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February 2012

2012 BMW 328i Sport Line

Vehicle: 2012 BMW 328i Sport Line with Steptronic, Executive Pkg and Premium Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$53770

Performance: In the last couple of years, BMW loves to mess up with perfectly good things or just plain coming out with answers that nobody has ever asked. Have they messed up with their bread-and-butter product, 3-Series, which accounts for more than 70% of their overall worldwide sales?

Beneath the controversial new grille lies 3 hearts of matters in this 6th generation of the 3-Series. For those who are seeking for low monthly lease payment and daily driving, the base 320i with 185hp is more than adequate. If you are looking for pure performance, 335i with 306hp N55 straight-6 is the real deal. However, most consumers would go for the 328i. While it shares the same N20 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with base 320i, it has 245hp and, more importantly, 255 lb/ft of torque, at driver’s right foot. Along with all the advanced technologies right from BMW’s variable valve timing called Double VANOS, direct fuel injection, electronic throttle, 16-valves and low-pressure turbo; it remains to have some annoying turbo lag at around 1200-1300rpm. What makes this application different than the one we tested in Z4, 5-Series and X1; however, is the N20 relies in the 3-Series is a far smoother and refined operator at all rpm. In terms of engine smoothness and refinement, BMW’s legendary straight-6′s turbine-line delivery is a work-of-art as we have seen in their glorious days in E46 330i ZHP. With the new 3, you can have a smooth 6-speed manual with a nice and progressive clutch. Or the no-cost 8-speed Steptronic with paddle shifters in our tester. The shifts are crisp, smooth, well-defined with perfectly fined ratio to match N20′s personality. Paddle shifters are able to overide at any given gears have shown its a nicely engineered piece. Even with 3461lb, the performance delivered by N20 is already more than we asked for. Then here lies the rough……….

The N20′s engine note is neither memorable or forgettable, at least its not noisy and rough as we have witnessed in X1. You won’t have the same entertaining straight-6 engine note as we are so unforgettable in their glorious days. Another problem is this 245hp has to drink Premium 92 or above octane, when you have to think of this. Hyundai’s world beating 274hp 2.0T in Sonata is able to drink Regular 87 octane. The “Eco Pro” mode, which is able to improve the fuel economy by up to 20% according to BMW. While its able to adjust the shift points and throttle position to achieve the desired fuel economy, if you drive it accordingly. This unnecessary feature actually makes fuel economy worse, as driver usually push it even more as throttle should be controlled by driver instead of computer.

Handling: While there have never been anyone would doubt BMW for engineered a world-class rear-drive chassis with ideal 50/50 weight distribution, well-calibrated suspension, excellent damping and state-of-the-art stability control. Speaking of damping characteristics, there is an adjustable dampers which come with the F30 3-Series. With a choice between “Sport” and “Sport Plus” as adjustabel dampers, latter really transforms a decent sports sedan into one which is capable of eating up track asphalt even when your adranline calls upon. Unfortunately. How many of those sniff*typical*sniff 3-Series buyers would use “Sport Plus” dampers which tigthened up the both suspension, shocks, steering weight and sports seat are beyond my knowledge. “Sport”, on the other hand, would most likey seen being used as its compliant and supple enough when its time to hit those black top twisties on a sunny weekend drive. There is one move which is very much controversial, in its own dynamic strategy. The change from traditional rack-and-pinion to electro-mechanical steering is very much debateable, as the set-up from 5 to 7-Series are just simply numbness nitemares. One of the hallmaks for 3-Series’s well-honed dynamics is steering feel and feedback. Their well-tuned steering feel and weight are damn perfect in E36; although E90′s poorly engineered, yet poorly executed active steering is something that change steering ratio at the wrong place at the wrong time. This move to electro-mechanical steering have lost some of the hallmark steering feel through its transition. While it remains precise and track the path relatively well, F30 never have the exquisite one-with-the-road feedback as E36 and E46. But its not as unncessarily, stiffy heavy as E90′s standard steering rackage. You have to give credit where credit is due. The rest of the dynamic package is pretty darn good. Rear-wheel drive balance with 50/50 perfect weight distribution certainly help the course. The handling and ride compromise remains nicely balanced, even with the ride on run-flat tires. Those RFT manages to provide comfortable ride quality without losing any of 3-Series’s usual composure. Body rolls are minimal. With our Sport Line’s sports suspension, it remains absolutely compliant and supple when pushed. On the other hand, the ride quality haven’t lost anything with stiffer suspension and larger wheels. If you would like to have a more luxurious ride, Luxury and Modern Lines are more your cup of tea than Sport Line. Wrap up the whole equation is BMW’s uninstrusive dynamic stability control. The incoming X-Drive AWD would be godsent in harsh Canadian winter climate.

Brakes: With large 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, 3-Series’s braking prowess is up to its sleeve. The stopping distance is short, while pedal always feels solid and well-modulated. The pedal never felt spongy after couple of harsh stops, while ABS only steps in at the right time at the right place.

Interior: In terms of luggage space, 3-Series scores with a low lifover and minimal side sills for maximum capacity. Because of corner cutting, BMW has changed the decklit hinges from uninstrusive to those instrusive ones. But given 3-Series’s price tag, its well-padded with near minimal instrusions for god’s sake.

There is finally a 3-Series backseat for rear passengers have legs and head. You have the same cheap door panels as the front, while the center armrest’s flimsy cupholders are just ready to break. With that mickey mouse button and cheap plastic opening, just a matter of time before it breaks. Why don’t they just leave 2 exposed rear cupholders instead of that stupidly designed cover?

The previous iteration of 3-Series, internally known as E90 in sedan form, already acknowledged for its significant internal cheapness versus its E46 predecessor. F30 has taken it a notch lower, when it comes to interior quality. No matter how many so-called “Lines” BMW wants us to swallow with different interior trimmings, which is a carbon copy of Mercedes’s Classic/Elegance/Avantgarde strategy. Its still unable to hide the amount of cost cuttings in the first place.

As usual, credit has to give credit where credit is due. The instrumentation gauges are typical BMW, which is both clear and analog. Auto climate control is effective and initutive. Well-foamed leather sports seats in our Sport Line provide awesome thigh and back support, when its time to push 3-Series through liberties. Driving position is easily adjusted and spot-on, thanks to multi-adjustable power seats and tilt/telescopic steering wheel. Their latest i-Drive is finally more user-friendly. But not exactly most user-friendly, mind you. The rest of the interior is mix blessings…….

