Kevin Haggarthy is 'disappointed' -only achieving 197 mph in the Koenigsegg CCR

Travelling at nearly 200 mph! Kevin Haggarthy takes us on a journey in one of the Worlds fastest Supercars; The Koenigsegg CCR..........

Who cares about pronouncing the name? Somehow, a top speed of 240 mph, 694 bhp, 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds and a price tag of over £350,000 is enough. Yes, I like many have always had a latent curiosity about driving the Koenigsegg. Sensational looks, sensational sound – the perfect recipe for my mid life crisis. But thankfully there’s a little more substance to my curiosity than that. It all goes back to the year I did the notorious Gumball Rallye. Admittedly, I was driving rather fast (ish) at the time in a lovely silver Porsche 911S – admiring the noise and beauty of a Ferrari Maranello up ahead of me that was pacing a black Lamborghini Murcielago and a red Ferrari F50. Believe me, that sight was better than the opening scene of the original Italian Job. The beauty of those three cars up ahead held me in a trance……. right up until all three were pulled over and arrested. Shame the Police missed the metallic green Koenigsegg that had just caught and passed the lot of them!

Mind you, they caught the Koenigsegg guy eventually too – but by Police helicopter travelling at nearly 230 mph! Someone told me you can only go 55 mph in the States - clearly a silly rumour from someone with a daft sense of humour. As it happens I didn’t see much of the guy behind the wheel of the Koenigsegg either, as he spent every one of the five nights we travelled across America in gaol; his car had to transported to the finish line as he was immediately banned from driving in the States.

Mr ‘Gumball Koenigsegg’ won a bubble gum machine for his efforts. I thus wondered what my prize would be after accepting an invitation from Porsche Carrera Cup racer Sam Hancock of Jota Motorsport to drive Jota’s Koenigsegg up at the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground. Jota run a special Drivers Club for the well financially heeled who want to become racing drivers, and have both the time and money to do the same. (Anyone interested should look them up on www. Jotasport.com – then sub title ‘Drivers Club’)

I have not the money, but made the time to sample why I never became Lewis Hamilton. I found the answer to the latter in a couple of laps, but what I really wanted to do was to take retrospective revenge on Gumball Koenigsegg. He did 230 mph down the freeway; the challenge for me was to do more than 230 mph at Bruntingthorpe.

The problem was I couldn’t see a thing – it was late afternoon in November, the fog fell both suddenly and heavily; it was dark, and I could barely see past the bonnet! Sam Hancock didn’t think it was a problem though, and told me to just put my foot down. Cool…as he was sitting beside me at the time, we may as well have our evening meal with God together. So that’s what I did – the Koenigsegg spitting flames in anger each and every time we shifted up a gear. On the first run we hit a measly 164 mph (with the bloody top down in the cold by the way). Second time - and with no daylight available now, I was off to either heaven or hell in my pointless pursuit of notoriety. (it’s a male menopausal thing).It was foot-to-the-floor all the way, zero vision, just imagination and a whisper from Sam that he’d tell me when to stop! Maybe he was Uncle Sam with the evil ears,I don’t know, but neither did I care at the time as we sped off into oblivion aiming for the double Century Plus….in no time Sam was shouting ‘brake! …..firmly! “Well Sam did we do it!” I screamed, confident of my overwhelming victory “Sorry Kevin….you weren’t pushing hard enough …we just nudged 197 mph”.

So close yet so far……….- I’m not a poor loser, it’s just such a shame that they can’t make accurate speedometers in Supercars these days.


Kevin Haggarthy

Kevin Haggarthy road tests the new Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560 - 4

In the time it takes you to say ‘Welcome to Kevin Haggarthy on Cars' the new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 will have travelled from standstill to 62 mph. That’s 3.7 seconds. If that alone isn’t testimony to the fact that we are referring to one of the World’s fastest supercar’s here, its top speed of 202 mph surely must.

Yet the true credibility, and essential DNA of this amazingly sophisticated and truly exclusive machine lies much deeper than acceleration figures and top speed alone. More importantly, the LP560-4 represents the ultimate in modern road car technology, and succeeds in what to many might be the ludicrous proposition of harnessing a humongous 552 bhp of V10 power into both usable, enjoyable, and safe road use.

In the Gallardo LP560-4 we have automotive art and engineering ingenuity, combined with the exotica of Lamborghini – and that means that anywhere in the World this car goes, it will be the subject of wow factor envy and admiration; even the less visually astute will be unable to avoid their thoughts being pleasantly diverted by the deep raucious, hard, and savage sound of its engine. Many a time, you will hear a Lamborghini before you actually see it.

This second generation Lamborghini Gallardo is set to build on the sales reputation of its predecessor as the most successful Lamborghini model ever, having sold some 7,100 Gallardo models since its launch in 2003. In doing so, the LP560-4 is anything but a facelifted and tweaked standard Gallardo - it is virtually an all new car. Stephen Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini claims the LP560-4 “..will outclass its predecessor in every respect”.

engine

And the fact is…….it does; and the greatest testimony to the claim lies in its all new engine, sharing only the number of cylinders with its predecessor. Make no mistake, the Gallardo is improved in just about every single area, but this new engine is by far what the new LP560-4 is really all about. It is indeed a brand new 5.2 litre V10, with an incredible output of 560 PS (552 bhp) at 8,000 rpm. That’s a 40 PS power increase over the previous Gallardo, combined with a 20 kilogram reduction in weight, improving the power to weight ratio over the old car to 2.5 kilogrammes per PS, making the new car significantly faster than the old.

And here’s how fast. It means that the LP560-4 will go from 0-124 mph in 11.8 seconds, that’s about the same time it takes a new 2.0 litre diesel Audi A6 to reach half that speed. The engine has a 5,205 cm3 displacement, creating the 560 PS name tag at 8,000 rpm. We’ve already talked about better top speed and acceleration, yet Sant’ Agatas engineers were still able to achieve a reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by18%.

The LP560’s engine is set longitudinally, or ‘Longitudinale Posteriore’ in Italian, denoting the ‘LP’ designation for the model. Enthusiasts know that a mid-rear engine set up is the optimum for a purist sports car, putting the centre of gravity closer to the rear axis. In the LP560 -4 it results in a near perfect weight distribution, with 43% on the front axle and 57% on the rear.

If you’re curious about the ‘4’ on the model name tag it denotes the fact that the Gallardo has permanent four wheel drive transmission. It’s the best way to tame over 500 bhp on the bends, there is twice as much grip as all four driven wheels will be called upon to earn their keep, not only allowing the keen driver to carry more speed into fast bends, but with a much greater chance of coming out of them safely; the added advantage of being able to apply throttle earlier in the exit from the curve.


Better by design

Yet no Lamborghini would be ‘a Lamborghini’ unless it was drop dead gorgeous to look at. Whilst the LP560-4 is devoid of the wings, spoilers and skirts of predecessors like the Lamborghini Diablos of the past (in fact the Gallardo is nearon modest by comparison) it is by sight and sound every inch an exotic Lamborghini. In stark contrast to the Oragami-like angular sophistication of the ‘every-boy’s-bedroom wall-favourite Countach’ of old, modern Lamborghini’s are all about precise lines, clean surface edges, and distinctly minimalist design – with a touch of elegance.

