May Supercar Competition

The 1955 300SL Gullwing – one of the most evocative shapes in motoring history. Fast forward 55 years and Mercedes decides to reinvent an icon.

Same long bonnet, this time housing a 6.3 litre V8 with 571bhp. And those exquisite doors, swinging up like wings of a swan. Not just a pretty face though, this SLS was born for the famed Nurburgring, taut, composed and fast an anything out there. Jump in, pull that theatrical door down, start the powerhouse and away you go...

Some days you’re sitting in your DB9, enjoying the V12 and good looks, and then you need to take 3 friends to the theatre. The DB9 seats are just too small, so what do you do? Until now, buy a Range Rover and sacrifice your style and v12 engine. But now Aston Martin has the answer – the Rapide.

Taking the current Aston look and applying it to a 4 door hatchback sounds awful, but has created yet another stunning Aston. Incredible style and beauty inside and out, along with masses of practicality, and a 469bhp wailing V12 engine. Even James Bond wouldn’t know what to do with 3 Bond girls…

Some say there hasn’t been a truly beautiful Ferrari since the F355. The 360, 430 and 599 have all had a ‘technical’ look to them, but they’ve certainly been missing that certain something in the looks department. Well with the 458 Italia, Pininfarina has redeemed itself, creating the best looking Ferrari for over a decade. Small, taut, lithe, yet stunningly beautiful, the 458 ups the game considerably, with 560bhp from its flat-plane V8, and a new 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Containing all of Ferrari’s accumulated F1 knowledge, the 458 is going to be a hard car to beat on track or on road…

The Maserati Granturismo is one of, if not the most beautiful car on sale. The swooping bodywork is stunning from every angle, conveying power, grace and class in each crease. But, much like Jaguar with the XK-RS, Maserati wanted a piece of the track-day action, and the Granturismo was just that bit too soft and gentle for that. So, Maserati’s Corse race team stepped in and got to work, ending up with the Granturismo MC Stradale, which stands for Maserati Corse Street – a race car for the streets. Weight is lost by more use of carbon fibre and the removal of the rear seats (around 100kg less), and the glorious naturally aspirated 4.7 litre V8 is pumped up to provide 444bhp. This gives the MC Stradale a surprising turn of speed, topping out at 187mph and getting to 60mph from a standstill in 4.7 seconds. The bodywork has received a choice set of modifications too, with new aggressive front and rear bumpers gaining extra cooling vents, a carbon lip spoiler at the rear and some new aerodynamic side skirts. This gives the new Maserati a very aggressive look, but without spoiling the beautiful lines. MC Stradale Vs. XK-RS? We’d like to see that…

To mention a ‘raging bull’ seems clichéd, but it describes this latest Gallardo perfectly. 560bhp being wrung out of its 5.2litre V10, emitting the kind of noise that makes grown men and babies cry. People 2 villages away will hear the LP560-4 when it heads towards the redline. With looks so chiseled and purposeful, and handling so adjustable and raw, it’s little wonder that this latest Lambo is the car to have.

A true supercar in every sense – the interior cossets you in an alcantara letterbox, the power crushes you into your seat, and people stare, open jawed as it drives past. There are few experiences that can match driving this piece of Sant‘Agata’s finest engineering…

The Bentley Continental GT was revised last year with an all-new model that looked almost exactly like the old, but with a few nips and tucks here and there to keep it modern and sporty. What stayed the same however, was the engine. A truly impressive power plant with the 6.0 litres, two turbos, 12 cylinders and up to 630 bhp, it was a weighty lump and wouldn’t exactly win any favours with your bank manager as it managed just 17.1mpg.

So Bentley have responded with a new V8 model to sit below the W12 which will continue in production. A 4.0 litre twin turbo unit derived from that found in the new Audi S8 it produces 500 bhp and weighs 25kg less than the W12, but it also manages 27mpg thanks to incredible technology that enables it to shut down 4 of the cylinders when not under load. So emissions are less, economy is up, and you get a classic V8 soundtrack to boot…

A credit crunch busting lump of cash! Will it pay for the Mortgage, School Fees, an  amazing holiday or just be a nest egg for the future? 

Whatever you do with it, it will be certainly help through the year!!

The Porsche 911 had it easy for years, sitting back being THE useable supercar. Then from out of nowhere comes Audi, with a futuristic coupe that looks ready to fight from the off.

