Wednesday 31 December 2014
Tuesday 30 December 2014
Driven: Porsche Panamera Turbo Review
Driven: Porsche Panamera Turbo
Following a short track test of the Porsche Panamera Turbo here are my first thoughts on this super executive sports saloon.
What is the Porsche Panamera Turbo all about?
The Porsche Panamera Turbo is Porsche’s high performance four-door sports car. The Panamera has some fine executive luxuries inside, and also some great sports car capabilities too. The Turbo version is the ultimate representation of sports car and executive saloon in one.
The stretched 911 look does have customers divided on whether or not they think it’s a good looking car; either way the styling fits in very nicely with the Porsche brand, and I don’t think any other design would work as well as the one that Porsche have achieved with this latest Panamera.
The Panamera Turbo is powered by a 4.8-litre V8 engine that drives all four wheels using a PDK gearbox. This will get the car from 0 to 60mph in 4.1 seconds and will do a shocking top speed of 189mph.
How does it drive?
Getting into the Panamera Turbo you sit in a control room of buttons and dials; this is hardly a bad thing as the cabin is covered in luxury left, right, and centre. Testing the car on the handling circuit at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone, driven slowly it feels relatively normal to drive, the car feels smaller than it physically looks, which helps you forget about all that extra weight you are carrying.
With the car in the normal performance mode you are able to manoeuvre it without any drama, for a car with 520bhp this is a pretty good achievement.
Once the car had warmed up I wanted to test its capabilities a bit more so I put the car into Sport mode. Sport mode sharpens the throttle response, stiffens up the adjustable suspension and adjusts the PDK system for optimum performance. Pushing hard around the handling circuit this is where the executive saloon starts to feel more like an actual sports car; the car feels sharp and alive, and has very little body roll. For a car of this size it feels great.
There is no question about the power of this car; the acceleration is brutal and instantly there when you ask for it. You can still tell from the driving experience that it is a Porsche but it does have a small feel of additional weight to it, however it is still exceptionally good for a car in its class. Pushing the car hard around the track you feel that you have full control and you get lots of feedback through the chassis and steering wheel.
This car weighs 2,070kgs which makes it a pretty heavy car. Being a Porsche, they want to ensure that all cars are able to break from 60-0mph in half the time it takes for the car to accelerate from 0-60mph. And bearing in mind this car can do 0-60mph in 4.1 seconds, that is an incredible achievement and really keeps up the sports car feeling that Porsche want to adopt for their large executive saloon.
Whilst I had the Panamera Turbo on the track it was a great time to test out some of the features I wouldn’t normally be able to test on the car. Firstly was the launch control system. To initiate launch control you need to make sure the car is in Sport mode. The model on test had a PDK gearbox, you put your left foot on the brake pedal and then punch down the accelerator pedal hard with your right foot, and when you are ready to go you simply release your left foot off the brake and the Panamera Turbo grips at all four corners and releases that 520bhp out the back of the car. It did this with no wheel spin or drama, it just fully launched the car as fast as physically possible. The beauty about launch control is that it will do it every time without fail; no missing gears or short shifting just great performance every time.
Next we looked at testing Porsche’s advanced braking systems to see how the car would stop from around 100mph in different scenarios. We ran this test multiple times to demonstrate how well the car controls each wheel independently to ensure maximum braking performance and control. Testing it out on damp tarmac didn’t seem to phase the car and I was shocked by the amount of braking power and grip that the Panamera Turbo has.
The Panamera Turbo absolutely blew my mind with its sports car performance, and it is incredible that a car with this much luxury and passenger space inside can still perform like a much smaller and lighter car.
What’s it like inside?
Inside of the Panamera Turbo it is a true luxury car, there is plenty of room both in the front and back seats so you could comfortably take four people on a very long journey in this car.
The centre dashboard area is a maze of buttons, switches, and lights that control all aspects of the car including the performance systems, heating controls, and audio system. The dash also features a large LCD screen display which is the central hub for the infotainment system.
The Experience
The Porsche Panamera Turbo is a car that would excite anyone mildly interested in cars. The car is still very exclusive on the roads, especially in the UK. Traveling inside the car really leaves you feeling very high-class as it is a true luxury car.
Being the Turbo version gives you a boost of insane power that creates a car that has the best of both experiences; respectable executive car and plenty of power.