‘Evolution of form systematically follows the demands of function’ say Lamborghini. In the LP560 -4, that evolution has resulted in a redesigned front end, characterised by enlarged and clearly accentuated cooling intakes to give more breathing for the bigger powered engine, and there’s a subtle new spoiler between the air intakes to improve aerodynamic equilibrium at high speeds. The rear has been also redesigned, giving a neater compact finish, with streamlined covers to the left and right of the engine bay to accentuate both the greater power and length of the new car.

Just to make sure your new Gallardo is noticed, the new headlights have a characteristic daytime running light integrated beneath the Bi-Xenon lamps, consisting of 15 LEDs positioned in a ‘Y’ structure. The lighting entertainment continues at the rear too. with the brake lights displaying the Y form three times over.



Cool cabin

Not surprisingly, your £147,000 buys you a supercar with exceptional interior fit and finish. Vehicle and passenger lateral air bags, and a two-zone air conditioning system with sun regulation come standard of course. As does the Lamborghini Multimedia System including a USB connector, and sports seats with an electronically operated backrest.

But you can spend more money still, and indulge in a navigation system and a module for TV reception, a hands free blue tooth phone set, an anti-theft device, and a rear view camera. And there’s a further option I especially like, and that is a lifting system control of the front of the car which at the touch of a button, allows you to raise the height of the Gallardo over obstacles – perfect for Ferry travel and steep outlets from driveways, and relief to a common nightmare with supercars. If you really want to go to town on the extras front, you can have a glass engine cover too. We’d ‘have em all’ – but at this sort of money one would have thought that a few more of these optional extras could have been thrown in as part of the package. But let’s face it – your money is invested here in the engine, and the Gallardo’s stupendous performance.

The driving

Thus by far the most engaging and exciting feature of the LP560 -4 is indulging in its purpose; the driving. This is where its all at folks – for this Lamborghini is just so..so special behind the wheel, that logic and sensible discretion leading to your not so prudent purchase, become all but irrelevant. Quite frankly, nothing matters now other than the ‘I simply must have one’ factor.

From the millisecond the Gallardo 560-4 barks into life your right foot indulges in a symphony of melodies, brutal, raw, and ultimately intoxicating at the extreme. Its time for emotion to take over – and you’ll be surprised how quickly amnesia sets in on how much you paid to purchase and insure your new Lambo – in fact, you’ll forget money period – the driving pleasure is just too great. Your first emotion has to be at least an anticipatory smile, expanding to a grin the size of a soup bowl….and a bit of a stir in the tummy too as 500 horses with uncompromisingly efficient direct linear force push harder and harder into the small of your back. You’ll simply ache for some open road to indulge in that incremental melody of accelerative force that is quite frankly nearon addictive. Yet its all too sophisticated and refined to stir a latent boy racer driving style – for the Gallardo feels like a Gentlemans car…. with Attitude­ – and the ‘attitude’ in the equation is reflected in so much outright speed and power that even the most inclined egotistical boy racer can see he’d be a fool to ‘have a go’ at matching the Lambo’s pace.

The suede and carbon fibre steering wheel is the pathway to precise almost race car like steering - yet assisted just enough to allow passive effort in town, with lots of feel when driven on the challenging cross country roads that Lamborghinis’ love. And as you drive your Gallardo to such roads with great enthusiasm you soon get to understand the superior control that can be achieved by four wheel drive. –in this case enabling its generally 30:70 front to rear ratio to move the torque spread around in milliseconds when it detects even the slightest change in road conditions. As a result you inevitably have better directional control and a safer spread of power through all four corners of the car’s weight.

e-gear

Once you’re out of that bend, you’ll be eager for the next, but in between there is great pleasure to be had flipping up and down the Lambo’s automated e-gear transmission. The purists can of course, opt for standard six speed manual transmission, but most owners opt for the paddle shift ‘e-gear’ . Yet in the LP560-4 the e-gear option is anything but swapping a gear stick for paddles – it is much more sophisticated than that………..

With the e-gear system you can choose between five different driving and changing programmes – a ‘normal’ mode, a SPORT programme with more rapid change times, a CORSA programme which directs the engine to optimum acceleration, and fourthly the ‘Thrust Mode’ which ensures maximum acceleration from rest with optimally adjusted throttle action and clutch – in simple terms ‘flat out’ acceleration. Oh yes, and then there’s the boring automatic mode for driving around London – handy nonetheless.

Scrubbing off the speed comes courtesy of a new braking system with no less than eight Brembo specialist cylinder callipers grasping massive 365mm diameter brake discs up front, and four to the rear clasping 356 mm discs. They do the job fine, and you should only consider the optional carbon ceramic brake disc option (greater performance, reduced weight) if you’re intending to spend lots of time driving hard on a racetrack – otherwise they feel pretty dead on the road, where you generate fairly minimal heat, unless you’re Lewis Hamilton. I wish.

Finally, suspension tweaks for the LP560-4 improve the Gallardo’s on road abilities even more, the ride is comfortable but stiff, a compromise you’ll be tempted to live with once you’ve experienced the Gallardo’s amazing ability to grip fast roads with such uncompromising tenacity.

the People’s Supercar

The LP 560-4 is probably one of the best Lamborghinis ever made. A precision like jewel in Lamborghini’s crown that is amazingly easy and unintimidating to drive for a car of such stupendous road eating ability. That makes it ‘the People’s Supercar’ – one that you can enjoy regardless of skill and experience as long as you drive within your limits. That said, the Lambo is more than ready for even the most skilled driver – the challenge is not the car’s, it’s yours. But what a challenge…you’ll simply love it.


Ends.


Kevin Haggarthy

Kevin Haggarthy road tests the new Audi Q5

It might sound like a bit of a cliché but ‘the Audi Q5 proved a big surprise!’ Reason being, that it in the scheme of things a new SUV is hardly the kind of vehicle you buy to stir the soul. Furthermore Audi’s new ‘Q5’ SUV looks, at first glance, like a scaled down Audi Q7. In practical terms it is indeed the latter, providing 5 rather than 7 seats – but this doesn’t do justice to what turned out to be an excellent practical family vehicle, that a keen driver will enjoy too!

‘Vorsprung durch Technik?

I put a lot of that down to the Audi brand. Whilst I beg to differ with Mr Kipling’s claim to make exceedingly good cakes, the Audi motor company do indeed make exceedingly good cars. What’s more, Audi are a very forward looking brand – their approach to the ‘credit crunch’ being to continue launching new cars that people will want to buy – even in these times.

So what of the new Audi Q5? Audi rightfully claim that this car has all the advantages of a roomy SUV with the road dynamics of a car, and boasts more advanced technology than any rival in the segment. The technological stuff is impressive – S tronic dual clutch gearbox for seamless smooth changes, and at extra cost there’s a driver warning system useful for motorways and dual carriageways to alert you when vehicles are approaching in your ‘blindspot’ on a motorway or dual carraigeway, and even a warning system to let you know if you’re drifting out of your lane. You can even opt for a thermal cup holder to keep your drinks warm!