Our Sport Line’s red trim line across the dashboard has spoken for tacky and pure cheapness. I wouldn’t expect this kind of cheap detail in a 53k BMW, which is something I would expect to see in a 19k Scion. While Modern Line’s wood trim looks expensive, it gives faux wood a poor reputation which is actually a “real” wood. Same goes for Luxury Line’s glossy, yet another poorly detailed wood panel. Then we come down to piss poor plastic quality, there are aplentry of those from the door panes to center console. The switchgears on the climate control, headlight switch and power window have lost those tactical, high-quality material feel we expect from a BMW. The multi-media display, which placed on top of the dashboard, tends to wash out during sunlight. BMW’s latest automatic gearlever design is far from initutive. You have to press a button for “P”, pull up for “reverse” while moving down the gearlever in not so elegant manner. Gone is the good ole’gated design with well-executed detents. Last but not least, BMW’s annoying electronic turn signal with poor detents remain intact. Although E90 is all wrapped up with nasty, cheap-looking black plastic; at least it has some tactical quality to behold on. In F30, its not.

Conclusion: What a relieve after driven the new 3-Series. Despite of my criticisms, BMW haven’t messed up with a car which they built their reputation on. Not only it retains a nice choices of powertrains, handles relatively well with more standard features; it finally got the space which it has been cried out for long time ago. Most of all, it hasn’t lost its dynamic charm which has made this car famous in the first place. But then there is a huge question marks……

When its rivals innovated turbocharged 4-cylinder technology much earlier than you do, while BMW has always been known for producing world-beating straight-6 normally aspirated engines for ages combined with rear-drive balance…..added edgy handling to the mix….those have lost during the transition to a 3-Series which feels more like a comfortable luxury sedan than an all-out no-compromise sports sedan as its forebears did. All of a sudden, this Bavarian carmaker have lost the magic touch it once was.

By all means, costing over $50k for a decently equipped 245hp 2.0 liter turbocharged 3-Series only leaves for those who have lots of disposable income.

Long lives the E30, E36 and E46. :(

Competitions:
Audi A4
Buick Regal GS
Cadillac ATS
Mercedes C-Class
VW Golf R
Volvo S60

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 BMW 328i Sport Line
=====================================
Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2012 Hyundai Equus 5.0

Vehicle: 2012 Hyundai Equus 5.0 Ultimate
Price as tested: CDN$71999

Performance: Saying Equus has the world’s best V8 certainly isn’t an understatement. In fact, Hyundai’s Tau 5.0 liter 32-valve V8 has been highly acclaimed as one of the world’s finest engines in “Ward’s best engine” award. With the introduction of this amusing 5.0 liter replaces 4.6 liter in Equus, its able to move this Korean luxury beast in an even more silky and elegant manners. A manners which are able to pit this understated cruiser into the world of German’s most prestigous sedans costing thousands more. 429 stallion and 376 lb/ft of torque are impressive, what’s more impressive is the way the power delivers through the pavement. The level of smoothness, refinement and NVH are able to put many of its Japanese and German counterparts to shame. Mesh the light throttle, its able to move Equus’s 4643 lb with ease without breaking a sweat. The combination of direct fuel injection, variable valve timing and electronic throttle are expected technologies for its caliber. Not only does the low-end grunt is amazing, it never felt running out of breath at both middle and upper ranges. 8-speed automatic is the “default” choice, which is a given for any upper luxury car. Here in Directshift, we already lamented there are too many damn gears with all the 8-speed variants we tested. However, Hyundai engineers have hit another homerun, as they have chosen their gear rations wisely. We won’t feel any kinds of gear hunting between 3rd and 6th, while 1st/2nd and 7th/8th have geared exceptionally well. All are willing to up and downshifts, without all the annoying traits with trillion gearbox. No wonder those Korean engineers are ready to come out with a 10-speed variety in the next few years. Given Hyundai’s engineering prowess, we would believe the 10-speed will likely lead the pack.

Handling: If you are thinking Equus is a driver instead of a passenger’s upper luxury car, you are in the wrong car. While it definitely not having the same agile road manners as the likes of Audi A8, its far from being cumbersome. The whole driving experience is of a silky smooth luxury car, with soft suspension cushioned enough for the rear passengers. As with the 4.6 I tested earlier, 5.0 remains with the underdamping issue with its air suspension. That’s means it doesn’t absorb the bumps and roughness as cushiness and suppleness as its German rivals, even with its advanced damping system. The saving grace is the suspension is soft enough to absorb the bumps without feeling like a wet noodle. To put this into perspective, Equus’s riding quality is mirrored those of a Lexus LS460 instead of a Mercedes S550. Dial in inheritant softness through the suspension geometry and spring rates are what the Korean engineers are looking for, during the tuning process of the Equus. Push the Equus through the twisties, it exhibits pronounced body rolls. While the electronic stability control has acted reasonably well to tempt both under and oversteer. The steering feels vague even though its quite precise coming out of driver’s hands.

Brakes: Given Equus’s 2-toned curb weight, its braking performance has to be judged as downright impressive. The stopping distance is short, while pedal feels solid and reassurring. Even after a couple of harsh stops, it remains fade-free. ABS acts up on the right time at the right place seal up the whole equation.

Interior: The use of quality leather and plastic materials continue in Equus. I love the use of soft-touch plastic on the dashboard and door panels, while there are wood trim to add warmth and classy to the environment. Those leather seats are well-foamed, as it provides excellent thigh, back and side supports. The 8-inch screen is large and initutive for anyone to check on Equus’s current status, as well as serve as a back-up camera while parking this beast in your neighboring golf course.’

Along with two comfortable rear seats. Our Ultimate comes with heated and cooled seats, center refrigator and entertainment system. All have wrap up in a luxury yet understated package.

Last but not least is the great sound from Lexicon’s 17-speaker stereo system.

Conclusion: Hyundai is an evolving company. Their latest move on Equus powertrain has proven the fact that this company is simply unstoppable. Upping the power count from 385hp to 429hp in just a short year has shown how eager they want to pit Equus at the top of everyone’s shopping list, even if Hyundai has admit Equus is never been able to match the superpower’s sales volume. While they still haven’t got the handling and ride compromise right, so does the lack of customization through Equus’s option list. But we can be damn sure, the next generation of Equus will get all these issues solved. Given Hyundai’s track record, it should be able to match or even exceed any of its peers.

Competitions:
Audi A8
BMW 7-Series
Mercedes S-Class
Lexus LS460
Jaguar XJ

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Hyundai Equus 5.0
=====================================
Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 4/5

Long-term update: 2012 Hyundai Accent GLS 5-doors

Vehicle: 2012 Hyundai Accent GLS 5-doors Auto
Price as tested: CDN$18399
Mileage since picked up: 1400km
Regular maintenance: 0
Unscheduled repairs: 0

Hyundai was the first car company which introduced us to disposable cars. It took them nearly 2 decades to rebuilt their reputation with the introduction of the original Accent. Although the original Accent was both cheap and cheerful, it took Hyundai aplentry of time to gain traction in the affordable segment dominated by the Japanese. The introduction of a lengthy warranty coverage with consistently improved build quality have put Hyundai on top of the chart in recent years. While its the 2008 Genesis which truly put Hyundai on everyone’s shopping list, its the affordable segment which Hyundai have really gained traction with the Sonata, Elantra and Accent.