Verdict
The Porsche Panamera meets a direct need from customers to have a large executive car that is also rewarding to drive. It’s fair to say that the Panamera has real Porsche sports car characteristics and will be the likely choice for those that want a four door driver’s car.
Specification
Porsche Panamera Turbo
- Price: £108,006
- Engine: 4.8-Litre V8
- Power: 520bhp
- Torque: 700Nm
- Transmission: 7-Speed PDK Manual
- 0-62mph: 4.1 Seconds
- Top speed: 189mph
- Weight: 2,070kg
- Economy combined: 27mpg
- CO2: 239g/km
Author: Paul Hadley
Driven: Porsche Panamera Turbo Review
Top 7 Motor Verso Highlights in 2014
Coming to the end of the year is always a good time to look back on the year’s experiences and so here are a couple of my highlights from my year writing for Motor Verso in 2014.
1) McLaren 650s
With the release of the McLaren 650s I was one of the lucky few that got to test out the super car on a testing circuit. Unfortunately for me, as you can see from the picture below, I drove the car in terrible heavy rain, but I still got a taste of just how good this car is.
2) Jaguar F-Type V8R
It could be the best car Jaguar have ever made and it is my favourite sounding car ever. I drove the car at Millbrook proving ground. The experience was very impressive, I got to drive the 500bhp car around a test circuit at high speed watching lightening bolts shoot down out of the sky. I doubt I will ever forget that trip.
3) Bentley Continental GTC V8
I have a lot of love for Bentleys and in July 2014 I had a week long experience of the Bentley Continental GTC V8. Lucky for me this was also a very warm week, which meant I could get the most out of the convertible car all week.
4) Rolls-Royce Wraith
A couple of weeks before the Bentley above, I had 5 days with the Roll-Royce Wraith which gave me the opportunity to really get to know just how good cars can be when money is no object. The car was brilliant in every way.
5) Bentley Continental GT Speed
Back in February I had a week long experience with the fastest Bentley ever made, the GT Speed. This is a 624bhp performance car. I think I must have filled the tank up around 3 times in one week, but the car was an excellent performance car and really taught me a thing or two about grand tourers.
6) Porsche 911 Targa
At a Porsche press day I managed to get my hands on a 911 Targa, it was my first Targa experience and made me understand just how special the 911 range is, and what a difference the Targa experience gives in comparison to the standard version.
7) Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
In October 2014 I was able to drive the mighty Corvette Stingray from Miami to Key West and back again on a short holiday. This car is an absolute rocket and makes huge amounts of noise out of the rear, so it was a real head turner too.
Summary
2014 gave me some really great driving experiences and the above are really only some of the highlights. I can’t wait to see how we get on in 2015 and what exciting new cars I get to experience.
Top 7 Motor Verso Highlights in 2014
Monday 29 December 2014
A Custom McLaren P1 by MSO for Miles Nadal
Every now and then we come across a one off McLaren created by their very own Special Operations department. This time it is a one-off McLaren P1 that has been customised for businessman and philanthropist Miles Nadal. The car is inspired by the McLaren F1 GTR design.
McLaren P1 Miles Nadal – Custom Details
The customised details on the car include huge orange callipers, while the rest of the orange touches highlight details across the front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser. MSO have also made changes to the inside of the car with highlights matching the same colour scheme.
Standard Power Plant
As ever powering the McLaren P1 is the lightening fast twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 which works alongside an electric motor to generate a combined power output of 916bhp and 900 Nm. This means the supercar can do 0-62 mph in less than three seconds and reach an electronically limited top speed of 217mph.
Source: World Car Fans
A Custom McLaren P1 by MSO for Miles Nadal
Sunday 28 December 2014
Tesla P85D Actually Creates Way More Torque Than Advertised
It’s slowly becoming more common to run a electric car on a daily basis, and now people are starting to look a little deeper and investigate the performance of such cars.
The Tesla Model S is one of the best electric cars available to buy at the moment. Drag Times put a Model S on the dyno just to see how well the car actually performs, take a look at the video below to see how it got on.
The new Model S P85D has 2 electric motors, creating 471bhp at the rear and 221bhp at the front. Making a combined electric power of 691bhp, which is a huge amount of power. This variant of the Model S will do 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds making it a very fast electric car but oddly Tesla never seem to mention the torque figures.