For the active family

For the uninitiated, SUV stands for ‘Sports Utility Vehicle’ – the car for families with active busy outgoing lifestyles. Segment competitors come in the form of BMW’s X3, Land Rover’s Freelander, and Volvo’s XC60. In 2.0 litre FSI form, Audi claim that the Q5 has the most torque, the highest maximum speed, the best acceleration, the lowest fuel consumption and the lowest CO2 emissions. Generally, it is also highly practical, versatile, comfortable, well made, and spacious. It’s also a very safe vehicle, being robust, and with four wheel drive and good off roading capability it makes a reassuring purchase for an active busy family.
all rounder

Buyers can opt for 2.0 litre petrol, 2.0 litre diesel or 3.0 litre TDI engines. Our favourite from the driver’s seat was the 2.0 litre TDI, which’ll be the most popular version, topping 77% of total sales. The Q5 ‘surprise’ is its car like driveability – a refined experience with reassuring driver feedback, a feel combination of luxury saloon and an engaging ‘drivers’ car which is quite a remarkable achievement for a vehicle of this kind. So you can have your cake and eat it then? The Q5 says so.

Prices start at a not inconsiderable £29,140 for the 2.0 litre FSI petrol rising to a hefty £37,540 for the 3.0 litre TDI Quattro S Line, but with strong predicted residual values, especially if it’s your own money you’re using and not the company’s, then it’s money well spent.


2.0 litre TDI data


Top speed in mph
126
Acceleration, 0-62mph in sec
9.5
Fuel type
Diesel, according to EN 590
Fuel consumption: urban / extra urban / combined, mpg
34.4 / 48.7 / 42.1
CO2 emissions, g/km
175

Kevin Haggarthy road tests the new Fiat 500 16v Sport

Road Test Feature: Fiat 500 1.4 16v Sport

Price: £10,900


‘Nostalgia’ and ‘retro’ styling has had its fair share of success and failure in the car market. The successes, such as the revived Volkswagen Beetle, the Mini, and to a lesser extent the Jaguar S Type – are cars reminiscent of an era denoting fond affection of both the car, and the era to which they belonged.

So Fiat has thought it fit to revive the trendy little 500 then, and whilst it shares the dimensions of competitor brands, such as the Nissan Micra, this cute little city runabout is quickly winning the hearts of many.

Car of the Year

Its ‘USP’ if you like, is that it is a car with endless personalisation options, and as a result you are unlikely to see any two Fiat 500’s looking the same. It’s a concept that has clearly worked, and if the 500 has an achievement to boast, it is that it is the official European Car of the Year for 2008.

Winning much passer by affection whilst parked on the road, a further curious peak at the interior from any stranger sparks a second smile. Seated up front the 500 feels spacious, unbelievably so for its small outward appearance, and the back seats will seat young adults (and we are talking teenagers here) with surprising comfort.

Reaching for and securing the seatbelts up front proved a frustratingly fiddly affair for driver and passenger alike, and although the dash is a trend setter with an array of comprehensive switchgear, its endless push button options for in car entertainment, heating, and minor controls is not altogether user friendly, especially when taking your sight away from the road to operate them on the move.

Performance

On the road our 16 valve Sport proved quite noisy, and the independent wheel MacPherson suspension system didn’t provide the most endearing ride. When driven hard the 500 corners flat, prone to understeer slightly, and not keen nor particularly receptive to changing direction enthusiastically - not a feature you’d expect from an Italian Sporting car – even this modest one. The gearbox slots into gear nicely, but if you’re pushing the car hard, firm, accurate and precise changes are needed - especially from first to second- to avoid dropping mistakenly into fourth. You’ll need to press that Sport mode button often too in order to stir up some lively performance – otherwise, the 500 is just, well,……slow.

But ah yes, that Sport button livens things up somewhat, and pushed hard and driven with attitude, the 500 has surprisingly good cross country pace. You have to work hard for it though, making the 500 earn its keep for every bit of that ‘Sport’ badging. Handling thresholds on the car are high and safe, despite the lack of engaging feel into fast bends – you need to put too much steering effort into it really to get it tucked into that bend; quite frankly the Fiat 500 is much happier in a straight line. But those brakes do a great job at scrubbing off the speed – and yes it all matters, as this is the Sports version of the car, and as such it needs to satisfy the demands of the sporting driver.

Now here’s the good news. A full tank for about thirty quid and an average 45 mpg. But the tank holds only 35 litres so if you’re forever in urban traffic you’ll still be visiting pumps fairly regularly – its still nice to put 25 quid in the tank though and see it go from zero to near full – that alone put a smile on my face for the whole day.

The citizens friend

What’s more, everybody seems to like you when you’re behind the wheel of the Fiat 500 – maybe its because it fits the ‘green save the planet small is beautiful’ lobby, but personally I thinks its more to do with the way it looks – like a small car with a bit of style….at last.

The Abarth, a special performance version of the 500 is due in the UK in early 2009; we hope that car will be the mating of style and truly sporting performance. Can’t wait to tell you if it does…….. Arrividerci!


Kevin Haggarthy

Specification:

Type 4cyl in-line

Max power output: 100 bhp

Max Speed 113 mph

0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) 10.5 secs

Fuel Consumption
Combined cycle: 44.8 mpg

Insurance Group : 6

Price £10,900

Kevin Haggarthy road tests the new Mazda RX8 R-3

Kevin Haggarthy samples the latest Mazda RX8 R3- the sporting drivers choice with a ‘practical’ twist

The RX8 has always been unique. Why? Well, its integrated two door /four door design allows rear seat passengers good access without compromising those sleek sporty lines. Front doors open in conventional fashion of course, but the rear doors swing outwards from the middle to allow you to slip into the rear in comfort. No need to twist, turn and bend then, as per nine out of ten other sports coupes on the road. That said, the additional door setup eases access for rear passengers only, as the back doors will not open without the opening of the front doors first; hence driver and /or passenger will have to get up or wait for the rear seat passengers to access the car first. It’s a design concept that’s worked well for Mazda since the original introduction of the RX8 in 2003.


Quite surprisingly, it is not a design feature that others have been inclined to copy into production - although some have experimented with the idea - bar the Rolls Royce Phantom that is, and that £350,000 monster is a very different kind of car.


Rotary engine


Another unique factor about the RX8 is the ‘R’ bit of the equation, denoting that the car is powered by a rotary engine rather than a conventional cylinder engine. The rotary engine is fuelled by petrol in the normal fashion, but is driven by Rotarys’ rather than conventional cylinders. This results in a small compact engine, extremely smooth and free revving whilst essentially lacking low speed grunt, will allow you to achieve exceptionally high speeds in lower gears, with the rev counter coming to its head at over 7,000 rpm, whereas most conventional engines run out of steam at circ 5,500- 6,000 rpm. It makes a nice whirry noise in the process too. Many enthusiasts are seduced by the sporty nature of rotary engines, or simply prefer it.