Our loaded Accent GLS comes with whole nine yards. Everything else from Bluetooth capability, cruise control, steering wheel-mounted audio to ESC come as standard. The interior has been exceptionally well put together. Yes, you still can find some cheesy plastic given its at the end of the subcompact segment. Its plastic is nicely textured with tight fitting. Panel gaps are even while switchgears have a nice, tactical feel and feedback. There are also plenty of head and legroom for both front and rear passengers. When it comes to interior dimension, Accent is about as spacious as any mid-sizers from a decade ago. Another prove that subcompact has come a long way in recent years.

2012 Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe

Vehicle: 2012 Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe with AMG Performance Pkg Plus and Premium Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$78100

Performance: The only thing this beast has in common with the original C-Coupe is the name itself. Its a radically different ride from what you have seen in an entry-level Mercedes coupe.

It all begins with hand-built AMG 6.3 liter DOHC 32-valve V8, which has advanced technologies right from variable valve timing to electronic throttle add to the mix to sweeten the pot. Given Mercedes AMG’s sweet engineering prowess on producing wonderful engines over the years, this V8 is certainly no exception. It all begins with 451 stallion for the healthy middle to upper ranges while 371 lb/ft of torque serves down below. It all does with engine note that has to be judged as one of the most entertaining in the industry. When launch the C63 AMG with Mercedes-esque heavy throttle, this compact coupe launched like a rocket without breaking a sweat. All you need to worry about is driver’s licence, as it would bring this hefty 1730kg Mercedes coupe to 100 km/h in about 4.5 seconds. Mated with this sweet powertrain is the equally compelling 7-speed Shiftshift, as in Mercedes’s equation for dual-clutch variety. Once again, the engineering has been very exceptionally done. Its able to heel-and-toe when driven up and downshifting, with a proper paddle shifters to override at any given gears. The ratios are perfectly matched to this beast’s performance characteristics, while 7th gear is tall enough to suit Mercedes’s well-honed cruising personality. If there is one drawback, it has to be the fuel economy. We had no less than 20L/100km during full throttle the whole day, with average of both city and highway driving.

Handling: Our C63 comes with the optional rear center differential, with ensures more stable and sharper turn-in when given it full exercise when beckoning the open roads and opening it up on the racetrack. Combined with C-Class’s world-class chassis engineering, which means excellently calibrated suspension and delicate damping of the springs. The result is a C-Coupe which is not only able to compete with anything else in its class. Its able to compete with anything above. That’s a rarity in Mercedes AMG’s underwhelming dynamic capabilities in the past. While the ride is firm and supple, it doesn’t punish the occupants like many harsh sports cars do. All have done with the usual Mercedes elegance, which is worthy of the tri-star emblem on the hood. Meanwhile, its ESP is uninstrusive enough as a Mercedes AMG. What is the most surprisingly fact is how delicate and responsive C63′s steering during off-center. I have never been a huge fans of Mercedes steering racks. But this is a dead giveway that Mercedes steering dynamics is improved significantly. The steering feel is prompt, responsive, delicate and provide great feedback to the driver. Wrapping up the whole dynamic equation is exceptional body motion control and minimal understeer before encounter oversteer. Its rear-drive near perfect weight distribution really paid dividend in this C-Coupe. My only wish for the availability of Mercedes 4-Matic AWD in anything AMG, is most drivers won’t have the skills they need to control such high-powered beast.

Brakes: With large 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, C63′s stopping distance and feel are world-class. The stopping distance is short, while pedal always feels firm and well-modulated. It doesn’t feel fade-free after lots of harsh stops, while ABS doesn’t step in unnecessarily.

Interior: Its best to leave C-Coupe as a 2-seater as rear seats are PITA to get into, despite its electronic front passenger seat assistance. Its lack of proper headroom and legroom pretty much give this away.

On the other hand, the use of materials on both dashboard and door panels are of very high-quality textures. There are plenty of soft-touch plastic with improved layout on the front. As with all Mercedes, it has one of the coolest radio graphic with its infotainment system. The AMG leather sports seats just plain scream ultimate in support and comfort while playing with the C-Coupe.

Conclusion: The wider fender flares and larger wheels have given C-Coupe more road presence than its rather bland base car. That’s about wrapping up this awesome C63 AMG. C-Coupe used to stand for cheap, slow and ugly. This C63 AMG changes everything with attitude. What seals the deal for me is the price. Even with our tester comes with the most necessary option packages, it remains very competitively priced. When you factor in both performance and handling, with the cachet of AMG, it represents one heck of a bang-for-the-buck.

Competitions:
Audi RS5
BMW M3
Cadillac CTS-V

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe
=====================================
Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 5/5

2013 Porsche 911 Carrera S

Vehicle: 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera S with PDK, PCCB, PDDC with sports chassis and Premium Pkg w/power sports seats
Price as tested: CDN$133465

Performance: Build a better mousetrap when a mousetrap isn’t broken have always been a dliemma faced by car manufacturer when its time to redesign a success car. That’s especially true if the subject of the mousetrap is the iconic sports car name Porsche 911. How does Porsche evolve such an iconic mousetrap?

Whenever Porsche comes out with a new generation of 911, they usually come out with Carrera 2 rear-driver follows by AWD Carrera 4, Turbo and GT2/GT3 variants. Per Porsche tradition, the inanguration of each introduction has to be C2. The subject of our test driver is a 991 C2S.

Beneath the iconic froggy lies C2S’s rear-engine water-cooled 3.8 liter DOHC flat-6, with all the latest, in terms of automotive technologies. While the “base” C2 comes with 350hp, which already considered potent by any given standards. Porsche’s “S” usually means turning an awesomely good car into a great car. The desired result is 380hp over 350hp, while torque jumps from 290 to 310 lb/ft of torque. The premium for paying for an “S” has always been justified every single pennies. When it comes to acceleration, responsiveness and linearity; there aren’t quite like Porsche’s legendary flat-6. Its engine note is simply intoxicating, which is an understatement. The latest innovation comes in the world’s first 7-speed manual gearbox, in which the 7th gear serves as an overdrive ratio for comfortable cruising on Autobahn when driven at 250 km/h, passing all those lowly 3-Series in the middle lane. Or our tester’s optional 7-speed PDK, which is Porsche’s marketing buzzword for dual-clutch gearbox. With 2 clutches serving both odd and even gears, it changes gears quicker than any race driver while having better fuel economy than any traditional automatic gearbox. The result is an automated manual, which have perfectly low 1st and 2nd gears for peppy acceleration. 3rd to 5th use to sweeten the powerband while having 6th and 7th for awesome highway cruising, latter continue to use to pass those lowly 3-Series on the Autobahn again. All have done have put C2S from standstill to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds, even if it has to carry 1415kg around its slippery shape.

