-rimmed glasses, got on to some bean bags and had an ‘ideas shower’, they’ve decided to tell the world something they already know; that Aston Martins are cool. And now, they are driven by ‘cool’ people.

Maybe the writing was already on the wall, or in fact, dashboard when the cars began proclaiming ‘power, beauty, soul’ on start-up. Then there is the jewel-like key, which wouldn’t be a problem had it not been dubbed an ’Emotional Control Unit’. By far the worst offender though, is Aston’s latest internet video campaign which is intended to bring the Rapide to a wider audience. It may just do that, but not for the right reasons, as it is horribly, squirmingly bad. Entitled ‘True Power Should be Shared’, it centres around four ‘special agents’ attempting to deliver a precious cargo, time, to a mystery recipient. With a forced and uncomfortable dialogue that will be familar to anyone who has seen the 80′s yachtie soap, ’Howard’s Way’, it appears to be acted by a group of recruitment consultants on a team-building exercise. If there is a more effective way of squandering brand credibility, I hope that Aston don’t hear about it, because I fear it would be the end of them.

You only have to look at the series of short BMW films featuring Clive Owen which appeared about seven years ago, showing that ‘cool’ can work – in the hands of a series of talented film directors, stunt drivers, good actors, and Madonna. At the rate Aston are going, I worry that the next Bond car will, in fact be German, again.

For those who are curious, here’s part one of the ‘True Power Should be Shared’ series. Hit or miss? Watch and decide for yourself:

UPDATE!!

If you survived part one without voluntarily placing your head in a vice, part two of Aston Martin’s marketing masterstroke, is available below, for your viewing (dis)pleasure.

The action picks up where it left off, with the four recruitment consultants expertly threading the Rapide along demanding straight roads and through sinister looking tunnels. The soundtrack is charmingly overlaid with gratuitous throttle crescendos that bear no discernable relationship to the cautiously piloted Aston. And, in what looks to be a low-budget re-make of BBC spy drama, ‘Spooks’, the action cuts to secret agent MB randomly tapping a keyboard whilst staring vacantly at a 90′s screensaver animation. Sporting a fetching beret which conspires to give her an air of Parisian street artist, mixed with fake secret agent, we are then treated to a flashback of how she expertly assembled a crack team of half-wits. Before I spoil the rest of the action, watch it below:

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Sold in 60 Seconds

December 11, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Click link to see magazine feature.

Car auctions. Exhaust fume-ridden haunts of the shady car dealer, right? Not necessarily. If you’ve ever bought a used performance or prestige car, it’s likely your hunting ground would have been classified ads on the likes of Pistonheads or Autotrader, and assuming you aren’t salesman-averse, the dealer forecourt. Buying a top end car from auction means leaving most of your sensible buyer intincts at home. So is it worth it?

BCA's Top Car auctions feature a diverse range of metal

To an auction virgin, mixing with the likes of hardened traders brandishing CAP guides and Arthur Daleyisms, it can be off-putting. Buying under the hammer is a calculated risk when you are spending four figures, but when you are parting with serious wedge, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s foolhardy. Actually it isn’t as stupid an idea as it sounds, but you may still require unfeasibly large cojones to go through with it.

One of several GT-Rs on offer, this had less than 2k on the clock

There is one blindingly obvious reason for throwing your buyers’ comfort zone out of the window – price. In return for shouldering a load of risk you can often save yourself thousands. But if you do choose the auction route, be prepared to dip your hand into an automotive tombola. You may go along with a particular car in mind, but come away with something entirely different, the only limiting factor being your wallet, and your willpower.

To test this theory, I went along to November’s ‘Top Car’ auction, at BCA’s Nottingham branch to nosey at some of the precious metal going under the hammer. As Europe’s largest vehicle auction group, British Car Auctions handle a substantial amount of high-end machinery from a variety of sources, the majority of them finance and leasing companies. When I visited, the auction hall was crammed with a smörgâsbord of exotica. Ferraris, Porsches, Bentleys, Astons, Jags, and to be honest anything the trade might call ‘a bit tasty’.

How about a ’98 Ferrari 550 Maranello in Grigio Titanio? In 1998 the flagship prancing horse would have been £144k in ‘basic’ spec. Some 12 years and 35k miles on, owner number one got bored and chopped it in at a Bentley dealer, so there it was, looking forgotten in a corner of the auction hall. It reached £32,800 – not much for a fully historied, one owner V12 Fezzer – and a useful saving over the retail ‘book’ value of £40,250. If you are of a more patriotic leaning, then an 8k mile 2007 ’07 Aston V8 Vantage Roadster, which looked fresh out of the box was staggering value at £51k, compared to a retail price of £61k. Just be thankful you didn’t part with £94k for the privilege of being the first name on the V5. There was more eclectic metal on offer too – a 55 plate Alpina B5 V8S made a paltry £18k, compared to £62k new. Meanwhile at the ‘budget’ end, an E39 BMW M5 on a ’99 V plate struggled to reach £4,500 against a retail book value of £9.5k. Word of warning though, not all auction buys are the conspicuous bargains you would expect. A grossly un-PC 2008 Hummer made £31k, against its book retail value of £30k. One of a brace of F430s on offer also made a silly £10k north of the retail value, which makes no sense at all.