In terms of running costs and maintenance, there’s little difference to a petrol engine. Best to check servicing costs before you buy, and note that these engines have a reputation for gulping down oil, but they are also very reliable – not least because they are Mazdas.

Simply the best

Having personally sampled each successive generation of RX8, if you want the ultimate expression of the brand, look no further than this, the R3. It’s the best yet, and a truly great sporting drivers car, that’ll seduce you into its camp as soon as you get a decent turn behind the wheel. All Mazda needed to do to get this car properly sorted is what they’ve done to this R3 – stiffened up the body and suspension, improved the rigidity of the drive shaft, and modify the gear ratios. It works a treat on the road, where it matters most. Styling enhancements such as a new rear spoiler, side sills, fog lamps, slick alloys on bigger rubber, and a sporty front bumper finish the job off nicely.

A really good sports coupe is one that truly engages the driver, one that provides tactile driver feedback in a way that wants to make you drive the car for the added pleasure of simply that; ‘driving it’. The RX8 T3 understands the needs of the enthusiast, and delivers in great style. It’s a ‘smile a mile’ thing ; strong progressive acceleration accompanied by a sporting tone, slick gearchanges, and firm sure footed handling. Every once in a while a manufacturer produces a version of a good car that truly defines the model and is ‘the one to buy’. For the RX8, it is without doubt the new R3.

Mazda RX-8 (231ps) R3
Price: £24,995
Insurance Group: 16E
Power: 231 ps
Consumption (average) 24.6 (11.5)
Acceleration (0-62mph) (0-100km/h) in sec 6.4 secs
Top speed (mph) (km/h) 146 mph

Kevin Haggarthy Test Drives some classic historical Jaguars and tackles the hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

V12 E Type -last of the bunch



Priceless XK120

The original XJ6
Racing D Type


We motoring buffs often enjoy drooling over the unobtainable. Reminiscing over the old cars, reading great tales of their racing history, and the feats of the very capable and famous drivers that have piloted them to victory in the past. Yet few of us, even us motoring scribblers, always get the chance to drive the objects of our dreams.

And then one day I got a telephone call from Jaguar. ‘Would I be interested in driving one of the Jaguar Heritage cars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year?’ All of a sudden a full diary just got empty - Yes please!!! (no pretentious subdued enthusiasm here!)….but what do you want me to drive? “Well we’ll be taking a few cars to the event so you’ll need to come over to the Heritage Museum at Brown’s Lane for a few familiarisation drives”. By the time Jaguar’s PR Manager Ken McConomy put the phone down I was there.


1950 Jaguar XK120 Open 2 Seater

It was kid in a sweetie shop time as the Jaguar Heritage staff rolled out the ‘Goodwood Selection’. My back was turned looking at the rest of Jaguar’s greatest ,when a startling noise hit me Vrooom!! Vrooomm!! I nearly jumped out of my skin, ‘’What the Bloody hell’s that!’ I thought as I turned to look at the source of my near coronary. It was Jaguar’s most famous XK120, ‘NUB 120’.

This Jaguar XK120 is the most famous of its kind in the World, and more than any other was the car that put Jaguar’s motoring credentials on the map, being the most successful of all racing XK120s’ ever made. Originally, the car was privately owned by Ian Appleyard, and his wife Patricia, daughter of Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons, who acted as navigator. NUB 120 missed victory in its very first racing event - the 1950 Tulip Rally in Holland- by a quarter of an inch, but went on to win the 1950 Alpine Rally, with a successive victory in the following year, and later adding the RAC Rally and the elusive Tulip Rally to its string of victories.

Looking at the cockpit from a distance and reflecting on my 6 ft frame, I wondered if I would actually be able to get into the car! Was everyone this short in the 1950’s? I was forced to sit bolt upright in what turned out to be a surprisingly spacious yet oddly uncomfortable cockpit, with a Great Big Steering Wheel. Clearly this was an era when the driving position for a sporting Jaguar was second priority to a powerful engine and smooth sloping lines.


Yet the result of this curious power with beauty equation was a car with exceptional on road performance, leaving an impression even by today’s standards. The secret of this car’s competition success was its rugged chassis, it’s highly reliable new 3.4 litre engine and its lightweight all –alloy body.


Turn the key, press the button and the noise is deafening, sharp, crisp and clean. The engine is remarkably responsive and free revving; you just can’t help but love that piercing sound. The instant quick - release racing handbrake is your starting line reminder of the purpose of this machine, as we begin our drive into the World of historic Jaguar motoring

The effort required for low speed manoeuvring explains the logic behind that big steering wheel and once you’re building up a decent cross Country rhythm and flow into the bends there’s understeer aplenty from that heavy front nose. Of course there’s no synchromesh on the gears so double declutching is the Way – all adding to the fun of stepping back in time, when you really had to drive car’s to get something out of them. Much more enjoyable than the modern stuff of today that do all the sorting out when you get it wrong. In the 1950’s it was down to you mate!

I soon found that out when searching for some firm braking into a bend. It just didn’t happen, so I entered the bend a little on the fast side and had no choice but to find out how good chassis and suspension would be to get me round the bend. No trouble! said NUB 120 – gimme what you’ve got! So me and NUB said goodbye to sloppy brakes and went for the gas pedal instead. It took the bend sweetly, rubber firmly planted to tarmac with just a little body lean for effect. Eureka! I’d hit the ‘Sweet Spot’, finding out that this XK120 was most at home driven hard! - not poodling around.

That little episode generated some confidence behind the wheel as NUB and I soon started overtaking a range of modern computer sodden four wheeled paraphernalia and got on with some real driving, totally engrossed, and truly enjoying myself. Brown Lanes security barriers lifted to welcome me home. The security guard smiled, while I grinned like a child eager for my next ride, and for once feeling that I had actually been able to drive again.


1956 Jaguar D Type ‘Long Nose’

Next up for the drive, and six years on in time, was the 1956 Jaguar D Type ‘Long Nose’.Fresh after successfully competing in this year’s Mille Miglia, I had to get MD Stuart Dyble’s permission to drive this car. As the engineers sought his attention on the phone I prayed and promised the Lord that I’d go to church every Sunday if Mr. Dyble said ‘yes’. My prayers were answered and I was soon in the cockpit of this historic racing jewel.

The noise alone is just mindblowing! My tape recording of it is playing as I’m writing this, and it’s just so dramatic, purposeful, loud, and unpretentiously dead serious. Yet despite the intimidating sound, the Long Nose is surprisingly driveable straight away, and quite remarkably requiring much less familiarisation effort than the XK120, which was of course primarily a road car.

Yet this car was so clearly designed for the circuit rather than the road. The clutch, for example, has to be treated like an ‘on/off switch’ – the power has to be set just right, and the clutch allowed to grab with just enough throttle pressure to propel the car somewhere into oblivion. You need to get it right - gently looking for the biting point stuff will just lead to a stall. You soon get used to it though, and before you know it you’re ‘proper driving’ again, heeling and toeing, working with the car’s remarkably balanced flickable handling through quick bends, wallowing in that indulgent throttle note, and the eagerness of of the car to respond to your commands.