Handling: When it comes to engineer a proper sports car chassis, no one else does it better than those in Zufferhensen. Their latest 911 is certainly a prime example. Along with a rock-solid chassis, which is famous for its utmost ridigty and integrity, for anything as “slow” as a 350hp C2 or upcoming track-breed GT3-RS. Then here comes along with all those in suspension and damping technologies, for those who have scared of 911′s traditional rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive tail-happy characteristics. While their latest move to electro-mechanical set-up might have those Porsche purists worried about 911′s legendary steering feel has turned into a F10 5-Series numbness nitemare. After our detailed testing when pushed 991 through twisties and track alike, it hasn’t lost anything to its rack-and-pinion predecessors. While I personally still prefer having the rack as a major communicator between the driver and the road interface, the latest environment protection legislation has forced carmakers to shift from traditional rack into EPS as fuel saving technology. Porsche’s typical excellent path tracking abilities remain intact in this setting. There are always anything, in terms of relativity. But when it comes to engineer a proper EPS, Porsche has done a marvelous job of tuning the right feel and feedback with great enough precision to wear its emblem. The sports chassis and PASM have worked togther nicely as a team with PSM, in order to provide the perfect handling and ride balance, without having unskilled drivers scared the hell out of 911′s driving characteristics. The result is there are terminal understeer settling in before encountering oversteer, when latter does occur, Porsche’s state-of-the-art PSM kicks in to save anyone’s stupid ass. However, as far as ESC goes. Porsche’s PSM has to be the most uninstrusive for skilled driver to push it up the liberties before it starts to activate. As it has high enough thresold for skilled drivers and low enough for those unskilled badge snobs. PASM’s “Sport” really have turned 911 from a comfortable grand tourer into a true sports car. Both the steering is sharper, suspension more eager for turn-in with firmer ride and bucket seats tightened up for superior support. All have done in a sporty yet elegant manners which is typical of Porsche.

Brakes: There aren’t many brakes as good as a 911. Their latest effort continues to be impressed. Its like stop on a rail on a high-speed stops. Even after a couple of harsh stops, it remains fade-free. The credit has to go to large 4-wheel discs with optional PCCB, which improves braking performance at astounishing level. Then add an ABS, which absolutely perfect when it comes to activation timing wrap up 991′s leading dynamic package.

Interior: 911′s interior used to be austere if very well-made. 991 is both luxurious and very well put together. There are lots of buttons on the center console, for those adjustable dampers and climate control. The use of plastic and leather materials are simply outstanding by any standards. The multi-adjustable power sports seats provide amazing support at every places, when its time to play the 991 through the racetrack or simply cruising on a hot sunny days. Climate control is initutive and user-friendly. Instrumentation gauges continue to be clear and concise, without any fuss.

As good as 991′s interior quality, there are two items that earned me.

As a Porschephils, I missed the black and white austerity of classic 911s. They were simple, easy to use, classical, form-follows-function while all wrapped up in material quality which last for ages. Times have changed. Porsche wants to increase 911′s appeal to both non-enthuisasts (or what we dubbed “badge snobs”) and enthuisats alike. Their move to tempt 911′s fun-but-challenging lift-throttle oversteer have shown clearly, right start from 996 generation a decade ago. Because of the above reason, 991 has abondoned the traditional but secure handbrake in flavor of electronic handbrake, in order to fit in all the latest electronic gizmos in the latest interior. Driving a sports car without handbrake is like drinking non-caffine coffee. The main reason if Porsche doesn’t serve those electronic-geek crowd happily with their new 991, someone else at Audi and Mercedes certainly will.

Conclusion: Instead of messing up an icon, Porsche has made the 911 an even better car than before. Its not only born to run at 250 km/h on the Autobahn, its also able to eat up those Black Forest twisties while continue to provide utmost driving pleasure on the racetrack. That’s because a proper Porsche should be a proper daily driver while bringing up to the weekend race course without any changes. And that is exactly what a 911 is all about.

Competitions:
Audi R8
Mercedes SLS AMG
Ferrari California

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2013 Porsche 911 Carrera S
=====================================
Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 5/5

Long-term update: 2012 VW Passat TDI Clean Diesel

Vehicle: 2012 VW Passat TDI Clean Diesel Highline with Sport Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$40612
Mileage since picked up: 1200km
Regular maintenance: 0
Unscheduled repairs: 0

There are 3 engines which powering up the new Passat. The base engine is the same one which share with Golf and Jetta. A gutless 2.5 liter straight-5 with 170hp and 177 lb/ft of torque. While we find this application works fine in lesser silibings, it doesn’t cut a mustard when it compares with most of Passat’s competitions. Although its 6-speed Tiptronic does come with Sport mode, its level of refinement and responsiveness have nothing on its Japanese and Korean rivals.

Next up is the 3.6 liter V6 with 280hp and 258 lb/ft of torque. Just when both Hyundai and Kia, with Ford and Chevrolet following suit, on ditching V6 in flavor of turbo-4 as optional engine. VW, which follow Toyota and Honda’s playbook, keeps its V6. Despite of overall less than 10% of taken rates, less so when the gas prices skyrocketing. V6′s level of refinement and smoothness are something intangible. Something consumers who aren’t afford to afford a more expensive entry-level luxury sedans who seriously consider, when gas prices aren’t taken into serious consideration. Both the engine note and 6-speed DSG w/paddle shifters are anything on par with Camry and Accord counterparts. Press it to the max, it really shown the difference between a V6 and turbo-4 on upper rev ranges when it comes to engine refinement and flexability.

The engine of choice for Passat, as with most of VW’s product range, has always been their amazing TDI Clean Diesel. Stand outside of our Passat, the slight clutter could only be remind anyone that it is diesel-powered. Slip inside the luxurious interior, both the enthuisasits and non-enthuisasts are not to notice any diesel clutter. It really has shown how far modern diesel technology has come along. Given our loaded Passat Highline comes in no less than 3396lb while having 236 lb/ft of torque, which is about as much as its V6 silibing. Has generated an average of 6 liters per 100km combined fuel economy is nothing short of amusing. Most of the credit goes to TDI’s utmost efficiency and beauty of Tiptronic gearbox with decent gear ratios.

Next up. We will tell you more about Passat’s interior. :)

2012 Maserati GranTorismo Convertible Sport

Vehicle: 2012 Maserati GranTorismo Convertible Sport
Price as tested: US$149250

Performance: Whether you are getting a base or Sport in convertible guise, you are getting the same 4.7 liter DOHC V8 derived from Ferrari silibing. The only difference is Maserati has detuned it for Gran’s grand touring nature, especially when its time to go underneath the sleek hood of its gorgeous convertible. In the base form, it has a really good 433hp and equally compelling 361 lb/ft of torque. If you just think 433 stallion just isn’t fast enough, opt for the slightly messaged 444hp and 376 lb/ft of torque in our Sport tester. When it comes to seat-of-the-pants feedback, we don’t feel latter is significantly quicker given its negigence weight difference. That said, our Sport is weighting in at a disappointingly porky 4365lb at its Italian wrist. What we really love about both powertrains are the “passion” or what we dubbed “engine note”. There aren’t many engines build as equally as Ferrari ones. When its shoehoned into a Maserati, it haven’t lost much of its soul and character. Its the same sweet and entertaining engine note which is simply music to every driving enthuisast’s ears, whether is on low-end accelerating or boosting up for strong middle and upper ranges. Maserati’s engines are just sweet-as-a-nut. Mated with this sweet Italian stallion is a standard ZF 6-speed maumatic with paddle shifters. Not only does the leather-stitched shifter is lovely to behold, it also works up nicely with the engine as a team. The paddle shifters are able to override at any given gears, while providing tall enough ratios for superb highway cruising and retaining the short ratio for peppy off-the-line acceleration. If there is one wish, however, we hope the shifting is smoother given the engineering prowess influenced by Ferrari. Otherwise, the shifts are crisp and relatively linear for its given purposes.