Ferrari 550 with 35k miles made £32k against a retail value of £40k

If this has whetted your appetite and you are thinking of going the auction route, you can make it less of a leap into the unknown by doing a bit of groundwork before you get there. BCA publish catalogues online, complete with vehicle descriptions that include more info than ever before. You can see pictures, check the MOT expiry (assuming it has one), whether it has service history and when it was last serviced, along with mileage (and whether they are ‘warranting’ it as correct). You can also download a condition report which grades the car on a scale of one to five according to what kind of state it is in, one being a minter, five bringing new meaning to the word used. The condition of auction lots will always be declared, and the majority sold ‘without major mechanical faults’. In the event something has a dubious past, the catalogue description or the auctioneer will make it known, so HPI checks aren’t needed.

And when you get there – be ready. Cars are pushed through the hall in a fast and furious manner. About 3 minutes before it gets driven in front of the rostrum your target will be unlocked, and started. This is your opportunity to open all the doors, check for squiffy paint, signs it’s been ‘bent’, and peer at the dashboard for tell-tale warning lights. Finally, don’t fall prey to the myth that you can buy a car if you sneeze – the auctioneer will look for eye contact as confirmation you are bidding. When the hammer falls and you realise you’ve saved yourself thousands, bought your dream car and avoided the middle man, it’s a buzz like no other.

　

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Ferrari World opens its doors to the press

October 29, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Earlier this month Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo allowed the international press access to Ferrari World – the Abu Dhabi Theme Park which the company hopes will become a mecca for Tifosi the world over.

Ferrari don’t tend to do things by halves, so this is not just a motoring museum with a couple of F1 simulators, it’s the worlds largest indoor theme park, stretching out over 200,000 square metres and subtly blending into the landscape like a giant red Ferrari jump suit. It boasts 20 rides including the worlds fastest rollercoaster and features “Bell’Italia” – not a pasta restaurant (it has one though) but miniature recreations of Italy’s most famous locations including Rome’s Collosseum and Ferrari’s home in Maranello. The attractions are aimed at all the family – there are shops and restaurants, a “Junior GT” driving school where budding Lewis can get behind the wheel of a scaled down F430, and “Galleria Ferrari” – the largest collection of classic and contemporary Ferarris outside Maranello. So it’s part Disney-fied, part serious attraction for the genuine Ferrari fan, perhaps a good compromise if the whole family doesn’t want to gawp at cars and discuss compression ratios.

Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi. Very red, very Ferrari.

Is Ferrari World a tasteful extension of the Ferrari brand or a crass over-commercialisation of their rich heritage? Well that is open to debate, but the rationale of locating this leviathan in Abu Dhabi is clear – oil barons and playboys in the Middle East are avid supercar consumers and form a vital market for Ferrari. Montezemolo puts it more eloquently, citing a cultural angle to the new venture -

We like to think that this Ferrari Theme park can be a small contribution to reinforcing the bridge between our two cultures.

Luca di Montezemolo, Ferrari Chairman

Merchandising is hardly a new concept for the universally evocative marque. Their logo is as recognisable as Marlboro, Coca-Cola and Sony – even amongst the rare pockets of humanity who are not car fans – meaning it is highly marketable. Not surprisingly then, Ferrari have long since been branding a myriad of non-vehicular trinkets. Cufflinks, laptop computers, stationary, watches, clothing and even road cars, wear the famous prancing horse badge.

But just how far can you stretch the goodwill of the brand before you dilute that vital ingredient – exclusivity? At some point, owners of £200k road cars may begin to resent ordinary folk besporting themselves in Scuderia baseball caps. Yet however it may go down with the lucky few that have the car to match the key ring, I don’t think those sat around the Ferrari Boardroom table will be unduly concerned.  Why? - because the company recently released their third quarter results showing a 46% rise in trading profit compared to the same period last year. The Ferrari online store, which sells branded Ferrari merchandise over the web, saw a 55% increase. Of course they still think about their core customers, but that is a very healthy set of accounts by anyone’s recession-blinkered standards.

It seems that as long as the road cars retain their mystique of unassailability, and Scuderia Ferrari perform on the race track, brand credibility will survive. More to the point, the horse will be prancing all the way to the bank.

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