In no time we were ‘making progress’ –every road vehicle ahead simply dismissed with ease and great noise might I add. – this 50 year old car was so powerful, light, controllable, and user friendly that only its crude cockpit controls, outsized steering wheel and seat-to-chassis feel giving away it’s age. It’s extraordinary that a car of this age can sit and cruise with such refinement at 150 mph for most of the day. I’m gobsmacked; it’s a credit to the engineering of the day..


1968 Jaguar XJ6 4.2 litre Saloon


Twelve years down the line, 1968 in fact , Sir William Lyons turned his talents to a car very similar to an accomplished luxury saloon many of us drive today; the 4.2 litre Jaguar XJ6. For the first two years of its’ life this was Sir William Lyons own personal car. .

The ‘big XJ’ looks and feels a ‘quality product’ oozing craftsmanship, and modest ,understated, yet traditional British styling. It really is the car 60’s Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson should have swapped his old Rover 3.5 litre for. Behind the wheel though, I can put myself in the shoes of Sir William Lyon, driving his latest crowning achievement to work everyday.

Indeed, it must have been a truly pleasant experience, for the on-road refinement of this classic luxury saloon was light years ahead of its time. Of course it feels dated, and the imperfections of its time show, yet the all leather/wood veneer interior, spacious classic design, and smooth powerful engine are the magic that has kept us buying XJ’s for the last 38 years.

As befits an occasion of this kind, I was able to share the driving privilege with photographer Garth Dale and his two assistants – the four of us passively engaged in conversation on all subjects bar the historic saloon we were driving. Yet What better compliment could William Lyons and his team wish for? – the XJ6 proving so instantly relaxing and comfortable that its passengers were oblivious to its virtues.
Yet we are behind the wheel of a Jaguar, meaning comfort also comes with power, refinement and hopefully a committed enthusiastic driver behind the wheel (is it coincidence that so many XJ drivers wear leather gloves?). The recipe clearly worked for the …nth generation of the vehicle is still built to this day…


Some 6 years later came my next little taster – the Jaguar E-Type S.3 V12.
I just had to spend a few minutes admiring the endless line of Smiths clocks lined up along the dash- a unique E Type feature and a sophisticated design for the time, giving the pilot all the information a fighter pilot ‘needed’ for his tool.

This time the V12 starts to talk with the turn of a key. There’s no growl but a subdued and threateningly powerful hum. Love it. Dab the throttle and the svelte rhythm oozes from the twin exhausts. Immediately you sense hints of Jaguar’s modern DNA – gone is the rawness of that wild 4.2 V6 in the original car, the George Best era was clearly yesterday to this 5.3, ‘refinement’, ‘comfort’, ‘long speed touring ability’ became the ‘new ‘ order of the day. No doubt sad news for the purist of the day; the later E Types had clearly softened up somewhat – and you can see this new DNA in the successor XJS, and XK8 of old.

What is remarkable is the level of refinement this V12 E Type achieves. If not for the styling giveaways the refinement alone is not far off modern day cars! The four speed manual gearbox adds to the fun of playing with the handling dynamics of a large front engined rear wheel drive car – but let’s face it,manual boxes were never Jaguar’s thing so the refinement is spoiled somewhat by lack of fluidity in the gearchange . No doubt owners of the day would enjoy using the torque and range of third and fourth gear to have some decent overtaking fun – but straight line motorways are the place where all this V12 power comes into its own.

By the end of the day I must have looked proper stupid walking around with a permanent grin having sampled so many wonderful Jaguars bound for the Goodwood Festival in just one single day ……..bar one.

The 1954 Jaguar D Type, a factory prototype was out at the workshop for repair. This car travelled to France in 1954 for the Le mans test session where development driver Norman Dewis, broke the lap record by 5 clear seconds. Shame really, I would have loved to have driven it. Maybe another time…….

Baby to the Bathwater…..the 1954 Jaguar D -Type at Goodwood

Sunday July 9th . The Big Day and I was ready for the early morning drive to the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed. Jaguar personnel had me down for one of the early morning drives. “Get there early!” warned Jaguar’s Mr. Ken McConomy. And so I did. I prayed again, this time for good weather, but as I failed to keep my promise by going to Church every Sunday after Stuart Dyble kindy allowed me to drive the Long nose ‘D’, the heavens took their revenge and it simply poured with rain. Great.

Much as I’d been up the hill as a passenger many times, this was to be the first time I’d actually be driving the hill climb myself. I hadn’t a clue which way ‘the circuit’ went and it seemed unlikely that I’d get a chance for a sample run beforehand. Gulp.

As soon as I arrived , racing suit and helmet in hand, Jaguar personnel ushered me quickly to be signed in and have my gear checked at the scrutiny area of the Drivers Club. I was beginning to feel like a proper racing driver when I noticed Derek Bell and Stirling Moss doing the same. My Jaguar colleagues told me I’d be driving the E type V12 – well, at least I’d driven it before so I knew the car.

Just as I had lifted the pen from signing the indemnity form clearing everyone and everything from having anything to do with me if it all went wrong, the chap from Jaguar minding me received a call on his mobile. “Kevin will be driving the 1954 D Type now, and not the E-Type, and he’s out in five minutes” ! Panic, panic…..this was the one car I hadn’t driven and now here I was taking the car on the hill climb in the rain. Oh don’t worry , says my Jaguar aid, it’s just like the long nose you drove at the Museum. ‘Cool’ I thought. And the rain poured.

As I was rushed celebrity style to ‘my vehicle’ I heard that the day before, being a perfectly sunny and dry day, Nigel Mansell crashed an historic F1 car into the barrier, and later in the same day one of the Ferrari test drivers did the same in a brand new 599. Encouraging news; if two of the World’s most skilled drivers can get it that wrong, then maybe little old me just could get it wrong too.

So there I was driving the hill for the first time, in the wet , in front of 20,000 people, and in a 40 year old racing car with near on zero grip in the wet. As I waited at the start line ready for my run, my Jaguar minder popped over with a few encouraging words. “Just remember Kevin that the car bites and it’ll catch you out in the wet so be careful, and by the way it’s worth one and half million pounds!”.

Before these kind words I had closed my eyes memorising the lines and curves of the hill climb circuit I’d seen just a few minutes before. – I planned to go into the first right hander fast with a bit of attitude sliding the back end for show, and then slip a royal wave to the round of applause as I powered up the straight.

As the countdown came reality took over, 5…4..3..2…1…GO! I decided to avoid life long embarrassment and drive with as much care and concentration as I could.
Good thing, because as soon as I lifted the clutch the D Type spun its wheels and fishtailed left and right for what seemed like forever until we both decided forward was the best way to go. I took that fast right hander like I was on my driving test only (although mirror and single would have looked really stupid) and it was only the sudden sight of thousands of people and the flashing of camera that encouraged me to put some attitude into it and enjoy myself.