Handling: The Gran has a decent chassis to begin its life with, along with the recalibrated suspension for our Sport tester. That should make for one heck of a sporty Maserati convertible, right? You have to give credit where credit is due. If you are expecting a truly sporty convertible, you are in for the wrong car. Its desingation already a dead giveaway that this car is destined to be a grand tourer, except for the track-breed MC coupe. Yes, its rear-wheel-drive configuration has created a near perfect 51/49 weight distribution for balanced handling. But the whole ride feels very much like a highway cruiser than a capable track handler. The Skyhook suspension has already done a nice enough job of given it the better balance for a superb ride and decent dynamics. While the ESC has given high enough threshold for some oversteer fun. With the stiffer structure of a convertible, it doesn’t have any cowl shakes when driven through railroad tracks and patholes. But then here lies the rough……

As decently engineered as the Gran itself, its chassis already felt aged compared to much younger rivals. Another letdown is the soft steering feel. We expect sharper and quicker steering ratio, especially with the more responsive feel and feedback go through driver’s hands. Driver’s control should be quicker and more delicate given Maserati’s engineering prowess.

The silver lining behind all of these is currently no timeframe for Gran’s replacement. Given Italy’s dire economy, there is no replacement for products which needs disposable income. Both GranTorismo and Quattroporte fall into this category. When all of their rivals have received a new and improved version, Maserati can’t soldier on with selling only aged but limited range of coupe, convertible and sedan while adding a “possibly” new CUV then called it a day.

Brakes: With large 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, Gran has provided nice enough stopping distance as a grand tourer. The stopping distance is short while pedal always feel firm and well-modulated. Our only hope is the ABS doesn’t activate earlier than what we expected.

Interior: Slip behind the wheel of a GranTourismo, you would expect the same exquisitely build interior as any Maserati. It certainly lives up to this brand’s reputation of producing classy interior. There are lovely leather seats which provide great support, with soft-touch plastic everywhere to justify its price and brand. However, the Italian quirky ergonomics are something that I am not too fond of.

When the roof is up, the rear sightlines are poor. Regardless of the roof up or down, the rear seats are equally tight for adults and enough to punish kids. Luggage space is decent enough for two persons on a weekend getaway.

Conclusion: The Sport is costing about $10k more than the base Gran convertible. Whether its worthy of the premium is debatable, which is definitely up to the way this car drives. Even though base doesn’t come with the advanced Skyhook suspension, it doesn’t lost anything with its cruising abilities. The additional 11hp doesn’t feel like worth the cost of 10 grand neither.

If it were my money, I would take the base car and save the extra 10 grand for a nice vacation.

Competitions:
BMW 650i
Jaguar XK8
Porsche 911 Carrera

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Maserati GranTorismo Convertible Sport
=====================================
Performance: 4.5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2012 Chevrolet Orlando

Vehicle: 2012 Chevrolet Orlando 2LT
Price as tested: CDN$24895

Performance: When an Orlando isn’t available anywhere in Orlando, here it is Chervolet’s Canadian-exclusive people mover.

Consider Orlando’s competition, it doesn’t come as a surprise that it comes with only one single powertrain. However, it doesn’t share the form of small turbocharged 4-cylinder as its chassis architecture, Cruze. What the Orlando received is GM’s 2.4 liter Ecotec DOHC 16-valve motor from Equinox crossover, which is good for 174 ponies and 171 lb/ft of torque. In a nutshell, this engine is only adequate to move our 2LT tester’s 1616 kg of curb weight around its wrist. While the amount of refinement and smoothness are up to the snuff in this people mover segment, which is currently held the post by Mazda5. This Ecotec is only able to enough to move 5 persons adequately while 7 barely. That’s not to say Orlando is sluggish, its not yet been able to classified as undepowered but adequate seems to be the best description. However, its smooth 6-speed maumatic has done more than enough works to keep Orlando moving toward Disneyland. Thankfully, the 1st and 2nd gears are short enough to keep Orlando launching urgently, while 3rd and 4th would keep its merging with freeway. 5th and 6th would keep it crusiing comfortably on highway. If you just want to get the max out of the Orlando, its manumatic mode would help keep the engine in boiling mode all the time.

Handling: Its hard to fault Orlando’s architecture as it shares with the excellent Cruze compact. That means the chassis is both rigid and solid, with a great foundation for suspension components to hang its hats. When it comes to people mover, Orlando’s dynamic equation is about as good as its benchmarked Mazda5. While Mazda5 certainly provides more driving fun through the twisties, not that you should do that with the whole family inside. Mind you. :D Its European influence through its chassis tuning has shined through the corners. The electric power steering provides positive yet responsive feel and feedback, its also relatively precise to the point where it reminds me more of a Cruze than an Orlando. There is terminal understeer while body motions are well-controlled. Suspension is well-damped, with provide supple ride quality. That means its comfortably compliant while absorbing all the expansion joints, roughness and washboard pavements where we called Canadian roads. With GM’s excellent Stabiliztrak stability control, its able to eliminate understeer and oversteer, when a good daddy suddently got naughty when pushed Orlando too hot in a corner.

Brakes: With full disc brakes all around and standard ABS, Orlando mananged to stop itself commandably. The stopping distance is short, while pedal feels crisp and alive. In the past, GM brakes tend to feel numb and spongy. Orlando’s brakes always have some lives to its feel and feedback. Add to the standard ABS which doesn’t have any unwanted intervention, it wraps up its sound dynamic package.

Interior: The front of the Orlando has been very well layout. As it got everything else from a nice set of climate control and stereo, which are both ergonomic and initutive. The use of materials and fit-and-finish have been equally well, although we still found quite amount of cheesy plastic on the dashboard. What I am not really fond is the graphics on the dashboard, which look kind of gaudy in a rather clean interior.

The biggest highlight is the spacious 2nd row seats, which provide spacious head and legrooms while seating 3 persons across comfortably. The 3rd row provides decent legroom but headroom is at a premium for my 170cm height.