Tesla Model S on Dyno Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqFWvAplIKc
Tesla Model S; Dyno Results
Here you can see a print out from the dyno test. It shows the Model S creating 864 lb/ft at peak torque.
Source: Drag Times
Tesla P85D Actually Creates Way More Torque Than Advertised
Lamborghini Create the Aventador Pirelli Edition
The latest announcement from Lamborghini is that they are launching a limited edition Aventador alongside Pirelli Tyres. The model that is set to launch in summer 2015 is said to have been created by both companies celebrating their history together.
Lamborghini Aventador Pirelli Edition
Lamborghinis have been supplied with Pirelli Tyres for some time now and this model won’t be any different. The car will come in a selection of bespoke colours, and in typical Italian style the colours all have fancy names such as Giallo Spica, Rosso Mars, Grigio Liqueo, Bianco Canopus, and Nero Nemesis.
Performance
The performance of the car hasn’t been tweaked in any way, you still get the same 6.5-litre V12 engine that creates 691bhp and will do 0-060mph in 2.9 seconds.
This announcement comes not too long after we saw the 50th edition release which sold out of the 200 units. We could see around the same amount built for the Aventador Pirelli Edition model.
Lamborghini Create the Aventador Pirelli Edition
Saturday 27 December 2014
Top 8 Shooting Brakes Rendered in 2014
Usually, we can only dream of having a car perfectly designed to meet our own personal preferences. At the moment it is a popular trend to render cars in a shooting brake style as it gives them a very interesting look. Here are 8 designs from X-Tomi Design.
X-Tomi is a Hungarian designer and has been doing car renderings for a while now, below are some of the designs he has done in 2014. My personal Favourite is the Toyota GT86 above, but take a look at the others below as well.
Mercedes AMG GT
BMW M6
Nissan GT-R
BMW M4
Audi TT S
Lexus RC-F
Source: X-Tom Design
Top 8 Shooting Brakes Rendered in 2014
Friday 26 December 2014
Jon Olsson’s PPI Razor GTR Audi R8 Up for Sale
We have looked at the Jon Olsson’s Audi R8 before and it is really an impressive car. Over Jon’s time with the car it has had various different styles and looks, as you can see from the pictures.
PPI modified R8 for £83,000
The one off Audi R8 has now gone up for sale for around £83,000. The custom car was 1 of 10 PPI modified R8s ever produced. The exterior design elements include a completely revised front bumper, side skirts, carbon fibre rear diffuser, and a show piece being a ski box that is supported by that huge rear spoiler. This R8 looks as unique as they come.
The modifications aren’t all from a design perspective. The R8 is very powerful because of its v10 engine with 601bhp as default, but the car has a few more tweaks to the engine helping it to create 710bhp. The car is also significantly lighter, by 250kg in fact, this is because of the extensive use of carbon fibre. All this means that the car will get from 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds and do a top speed of 208mph.
Jon Olsson’s PPI Razor GTR Audi R8 Up for Sale
Thursday 25 December 2014
Wednesday 24 December 2014
Rolls-Royce Suhail Collection for Phantom, Wraith, and Ghost
Rolls-Royce are known for being the ultimate statement of custom designed luxury and now they are finishing off the year with a new limited edition bespoke collection. This is the first time we have seen a bespoke collection be introduced across all 3 models the Phantom, Wraith, and Ghost.
Rolls-Royce Suhail Collection
The custom models will be called the Suhail Collection. Quite aptly, the name comes from one of the brightest constellations in the sky and is said to be inspired by 10th century mathematician and astronomer Ibn-al-Haitham.
The Phantom, Ghost, and Wraith are all painted in a high gloss Moonstone Pearl colour. Along the front wheel arches you will notice a Suhail star indicating the car is part of the Suhail Collection.
Complete Luxury
As with all Rolls-Royces, the inside of these bespoke cars are the epitome of luxury. The leather has very unique turchese highlight accents, which contrast against the navy blue instrument panel and carpets. If you look closely around the dash you will see Ash Burr wood fascias, and there are also Suhail stars dotted around the interior indicating once again that you are inside a bespoke collection model.