The drive up the straight was brilliant, and I was soon getting the feel of this ex record breaker, but I could see there was a tight left hander after the straight, that bit of the climb where people get caught ..Oh my God, I thought of Nigel, thought of Ferrari, and decided ‘brake EARLY and save your soul!’ – good thing I did, because it was the first time I had sampled those old brakes and if I hadn’t braked earlier my car may no longer have been worth 1.5 million.

In no time I was crossing the finishing line and lining up for the multitude of claps and greetings given to every driver by the stewards and crowds as they taxi the cars back to base. A happy ending to a true Jaguar Fairy tale…and I loved every single minute of it.

Kevin Haggarthy Road Tests the New Volkswagen Scirocco 2.0 litre Turbo

Road Test : New Volkswagen Scirocco

Kevin Haggarthy tests the latest version of a hot hatch original that took the performance car world by Storm

Many readers won’t be old enough to remember the old VW Scirocco – but those of you who are, will remember that it took the hot hatch world by storm – literally – as the VW Scirocco Storm was regarded as the ultimate hot hatch of its day. If you had a Storm in the mid 80s, you knew your stuff and respek was definitely due.

And now its back, and ready to repeat its assault on the performance hatch world. The problem with the Scirocco of old is that visually, it was hardly a talking point. At a time when hot hatch Fords and Renaults were boasting big wings and spoilers the Scirocco was bland to the point of boring. Not the new car, at last Volkswagen are becoming more courageous and confident with more dynamic styling, -check out the new Passat - and the new Scirocco is a show stopper at every point, with heads turning galore. That alone will boost sales.

Whats more, the Scirocco is a healthy £1,000 cheaper than the new Golf, making the proposition even more attractive. As many Golf owners will testify, a VW is always a confident proposition when you’re using your own money. The Golf, for example, takes on average three times longer to build than a Ford Focus and the build integrity on just about every point of detail on a VW shows. Hence the Scirocco feels sturdy and well built both inside and outside, representing good value for your hard earned cash. It is a quality product, reliable, and durable.

on the road

On the road, the Scirocco feels lighter to drive than a Golf and equally spacious up front if less so in the rear, with rear headroom just about acceptable to my 6 ft frame, no doubt to accommodate those beautiful sweeping lines. Rear vision is compromised by the small rear screen and the ‘A’ pillars up front are big enough to genuinely obscure spotting the odd pedestrian should your concentration lapse a little.

Yet the Scirocco is a great drivers car, and you’ll be itching to get behind the wheel to have some serious fun. The gearchange is a beautifully weighted joy, as is steering feel, and the suspension has the new added advantage of settings for Sport, comfort and performance providing the best of all worlds. The 2.0 litre Turbo intro model is based on the same block as the Golf GTi and performs with equally smooth and progressive power. In real world driving conditions it is just about as quick as the big 3.2 R32 Golf, but won’t compete with the Golf at higher touring speeds, and neither with its mid-range grunt.

Volkswagen are producing some excellent cars these days, and the new Scirocco is by far the most exciting yet.

Prices start at £18,790 for 1.4 litre TSI, and the 2.0 litre petrol and 2.0 litre diesel common rail are all on sale now, and can be expected to be on the roads by early 2009, whilst the 2.0 litre turbo tested here is showroom ready now.


Price: £20,940

Engine 1984 cc Turbocharged 16v 4 cylinder

Power: 197 bhp `@ 6,000 rpm

0-62 – 7.1 seconds

Top Speed 145 mph

Average Consumption 37.2 mpg (manual)

(This article was printed in The Voice Newspaper October 2008 )

Kevin Haggarthy

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Kevin Haggarthy Road Tests: The New Ford Fiesta

Road Test – New Ford Fiesta

Ford’s popular best seller is not out until October, Kevin Haggarthy tells all

These are hard times…so here’s the good news. Ford’s new Fiesta starts at only £8,695. That’s £155 cheaper than the old car, yet it’s 40 Kg lighter (making it much cheaper to run long term), trendy, and different.

But that’s only part of the good news. There’s more. Fords these days are anything but ‘buying on the cheap’ – yes, the big manufacturers are struggling, but despite the harsh economic truth Ford quality and refinement just gets better all the time; Consistent build quality and refinement is pretty much guaranteed these days, often exceeding some ‘quality’ brands, particular on the engineering side, and ride quality across the range of new Ford models is easily becoming the bench mark.

Standard setting

This new baby Fiesta raises the ante yet again, with seriously big car refinement in an affordable small car. We’ve driven cars twice the price of the upper range circa £12,000 1.6 Zetec S that couldn’t touch this car’s refinement and driveability. Being the most exciting of the range available at launch, the 1.6 Zetec S proved a genuinely sporting drive, yet somewhat overshadowed by the surprisingly spritely and torquey 1.6 diesel. If you clock up the miles you’ll find the Zetec S has little performance advantage over the diesel – in fact the torquey low end pick up of the diesel is actually more rewarding in real world driving conditions.

A new innovation across the range is electronic steering. For 90% of your daily motoring, and provided you ‘re not an ultimate purist in your demands for precision and feel, you’ll love it. The advantage lies in minimal parking and manoeuvring effort in town, whilst for push on cross country driving, the feel is somewhat sacrificed and artificial.-especially on hard cornering. The big advantage with the steering though is less weight –again making for greater economy.

The gearbox proved a debating point – a bit notchy with a long throw from gear to gear in the 1.6 Zetec we tested , but smooth and refined with the Titanium and diesel versions we tried later, the latter two we believe to be more representative.

All new interior

Inside the Fiesta is surprisingly comfortable and spacious. Unless front and rear passengers are 6ft or above you will be comfortable even for long journeys in the back (and front), especially with the ride quality of the car being so high. The interior is also totally new, centrally modelled on mobile phone technology, it has much more of a driver focused ‘cockpit’ feel. In user-friendly terms - it works a treat. Ford have been bolder with the interior finish this time round and all interior trims come in subtle two shade tones, whilst outside a bold set of new colours matches the trendy design.

All versions come well equipped, with folding mirrors standard on every model except the entry level ‘Studio’ model, and there are a variety of comfort accessories as you work up through the range. A favourite will be the ability to plug in and play your music from a USB..

A safe bet

The new Fiesta is a timely and critically innovative new move from Ford. It ticks all the economy and environmentally friendly tick boxes, low on tax, low on running costs, cheap insurance, economical yet refined, well designed, modern and trendy, with standard setting refinement and nearon benchmark handling. The new Fiesta is critical to Ford volume sales – it needs to be good enough to sustain Fords critical market performance in this segment. No worries, it does the job like money in the bank. Highly recommended.


Price: from £8,695 (Studio) to Zetec S (£12595) and Titanium £12095

Fuel economy: Combined Studio 52.3 mpg 1.25 petrol/ 1.6 diesel 76.3 mpg/47.9 mpg for Zetec S

Insurance Groups: Studio 1e upto to 5e (diesel) 6e Zetec S

Goes on sale in UK – October 2008

Kevin Haggarthy Road Tests: The new Audi A4

New Audi A4

Audi, Audi, Audi.........it's the buzz word in the luxury car sector these days. Could it be those fancy LED's shouting 'look at me' everytime a new Audi passes? or is it just that Audi knows how to produce exceedingly good cars. The A4 is it's 'bread and butter' model, the big seller that makes the money, so just how good is the latest addition to the brand.......