What makes the Orlando seperates from its major rival is the luggage space. With both the 2nd and 3rd row fold down completely, it has wagon-ized 1594 liters of luggage space, which is very impressive. The more impressive aspect is the whole cargo floor is completely flat, with a single inch above the floor, when all the seats are completely fold-down. The 2nd row is also able to fold down 1/3 or 2/3 when its time to travel with 4 or 3 persons occassionally when its time to go to Ikea for a cupholder. When it comes to versatility, Orlando is very much like a Cruze wagon.

Conclusion: The Orlando would serve 95% of all the consumer’s needs and wants. Although the powertrain is barely adequate to move its heavy curb weight, its the interior layout and luggage space which would appeal to consumers. Add to the fact that its European influenced handling and ride compromise, with attractive feature content to the mix. Perhaps Mazda5 has finally met its true rival…..:)

Those in Orlando will certainly missed the opportunity to purchase such a nice people mover.

Competitions:
Ford Transit Connect
Mazda5
Scion Xb
Kia Rondo
Mitsubishi Outlander

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Chevrolet Orlando
=====================================
Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 5/5
Value-for-money: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 4/5

Short test: 2012 Hyundai Elantra

Vehicle: 2012 Hyundai Elantra Limited
Price as tested: CDN$22699

There aren’t many small cars in spotlights as much as the 5th generation Elantra. While the previous Elantra were all very worthy compact family sedans, the new version has taken it to the new height. Thanks to Hyundai’s new fluidty sculpture design language, which transform all of Korean giant’s product range from bland to sleek. The succeed of #5 has begun right here.

Along with stunning looks, new Elantra does come with sophication to back up its good looks. Its refined 1.8 liter DOHC 16-valve provides 148hp and 131 lb/ft of torque. While it certainly won’t win any drag races, its good enough for most of the daily driving. The amount of engine refinement and smoothness are on par with anything else from Japanese counterparts. If there is one drawback, its the manumatic mode always stuck in 5th gear. Hyundai has taken this setting with Toyota’s playbook. Since its a manumatic, it should give all control to the driver instead of pre-setting the gear. Otherwise, its 6-speed manumatic is sweet as a nut with proper gear ratios.

Dynamically speaking, Elantra is a very satisfying if a bit of an austere drive. While you won’t find the same handling sharpness as in the Ford Focus and Mazda3, what Hyundai exceeds in ride comfort and balanced handling. While we would love to see a quicker steering ratio, its steering provides sure-footness feel and feedback with enough responsiveness. The ride quality is sublime and should be judged as class leading. There are minimal body rolls and understeer is well-tempted. The state-of-the-art ESC provides excellent active safety whenever driver rears its ugly heads.

Inside the Elantra, its all about quality. The use of materials and workmanship are world-class. You can even get standard features unparallelled with anything in this price ladder. Heated rear seats, auto climate control, Bluetooth capability and redundant steering control are all standard on our Limited version.

Just two decades ago, no one would believe Hyundai have won North American Car of the Year while BMW produces awful cars. How time and things have changed. BMW is producing cars which are nothing to write home about, while Hyundai is getting homerun after homerun. The latest Elantra is the prime example. While there are those who might argue “beauty is skin deep” before they actually driven a Hyundai. With their solid engineering, Hyundai is definitely “beauty is more than skin deep”. Its not only Elantra has a potent powertrain, handles relatively well while comes with lots of generous equipment. The exceptional value quotient and ever improving residual value would have Japanese worries.

If I am looking for a compact family sedan without care for edgy handling, for my money, Elantra is the class leader. :)

Coming up next. The new Elantra Coupe and GT.

Likes:
Stunning looks
Feature galore
Value-for-money
Potent powertrain

Dislikes:
Soft steering feel
Instrusive trunk hinges
Slightly sterlie driving experience

Competitions:
Chevy Cruze
Kia Forte
Mazda3
Ford Focus
Honda Civic
Toyota Corolla
VW Jetta

2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i hatchback

Vehicle: 2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i hatchback w/Sport Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$24795

Performance: Subaru has always been nicknamed as “Japanese Saab” mainly for its quirkness. Their transformation from a quirky into a mainstay manufacturer is about to complete with the introduction of the new Impreza. Can both mainstream and quirky be co-exist in one sentence? We will have the answer at the end of test drive.

Engine downsizing has becoming a welcoming trend with the raising gas prices. Instead of following its competition by giving a small displacement a forced induction boost, Subaru decided to drop the engine displacement on its unique flat-4. The engine displacement has been dropped from 2.5 liters to 2.0 liters, while the hp has been decreased by 22 and torque dipped 25 lb/ft. It makes this flat-4 provides 148 ponies and 145 lb/ft of torque, from this DOHC 16-valve unit with variable valve timing and electronic throttle advances. As expect from a Subaru flat-4, its distinctive boiling water exhaust note remains. Whether you like or not, it remains as the integral part of Subaru personality. Our Sport Package tester comes with the standard CVT. While there are many who lamented the lack of torque converter with CVT’s driving chacteristics, we are always liken for its seamless and efficiency. Based on the engine load, CVT usually revs up to the engine speed with ideal rpm before it hangs on there for maximum efficiency. In Impreaza’s case, it has matched with its flat-4 engine’s character relatively well. Given its pricepoint, this CVT doesn’t create the annoying raw engine sound which has made some found annoying. That’s mainly thanks to its manumatic mode, in which driver is able to control the desired rpm on which they like to. This paddle shifters, on the other hand, are able to kick-in at whenever modes. In fact, we have liked this application more than the one we tested in Outback and Legacy few years ago. In terms of refinement, smoothness and NHV; Impreza has rated up there with anything in its segment leaders. The throttle response is decently quick while provide more than willing performance at all rev ranges.

Handling: When you put the flat-4 engine in the centerline of the engine bay while adding the assymertrical AWD, which is a proactive system. This Subaru assymetrical AWD has always been considered as one of the world’s best AWD, mainly thanks to its proactivity while keeping the Impreza going even with one wheel has traction. It provides plenty of grips through Sport Package’s 17″ tires. Subaru has addressed the complaint on which many have found the previous Impreza a bit soggy when pushed through twisties. The new Impreza has returned with crisp turn-in, sharp reflexes and sporty feel which associate with this unique Japanese brand. The steering continues Subaru’s hallmark great feel and feedback. Its extremely precise without feeling twitchies, on the other hand, it tracks the road on the right path with top-notch on and off-center feedback. The suspension is comfortably compliant while absorbing all the roughness with ease. In fact, its ride quality will be one of the major selling points. The major reason is we found its ride quality is not only match but beaten many of the best riding competitions, namely Mazda3 and Ford Focus. When it comes to balancing handling and ride, Subaru has always done a marvelous job. Combining the forte of an excellent AWD and a state-of-the-art stability control really have this brand on the top of the chart.

Brakes: As with all Subaru, Impreza comes with 4-wheel discs, 4-channel and 4-sensor ABS standard. Subaru pedal feel used to be feel spongy to the travel. The new Impreza has provided sure-footness stoppability. It also comes with brake-force distribution and brake assist, which rounded up the active safety nicely. ABS has acted accordingly about wrap up the whole dynamic equation.