One of the biggest feature points inside the cars is the Starlight headliner in the Phantom and Wraith, creating a perfect starry night effect every time you are in the car.
How Much?
In typical Rolls-Royce manner, there is no disclosed price for the car or exactly how many of the cars will be produced. It is really on a need to know basis and if you can’t afford it, don’t ask.
Gallery
Rolls-Royce Suhail Collection for Phantom, Wraith, and Ghost
Tuesday 23 December 2014
Hyundai i30 Sport Nav 7 Day Diary
Here are my thoughts on the Hyundai i30 Sport Nav after my week-long test drive.
Day – 1 First Impressions
Taking a first look at the i30 was a very pleasant surprise for me. Up close the car looks very appealing. From the front the car has a well-crafted face that gives the car a sporty but friendly look. I was very happy with the 3 door body shape from the side; it looks like a fairly premium car.
The only down point for me was the chrome inserts in the wheels that gives the car a slightly cheaper look than I would have liked considering how good the rest of the car is.
Day 2 – Taking it for a Drive
Taking the car out for its first decent drive is a great time to start to understand what the car is all about. The model on test has the 1.6-litre diesel engine in with a 6 speed manual gearbox. This creates 128bhp that goes to the front wheels. The car feels very smooth to drive. The pedal weighting is nicely balanced and the clutch has a very smooth and soft feel that brings a nice element of gentleness to the driving experience of the car. In heavy traffic the i30 is pretty easy to stop and start, and on the motorway the i30 creates plenty of torque to help you change speeds to keep up with the movement of traffic.
The thing that most impressed me about this car is the engine efficiency; I averaged over 50mpg all week. Driving it hard or soft the car still returned great mpg, and it appears it will go for miles and miles on a single tank.
Day 3 – Driving at Night
Taking the i30 out at night gives you a whole new arena of things to test with the car. The car was fitted with halogen based headlights which do work well, but I did feel myself sometimes wanting a little bit more light on really dark roads, it would be great to have a Xenon light option on this car. One of the good features of the lighting is when you turn a tight corner the car will automatically light the fog light on that side of the car to illuminate the road at a wider angle than the standard headlights to enable you to see more. It’s a very effective safety feature.
Another thing that I liked about the car was the daylight running lights; they really help give a modern look to the already pretty curvy front end and also have the added benefit of the safety feature.
Day 4 – What Features do you Get Inside
The inside of the i30 is pretty good indeed. The model on test is the Sport Nav version which comes with the integrated Sat Nav system. Often car Sat Navs can be slow and difficult to use, but this one was actually super responsive and very easy to use and follow. I was really pleased and pleasantly surprised with the Hyundai’s navigation system.
The overall design of the interior was very good. It’s clear that the car is built to a price, as with any car, but from a design perspective they have done a fantastic job with the budget.
Day 5 – It’s a Great Everyday Car
After spending some time with the i30, it was clear to me that this Hyundai is a great every day car. The Sport Nav has reasonable performance for nipping about town and does ok on the motorways too, with staggeringly high MPG figures at the same time. Everything about the car is easy to use and the space inside is perfect for everything you need to get in and out, including plenty of room for shopping bags in the boot.
Day 6 – Sunrise Photo Shoot
Shooting cars in December in the UK is slightly more difficult than it is in the summer. I was pretty pleased with the look of this car and we wanted to try and create the best possible backdrop for the car. We decided to try and capture a nice urban sunrise picture. Getting the car ready for the shoot we even had to wash it down in the dark prior to the sunrise to remove the ice off it from the wintery night.
Setting up in the dark at a spot previously scouted out we just had to wait for the right 10 minute window of light that we wanted. We created the nice soft looking picture that we wanted and I’m really pleased with it. Shot by Ross Jukes lying face first in a puddle we created quite a compelling picture of the i30 looking at its best.
Day 7 – Looking back on the week
I was certainly sad to see this car go. The Hyundai i30 Sport Nav was certainly one of the friendliest cars that I have driven and made for an enjoyable drive for the week.
During my time with the i30 I had done around 350 miles and there was still quarter of a tank left in a the car, so I was very impressed with just how efficient this super hatchback had been for the week.
Highlights Video
http://youtu.be/jh32ZT2ae1Q
Supplied by: Hyundai
Hyundai i30 Sport Nav 7 Day Diary
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