Price: Ranges –

Test drive date: 22nd January 2008

Summary

Audi can’t seem to put a foot wrong these days, churning out class leaders with almost every new model. Do Audis’ match up to the likes of BMW and Mercedes in the quality stakes? You bet; Audi is well up there with the best, and arguably ahead of both in many areas.

Despite their extensive new model line-up, the A4 is Audi’s bread and butter car. It’s the volume seller – the one that has to do well; the one most of us buy. Already a winning formula in its previous guise, only careful, bespoke improvements will avoid interrupting the A4’s winning streak.

Good Points

More room inside whilst retaining compact structure. Excellent chassis and handling. Extremely refined in diesel form. First rate fit and finish.

Bad Points.

Very few negatives worth making a fuss about. Too many engine variants, (all with different driving characteristics), doesn’t make for easy consumer choice - as you don’t get to drive them all like we do - but 2.0 litre diesel is the best all rounder. Extensive options list can take final purchase price to crazy levels -yet many features are taken for granted in luxury segment cars these days.

Summing Up

A fitting successor to the previous model with many new innovations and features – at a price. Definitely a class leader with a touch of prestige.

Star Rating : 4

(5 – Outstanding)
(4 – Very Good)
(3 – Adequate for Segment)
(2 – Poor)
(1 – not worth considering)

Best of the range: 2.0 litre Diesel

Styling/Design

No radical changes here, but enough to make this car distinctive enough from the old. New design is tighter, sportier, with subtle innovations. The new grille treatment provides for that assertive ‘it’s an Audi in your rear view mirror’ look , whilst the now trademark LED day time driving headlamp feature gives a unique presence to the car, for upto as long as it will take the after market accessory industry to allow everyone to fit a cheap copy.

The new A4’s sleek, stylish, inoffensive styling will ensure the mass popularity of the car is maintained, whilst panel fit and finish alone is second to none. Its smart enough to be parked alongside anything anywhere, and (most importantly) it ‘looks’ like a quality prestige car.

Interior, equipment, and accommodation.

The new A4 has now has as much interior space as the old A6 whilst retaining the compact dimensions that make it ‘an A4’. This is welcomed and needed. Driver and passenger seating is extremely comfortable, and legroom in the rear will only be compromised by someone 6ft 4 and above in front.

Options such as Leather seating and the integrated Sat Nav systems are a must really, hiking the price of your new A4 up by at least a couple of grand. Add to that the new multi radar safety system, and a very good value optional £500 option for the new Bang & Olufsen Hi Fi system and you’ll be at least adding three to four grand to your model price. All worth it though (especially for resale) for these are options you may well regret forfeiting over time.

Audi have a winning formula in their dash and switchgear design, which is broadly the same across the range. It all ‘user friendly’, in fact, a pleasure to use. Why can’t all interiors be like this? Audi A4 drivers will want for nothing behind the wheel, and (thank god) you don’t need a degree in reading instruction manuals to operate it all – 5 stars for that Audi.

On the Road

It’s in the ride and handling department where your engine choice matters most. We tried the 3.0 litre diesel, the 2.7 diesel, and the 2.0 litre diesel. No petrol options were available, but we can expect to see a 3.2 quattro, a 2.0 litre and 1.6 petrol engines at least, soon. All three variants drive differently. The 3.0 litre had loads of torque but soon ran out of steam in second gear, gasping for third in the short straights between fast bends when punted hard, whilst you’d welcome a little bit of extra travel in second to allow some engine braking into the next bend. The manual gearchange coped with being shuffled around at speed, but is clearly more at home to a less hasty hand. The chassis composure of the 3.0 litre was excellent, and it is the handling of this car which stood out most; safe, predictable, sure footed and composed, unperturbed by even the most unsympathetic treatment making it a true pleasure to drive hard with attitude.

Whilst again demonstrating sure footed handling we couldn’t quite see the point of the 2.7 – slightly more agile with less weight upp front, but if you want the oomph, the 3.0 litre does it all.

The Crown Jewel of the range is the 2.0 litre diesel. You can still be upto 125 mph (well at least on the German Autobahn) in no time at all, and your real life A to B journey is likely to be no different to the bigger models. The 2.0 litre diesel feels immediately engaging and user friendly, it’s power train best suited to the A4’s dimensions. What’s more, with less weight up front, the steering has excellent feel and the whole driving experience is much more enjoyable. The six speeder manual is a joy to use, and the whole car feels much more engaging to the driver. So impressive is the 2.0 litre that we suspect even the power inclined will still opt for this over more bhp. Add better fuel ecomony and lower overall running costs into the bargain and you have a real winner here.

Is it worth buying?

Oh yes. If you’re looking for a mid size family car, which is well built, reliable, stylish with a strong element of prestige, the A4 more than does the job. Add to the equation the good quality of service, (and not least a decent coffee), you can expect from the Audi dealerships these days and somehow the equation seems complete.


Kevin Haggarthy

Kevin Haggarthy Road Tests: Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster Jan 2008

Until I drove this one, the DB9 S was the best 'drivers Aston for me..but this one makes a very close contender. And here's why......


“Look carefully, and tell me what’s missing.” These were the Aston Martin reps final words at the end of one of his no doubt many factory tours. Our tour guides enthusiasm, and endless knowledge of all things Aston, was seriously impressive. So there in front of us was a line of gleaming Astons, polished ready, and destined for their new proud owners. They looked perfect. Yet according to our host, something was missing from each of the cars, and for the life of me, I couldn’t work out what it was. Had I been a potential purchaser, I would have driven out of the showroom without even noticing….

I pleaded to our guide to put me out of my misery. And so he did -proudly pointing to the missing Aston Martin logo on the boot-lid claiming. “No Aston can leave this factory Sir, without earning its wings!” Well, of course. Despite their spotless appearance, this gleaming bunch of Astons had still yet to go through arduous water tests, track testing, and finally the ‘Customer Acceptance Line Process ‘ a meticulous checking process for every car before it can, you guessed it…. ‘earn its wings’.


Built to perfection

Building an Aston Martin with great care is where your path to understanding this company begins. See it as the contrary to the frantic, against the clock, production line process dominating the average mass produced family runabout. Unlike such examples, Aston Martin is not looking to churn out hundreds of cars a day. What’s more it’s hardly a recipe for passion.

At Aston, it’s a much less frenetic affair; each car taking the equivalent of some 200 man-hours to produce; that’s about the same amount of time it takes a corporate company such as Ford or Toyota to produce fifty cars. Astons are manufactured at the Company’s HQ and state of the art production facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire. There, its cars are assembled at a series of successive work stations, where small groups of specialists will proudly fit and finish at each production stage to spec. Aston maintain that each car remains essentially hand built by their own craftsmen with decades of experience.