Interior: With a low liftover, narrow side sills and fold-down rear seats which completely go flat into the floor, Impreza’s luggage space is as versatile as anyone can imagine. Combined with a privacy cover and a nice storage space at the bottom of the trunk, no wonder Subaru consistently sold more hatchback than its equivalent sedan. What’s more impressive is the new Impreza adds 100 more liters of luggage space to the existing car, both sedan and hatchback.

If you are able to remember the Subaru of the early days, its interior layout and materials tend to be very quirky. The 80s XT and Loyale are prime examples. With the new Impreza, both have gone from being left field into right field. There are nice soft-touch materials on the dashboard, while everything else is nicely attired and very initutitve. The velour seats are very well-made and comfortable, while auto climate control has adjusted to temperature efficiently and effectively.

The flameless windows of Subaru of ole has created plenty of wind noises. With the flamed windows in the new Impreza, it makes for a much quieter ride.
There are more than enough head and legrooms for rear passengers while having three at a bit of a squeeze.

Conclusion: I love the way Subaru transforms a little quirky duckling into a caterpillar. :) Subaru should be considered as a classroom example of transforming a great brand from being quirky to mainstream. The new Impreza is a prime example. It has become mainstream without losing the perishable character of this unique brand. The infusion of the new flat-4 engine with superior fuel economy, safety and performance-enhanced AWD and looks which are more pleasing to the eyes. It really shown mainstream and quirky can be happily live together in a tidy package.

Competitions:
Hyundai Elantra Touring
Kia Forte5 hatchback
Mazda3 Sport
Toyota Matrix
VW Golf

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i hatchback
=====================================
Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.5/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.5/5

2012 Buick LaCrosse e-Assist

Vehicle: 2012 Buick LaCrosse e-Assist with Convenience Group and power moonroof
Price as tested: CDN$41750

Performance: While the uplevel 3.6 liter has uprated to 303hp, its the e-Assist which is the highlight of LaCrosse’s changes. The e-Assist is basically a set of lithium-ion batteries located at the back of the trunk, which uses regenerative braking to power all the necessary power items. Another benefit is the e-Assist uses the extra energy on top of the 2.4 liter Ecotec 16-valve engine’s performance and efficiency, for those who don’t need to upgrade to the V6. In real life driving, we won’t noticed anything during the transition between e-Assist and gasoline engine. Its as seamless as any gasoline engine out there, with the benefit of exceptional fuel economy. Another credit is where GM is honest about their energy rating. With the 4-cylinder combined with the batteries. The LaCrosse has 182hp and 172 lb/ft of torque. The e-Assist alone cost 15hp and 79 lb/ft of torque. For many carmakers, especially those who hybrid driven, they would cooked their figures for better marketing purpose. For GM, its all about fact. That said, the Ecotec has benefitted from direct fuel injection, variable valve timing and electronic throttle as a host while adding the sweet 6-speed automatic to the mix. All of these have combined to make LaCrosse to achieve such an excellent fuel economy for such a heavy 3775kg of luxury ride. We are able to combined 7.3 liters per 100km, as a combined figure. That’s dare close to Buick’s posted 7 liters per 100km. Without the proper gear ratios of GM’s wonderful 6-speed automatic, we won’t be able to achieve such a nice numbers. This is a rarity with anything gas and batteries combined, which is usually pretty far off to a complete disappointment. The engine start/stop system wraps up e-Assist’s economical equation, which turns the engine off while keeping all the power accessories working while stuck in traffic on in short traffic light stops. As a whole package, e-Assist impressed. :D

Handling: While everyone would have lamented LaCrosse as a traditional Buick luxury sedan, which put more emphasis on luxury over dynamics. The LaCrosse continues to be impressed. Along with the Epsilon 2 architecture, which has been famous for its world-class rigidty and stiffness. It has served as a great foundation for suspension to hang its hats. That means it provides the equally compelling ride quality as one expects from a Buick, without losing anything when it comes to handling. In fact, LaCrosse handles as good as anything else from Japan and Europe at its pricepoint. The suspension is soft without feeling like a wet noodle, while adding a sense of suppleness and firmness to add to driver’s confidence. The result is a full-lined luxury sedan which is as capable in any corners as on the open highway. The steering provides progressive feel and feedback even though it feels a bit vague, off-center. Its not too hard to induce understeer when pushed into limits. While you certainly won’t mistaken a LaCrosse as a Porsche Panamera on black-top twisties, the amount of confidence and inspiring dynamics would certainly delight many of those naysayers who won’t believe a Buick full-sizer is actually a capable car. Whenever a driver rears the ugly heads, there is always GM’s Stabiliztrak waiting in the wings to control under and oversteer.

Brakes: Hybrids used to feel spongy with regenerative braking. With LaCrosse’s e-Assist, it doesn’t feel anything numb or spongy at all. In fact, the pedal always feels firm and solid even when nailed the pedal to the metal. The stopping distance is short, while pedal feels confidence-inspiring. An ABS doesn’t have any annoying intervention basically has told how well-engineered LaCrosse as an entire package.

Interior: LaCrosse as a full-size luxury car, its rear head and legrooms are very impressive. It has limosine-like space for 2 adults while there are more than enough for 3 adults without feeling a bit of squeeze. The same goes for the huge luggage space. Even with the lithion-ion batteries eaten some of the luggage space, it still has a large 10.9 cubin feet of cargo space.

Up front, LaCrosse’s use of materials and fit-and-finish continue to be impressed. The interior appointment is world-class right from the initutive of the controls to how well the materials are put together. The use of a nice wood trim combined with classy plastic and leather materials have shown how far GM interior has come along in last few years.

Conclusion: The holy grail of e-Assist is the ability to get the posted fuel economy without having to pay the premium. Or the premium which have to justify for the hybrids for years down the road. All this technology has done to LaCrosse’s overall package is marvelous. It doesn’t upset anything good about the LaCrosse while provide the fuel economy and performance at a stylish package. Its a whole package for those who won’t need to upgrade to 303hp V6. Its like having a cake and eat it too. :D

Competitions:
Acura TL
Audi A4
BMW 3-Series
Lexus ES350
Infiniti G25
VW CC

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Buick LaCrosse e-Assist
=====================================
Performance: 4.5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 5/5
Value-for-money: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 4.5/5

2012 Jaguar XFR

Vehicle: 2012 Jaguar XFR with Adaptive Cruise Control, R Performance red brake calipers and heated windshield w/timer
Price as tested: CDN$90200