A 4.2 V8, mounted in the middle, putting out over 400bhp, 4wd for security in all weather, and an exhaust reminiscent of a NASCAR racing car. Victory looks set for the Audi, even without counting its stunning interior and newer technology.  Audi 1 – Porsche 0…

The Giant-Killer. Godzilla.

This latest in the long line of Nissan’s GT-Rs has received a different nickname from everyone that drives it, and for good reason. This GT-R not only beat the established players, it took the rule book and did a burn-out right on top of it. £40,000 cheaper than a 911 Turbo, yet more powerful, better handling, and quicker around the Nurburgring. A driving gadget show, every bit of new tech is included on this Jap toy, from the twin-clutch gearbox, through the on-board g-meter, to the super-trick 4wd system.

That was 2009 though, and Nissan certainly didn’t rest on their laurels. Most companies would have been happy with their supercar being the measure of a 911 Turbo, but not Nissan. For 2011 they have tweaked and fettled the GT-R, and while outwardly you’d struggle to tell the difference, it’s under the skin where the changes have been made. Of course the outside has been tweaked – new front and rear bumpers add a diffuser at the rear and fancy LEDs at the front. The engine gets a makeover too, pushing the 3.8 litre V6 to a mammoth 523bhp, which brings the 0-60 time down to a scarcely believable 3.0 seconds, and the top speed is nudging 200mph. Amazing for a 4 seater practical coupe. One thing is for sure, you can guarantee Porsche are working on something special to trump this GT-R with the new 991 Turbo...

Ever wondered what it would be like to go to a track day with 3 of your best friends and destroy some rubber? Well obviously Porsche has, as they’ve created a more focussed version of their big-selling Panamera – the GTS. Sitting between the 4S and the Turbo, the GTS comes with a naturally aspirated 425bhp 4.8 litre V8, 4WD, a PDK dual clutch gearbox and an exhaust note to embarrass a Lamborghini. The GTS gets a lot of Porsche toys as standard like the Sport Chrono, adaptive air suspension and PASM which gives a tauter damping configuration for a sportier ride. On any road or track the GTS will shine, able to sprint to 62mph in 4.5 seconds thanks to a Launch Control facility. This really is the most track focussed 5dr hatchback you can buy (or win!)…

The Porsche 911 has always been the benchmark sportscar. The one the competition always tries to beat – a challenge which is rarely accomplished. The 911 has always been the commensurate sports car by having an unstoppable mix of incredible handling, great looks, practicality and tarmac-tearing performance, none more so than the latest 991 generation model. In Carrera guise it packs 346bhp, a new Panamera inspired interior and breathtaking looks to make the competition cower. In the 911’s history , the Convertible model has always been the poor cousin, suffering too much from the lack of rigidity a folding roof brings, but even that has been banished by the latest model. A clever roof with hard composite panels under the fabric and a chassis with extra strengthening which weighs less than the outgoing model all combine to make the soft top version as good a steer as the coupe – a real achievement……

The Mercedes SL has been around since the 1960s, providing fast, classy and stylish transport for those who want to be seen and want a quality car to take them to the golf club. Now in its 6th generation it features a folding hard top with the option to flip between see through and black glass and every toy conceivable.

The SL500 is no longer the AMG’s poor relation, getting a new 4.7 litre V8 twin turbo engine putting out an incredible 430bhp. That’s enough for 4.6 seconds to 62 mph which isn’t much slower than the first SL55 AMG model from 2005. Best of all the new SL500 weighs 125kg less than the previous model, which means improved performance, economy and better handling precision. The SL goes to the top of the class once again…

One journalist described the visceral sound of the Aston V8 Vantage under full acceleration as 'Like God gargling with the planets' , and there's no better description.

With a body so perfectly proportioned and stunning, you could be forgiven for thinking its all good looks and noise, and no substance. But this Aston delivers with hard, creamy smooth acceleration, tight balanced cornering and an interior which is rich in details to keep you amused for hours. Play at being Bond, or just drop the windows and find a tunnel...

472lb/ft of torque. That’s the number which defines this top of the line car in Land Rover’s stable. Squeeze the accelerator in any gear at any speed, and you get the feeling of worlds moving, as the big RR opens its lungs and surges forward.

A level of luxury to shame any BMW, Audi or Mercedes, subtle classy looks, and the ability to wade through mud up to its wing mirrors. This Range Rover can do it all.

A credit crunch busting lump of cash! Will it pay for the Mortgage, School Fees, an  amazing holiday or just be a nest egg for the future? 

Whatever you do with it, it will be certainly help through the year!!

M-Division. A secretive section of BMW, where they turn ordinary cars into projectile missiles, tuning and honing every part to make them the best they can be.