I like that. Had I been a potential customer on the day it would have given me confidence in the build integrity and quality of my investment, and not least the reassurance that buying an Aston Martin is indeed quite an occasion in itself – even if it is one you are fortunate enough to repeat. It also tells me that the Company really care about the product I am buying, and yet when I get behind the wheel and drive this glacial blue V8 Vantage Roadster with attitude, my attention is immediately diverted to the instant excitement generated from that amazing exhaust note, a Bang & Olufsen sound track in its own right, simply relishing the no-nonsense approach to the throttle it was getting from me. And that is exactly how an Aston Martin should make you feel.

beauty by design

Yet on looks alone, and regardless of any exotica you may have previously owned, the V8 Vantage Roadster will trigger superlatives from every angle – for it is a quality product, with a unique thoroughbred history. Its’ sense of presence is macho yes, yet not overtly male, unique but understated, and bold yet exuding sheer class.

Meanwhile, the global motor industry is ducking and diving from endless blows and challenges, yet there has hardly been a better time to buy an Aston Martin. With ex professional rally driver and Pro Drive founder and entrepreneur Dave Richards at the helm and the highly competent Dr. Ulrich Bez as Chief Executive Officer, Ford seem to have sold the Company into the right hands, and the future for Aston is looking pretty good right now.

On the road

But the proof is in the pudding, and right now it is the new V8 Vantage Roadster. Whilst originally introduced at the Los Angeles Motor Show in 2006, production of the Roadster began in Spring 2007 , and was immediately in high demand. Right now it is in high demand from me as I hurriedly get behind the wheel for the first time, running late for an editorial meeting. There was little time to sit and savour the privileged tool I was set to use for the journey. Adjust seat, turn ignition key, (the words ‘power, beauty, soul’ flash up on the dash). press the ‘start’ button, and my keenness to be gone was shared by that instant raw from the exhaust. I could see that we were going to be friends.

And Wow. When you hear a noise like that you just can’t treat the V8 Roadster as an ‘everyday car’ – it’ special- even when you’re in a hurry. Snick the manual shift into first gear, ( a steering paddle based Sportshift option is available for an extra thee grand) whilst the handbrake located to the right of the seat, must be lifted, button pressed, and released again; it’s easy, and I’m off.

The gearbox is smooth as silk from cold, and in no time you the driver are at one with the car. It is best to remind yourself, earlier rather than later, of the Roadster’s capability; 0-60 mph in 4.9 secs and a top speed of 175 mph . Yet on first acquaintance it doesn’t feel so. Not that the power isn’t there; (it takes just a few more inches of throttle to prove that) , but this ‘baby’ Aston is so tractable, easy to drive, and user friendly that you almost ‘forget’ it is a supercar. Not all that long ago you just wouldn’t say that about an Aston Martin. They were all muscle and brawn, needing high driving effort; but you can now, and that opens doors to many new Aston Martin customers. (take note Dr. Bez)

Refined

The Roadster is also tremendously refined; it feels even better built than the original Coupe version of the car we drove about a year ago. In the past, inconsistent build quality was regarded as a broadly acceptable novelty of bespoke hand made cars. No longer are such things a quirky and amusing talking point at the bar, but are simply a ‘no-no’ –Thankfully, this is a matter Aston have put well behind them, and the fit and finish of this Roadster was indeed exemplary.

The enhanced sturdier feel to the car is partly attributable to a revised steering rack assembly, now fitted to the Coupe also, giving a more confident feel to the drive. Enhanced stiffness is derived from a slightly thicker gauged aluminium chassis, and strengthening of the webs within the sills. The added stiffness is also derived from being ‘designed in’ from the start, as the car was originally penned with the Convertible concept in mind. The continuity of four years production stability at the Gaydon site will also have gone some way towards quality consistency too.

Inside, the V8 Roadster is roomy and spacious for driver and passenger alike. The beautiful hand stitched leather interior adds to the sumptuous and luxury feel you would expect of a car of this kind. There is wonderful styling integration between the exterior and interior look of the car –the long, swooping centre console being in total harmony with its smooth, flowing yet tight classic external lines. Switchgear is functional and purposeful, and the dials are easy to read. There’s no space to the rear other than a centrally located oddment bin to keep things tidy.

Back to the driving, and it is the engine which is the soul of this car. A smooth revving 380bhp V8,churning out a massive 302 llb.of torque, and capable of propelling you to over 100 mph more than the UK’s national speed limit. As said, it is the tractability of the engine which attracts most, and the relative lack of noise insulation as a result of the reclining roof- whilst making for a very loud motor car – enhances the aural pleasure.

If you’re travelling ‘top up’ on the motorway, the engine noise and noticeable tyre roar may prove tedious to some over long distances. Cabin noise is by no means ‘conversation friendly’. The all aluminium frame weighs only 1710kg, and we suspect weight has also been saved by lightweight materials used for the triple layered fabric reclining roof – so sound protusion is a factor.

Whilst driver and passenger have ample room, the same cannot be said for luggage space. Aston had to live with a compromise here – for they needed to incorporate a totally integrated reclining roof mechanism which inevitably compromises boot space. Yes, your golf clubs will fit nicely, but fitted designer luggage bags will be your best option for long journeys. It’s a sacrifice Aston consider worthwhile, for the integrated soft top design ensures the reclining roof is totally stored away when reclined without interfering with the car’s clean lines, and it takes just 18 seconds. It’s such a simple affair to use too - ‘up’ or ‘down’ at the press of a button, and that’s it, Done.

the drivers choice

The committed driver will love the way this Aston handles. Being rear wheel drive with a powerful V8 lump up front, and a slight weighting balance to the rear, the Roadster threads easily through bends under power. Its straight line performance is prodigious, (more a question of the level of courage you have to explore it) whilst the brakes, responsive and with just the right amount of feel, scrub the speed off easily. Rather than dip its nose under power into a tight bend, the Aston retains its composure, edging you to power through with the knowledge that the back end of the car is safely rooted to the road. Gear changing is a joy; you’ll want to put the work into playing that melodious exhaust note as you power up through the rev range. It all becomes a totally engaging experience – locking car and driver to the task in hand. With the top down, sun shining, and that V8 playing its melodious tune, at this very point in time life couldn’t be better.

Yet, this V8 Vantage Roadster is a supercar you can equally enjoy punting around town on a summers day, as you will on a fast cross country blast– such is its tractability and user friendly nature. This Aston simply does what you want in the way you demand it, with sounds, looks, and blistering performance to match. If this is what the future Aston Martin ownership experience is to mean, then we heartily embrace it with open arms.


Kevin Haggarthy.

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Price: £91,000

Specification:


V8 Roadster
Length
4380 mm
Width
1865 mm
Height
1265 mm
Wheelbase
2600 mm
Engine
4.3 litre V8
Power
380 bhp @ 7000 rpm
Weight
1710 kg
Top Speed
175mph
0-60mph
4.9 seconds
Ins Group
20
Consumption
18.8 (average)