Performance: As with all the cats with the “R” badging at the back of their designations, Jaguar usually turns those rather sedate puppies into entertaining ones. Their latest attempt on turning on rather humble middle cat into a fun one begins with the help of an Eaton blower. This superchaged 5 liter V8 has a very potent 510 ponies and, more importantly, 460 lb/ft of torque. Compared to lesser XF with supercharged, it has a healthy does of 40hp and 36 lb/ft of torque. It makes the Portfolio a rather mandate drive compares to the “R”. Why Jaguar always insist of using blower instead of a turbocharger? The main reason is the instant throttle reponse and torque delivery. Exactly when a turbo has those annoying lags at certain rpm, supercharger delivers quick and swift responsive right the touch of an electronic throttle. It makes for a more enjoyable drive without having those annoying lag, as with have seen from a certain Bavarian makes. On top of that, this 510 stallion doesn’t lose anything when it comes to middle and upper ranges. The whole ranges of power delivery, with the elegant manners as expected from a prestigous British ride has made XFR one heck of a special ride. Mated with this sweet engine comes with a refined 6-speed manumatic gearbox. While we have never too fond of Jaguar’s JaguarDrive Selector shift knob, which is very annoying to use. This gearbox actually delivers of what it supposed to do in a sports sedan. The shifts are crisp and linear, while all the ratios are well-mated with R’s performance characteristics. The use of “Dynamic” mode has made the shift more eagerly at higher rpm without losing the composure one expects from a cat. If there is one wish, however, its the use of a 7 or 8-speed as its able to sweeten up the powerband even more while providing better economy as a return. Paddle shifters actually able to override at any given gears are a huge bonus.

Handling: While we weren’t exactly thrilled with how the original XF drives, we were exceptionally impressed with the addition of a “R” at the back. The main reason is the recalibrated suspension, along with adaptive dynamic and active differential, which really transformed a rather boredom drive into a truly world-class sports sedan. The adaptive dynamics is able to sharpen the drive without losing the sublime ride quality anyone expects from a cat. On the other hand, active differential is able to detect any slippage on an offending wheel while delivering the same kind of effect as a torque vectoring. That means it eliminates most under and oversteer, with the assistance of an electronic stability control, while provides sharper turn-in with sports car-like reflexes. The Servotronic steering provides extremely well-balanced feel and feedback. There are minimal body rolls. With the near-perfect rear-drive 50/50 perfect weight distribution, XFR handles like a digging on both road and track. Its as flat as a gravy on a plate whenever you flat it out in black top twisites or through a hairpin on the racetrack. Last but not least, its able to provide a sense of oversteer characteristics without losing the active safety in a luxury sedan.

Brakes: With large discs all around and standard ABS, XFR has one of the best stopping power in any given cars I have ever driven. The stopping distance is short while pedal feels solid and alive. It has the sort of braking prowess in a sports car without providing the balance in a sports sedan. The brakes are fade-free after harsh stops while ABS only intervenes at the right time.

Interior: Inside the XFR, its got the same good and bad as its lesser silibings. I really like the sweet Connelly leather sports seats, which provide awesome back and thigh supports while flying through twisites. The touch screen multi-media has broken the mold set by those knob-craze Germans. Auto climate control is both effective and initutive, by British standard. I still dislike the annoying shift knob and closed vents, which are something I don’t care for.

The major attraction to XFR’s interior is the how much coziness you feel inside the architecture. Unlike in many of those Germans, which are built with austere interiors with lots of buttons and knobs. Cat’s interior actually has a more warmth and less coldness designed with the atmosphere. In a 3-Series BMW, there are sense of sterile and boredomness with all those dreadful cheap-feeling black plastic. In this Jaguar XFR, you feel welcomed and warmth the moment you set into the driver’s seat.

There are enough space for two adults if a bit of a squeeze at the back due to RWD’s center tunnel.

I like the uninstrusive trunk hinges, which won’t crashed into anything at the back. Its also fairly spacious and well-carpeted if not as huge as some of its major rivals.

Conclusion: I wasn’t exactly thrilled with mid-size cats in the past. S-Type was a disappointing piece while garden-variety XF isn’t exactly leading the pack. This XFR is about to change all that. Along with the sleek exterior and cozy interior, latter is an awesome piece after getting tired of all those drab black interiors of its German counterparts. :) This R has delivered both pace and grace, which are simply stunning enough to challenge its formiddable competitions.

Competitions:
Audi S6
BMW M5
Mercedes E63 AMG
Maserati Quattroporte GTS
Porsche Panamera 4S

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Jaguar XFR
=====================================
Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3/5
Value-for-money: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 4/5

Short test: 2012 Volvo S60 T5

Vehicle: 2012 Volvo S60 T5 with Driver Support Pkg, Premium Pkg, Premium Sound, Metallic Paint and Navigation
Price as tested: CDN$51605

For those who have found T6 AWD a bit out of their price range, Volvo starts to offer a more affordable T5 in FWD guise. We have always been impressed with Volvo’s latest effort on producing a sports sedan, which is finally worthy as a successor to their 850 Turbo about a decade ago.

With the T5, its 250 Swedish forced induction stallion and 266 lb/ft of torque are more than capable of moving this heavymetal around. The main reason is this 5-cylinder turbocharged engine provides silky smooth delivery of performance right from the get-going to middle of the rev range, while providing decent engine note and NVH to justify its luxury car status. Despite its 30 less horses and 59 less lb/ft than its T6 counterparts. It doesn’t feel like lacking. In fact, this engine has aplenty for most situations. It has plenty of low-end torque for traffic light acceleration while enough middle grunt for highway passing move. The smooth delivery of power without the annoying turbo lag. It really does shown how capable Swedish carmakers are able to engineered with forced induction powertrains. The combination of efficiency and effectiveness of light-pressure turbocharging is extremely impressive in T5 case.

Even without the benefit of AWD, S60 remains a very capable car in FWD form. The suspension calibration is world-class especially with optional 4C chassis system. The steering provides reassurring feel and feedback, while the ride is more relaxing, which is more in-tuned with its Swedish personality than many of those more aggressively tuned German peers. As for its 4C, it remains as calm and comfortable as any full-lined luxury car. Press the “sport” button, it quickly transform S60 from a full-lined luxury car into a sports sedan. The “advanced” is better leave for track purpose, which is rare judging by S60′s family car status. The most comfortable setting has to be in “comfort” which we think its most suitable for its character, while leaving the “sport” when your family isn’t around.

On the one hand, S60 has some of the best seats in the business. On the other hand, it has one of the most annoying trunk layout ever. The rest of the interior is typical Swedish sensibilities, with initutiveness we rarely seen from its German counterparts.

Since S60′s first inception in 2001, it has always been our favourite Volvo. With the introduction of the 2nd generation, Volvo is able to keep the goods while addressing its weakness when it comes to dynamic abilities. Volvo has finally able to rectify its poor compromise in previous S60R’s 4C adjustable damping system. It has worked equally well in our T5 FWD as good as T6 AWD. Hopefully, Volvo’s new management would see the light and give us the new S60R.

Likes:
Swedish turbocharged personality
Comfortable seats
Potent I-5 engine
Handling and ride

Dislikes:
Interior ergonomics
Trunk layout

Competitions:
Acura TSX
Infiniti G25
Lexus IS250
VW Passat