With the new M3 they excelled themselves – a 4.0 litre V8 powerhouse, screaming every one of its 414bhp, old-school manual gearbox, and a carbon fibre roof. It sits squat on the road, and delivers a driving experience second to none, whilst still taking a couple of sets of golf clubs and 5 people.

M-Division has struck gold again…

Until recently the BMW M3 had pretty much the run of the practical performance coupe market. Lexus had the IS-F, but it was a 4dr. Audi had the RS5 but it was hampered by poor handling and 4wd. And Mercedes had the C63, but like the Lexus it was a 4dr which just wasn’t, well… sexy. So the M3 sat there with its glorious V8 making all the right noises to anyone who wanted to hear it. Well Mercedes was watching, and now they have released the biggest threat to the M3’s reign yet, with a Coupe version of the C63.

Using the same 6.2 litre V8 as used in most of the AMG tuned Mercs, it pushes out a very useful 451bhp (35bhp up on the M3) or 478bhp with the optional Performance Pack. The new Coupe body blends the aggressive front end of the facelifted C-Class to an all-new 2dr body which looks great with the flared AMG wheelarches. It makes the most evil sound from the V8, a sound deep, rich and vocal enough to send an M3 hiding in the bushes. The King is dead, long live the King…

Audi defined the performance estate/wagon in 1994 when it released the RS2. A 311bhp turbo 5-cylinder 4WD estate car that could outrun a McLaren F1 to 30mph. In 2000 the RS4 took over the mantle with a twin turbo V6 and they never stopped evolving right up to the very latest RS4. Packing a 4.2 litre V8 with 414bhp the latest fast Quattro estate will still keep up with Supercars on the straights and if it’s even a little damp, will destroy them in the corners. These RS Audis have so much grip you’ll wonder if it ever runs out. A true do-anything car, you can destroy Supercars all while taking the family and dogs to the countryside…

A diesel engine…… in a Porsche?!?! The cries of Porschophiles world-over could be heard everywhere on the internet when the Cayenne Diesel was announced. And not even a Porsche diesel – an Audi unit transplanted in.

The Cayenne may run on the black stuff, but it’s still got Porsche DNA through and through. Lunging forward on a wave of torque, attacking bends like a hot hatch, and classier inside than most executive cars, the diesel-driven Porsche has arrived, and is here to stay…

This is possibly the most important car in Land Rover’s history. They have taken the Range Rover brand upwards to the highest levels, with the brand now representing the very best in off road luxury vehicles. But times are changing, customers want ecologically friendly cars and petrol becomes ever more expensive. So the Range Rover Evoque is born. Similar in size to the Land Rover Freelander, but sleeker and sportier, the Evoque takes all the best Range Rover attributes and shrinks them to 70% of the size. So you still get great looks (even more so with the Coupe – a 3dr fastback), an amazingly luxurious and well designed interior and exceptional off road ability, but combined with frugal engines, low CO2 emissions and a lower price tag. This SD4 model gets a 190bhp 2.2 litre diesel engine which pumps out under 150g/km of CO2 – very impressive figures. Expect to see the Evoque on every street corner in every major city – this will be THE car to own in 2011…

While it might look like a JCW hatchback with a roof chop, there are changes under the skin. The strengthened chassis from the Mini Convertible is used, and while it adds a little weight (the Coupe is 25kg heavier), the engineers are happy that it’s at the lowest point of the car. Springs and dampers are stiffer, too.

The rear spoiler deploys at around 55mph and detracts at 25mph, but when raised at high speed can provide up to 40kg of extra downforce. The windscreen is raked at a 13 per cent lower angle than on the hatchback, which not only boosts the interior and makes it feel more special than other Minis, but dramatically reduces wind noise – enough to require some extra sound deadening in the rear quarters to hide the roar of run-flat tyres.

“276bhp? Is that all?” – this is what Joe Public has said about the Evora. Well yes, its power seems a bit low compared to a BMW M3 – but this 2+2 Lotus weighs 300kg less, yet is just as fast and as nimble as a championship ice skater.

Mid engined balance, combined with 4 seat practicality, with gorgeous looks thrown in for good measure – this Lotus takes everything they’ve proven with the Elise and Exige ranges, and have created a genuine Porsche Cayman S rival…

A credit crunch busting lump of cash! Will it pay for the Mortgage, School Fees, an  amazing holiday or just be a nest egg for the future? 

Whatever you do with it, it will be certainly help through the year!!