MOTOR

TESTED PRICE ENGINE KW/RPM NM/RPM DRIVE

KERB

KG

KW/

TONNE

0-100

KM/H 0-400M

FUEL

CONSPROS & CONS

Quattroporte GTS

11133

Apr 14 $319,800 (8a) V8/3.8TT 390/6800 650(710)/

2000

rear 1900 205 4.7 12.8 11.9 New turbo V8 has mega mumbo; classy interior

Neither looks nor sounds as beautiful as its predecessor

GranCabrio

11133

Mar 11 $328,000 (6a) V8/4.7 313/7000 490/4750 rear 1980 163 5.4 – 14.5 Exclusivity; glorious 4.7-litre V8 soundtrack; manic grip

Scuttle shake, lack of top-up headroom and bootspace

GranCabrio Sport

11123

$338,000 (6a) V8/4.7 338/7000 520/4750 rear 1980 171 5.0 – 14.5 Quicker shifting ’box and extra 10Nm ups the aggression

Still more of a grand tourer than a proper sportscar

GranCabrio Sport MC

11133

$355,000 (6s) V8/4.7 338/7000 520/4750 rear 1973 171 4.9 – 14.9 ‘MC’ shifts the trans rearward and cuts shift times again

Will any Cabrio drivers feel the difference?

GranTurismo Sport

11123

$308,000 (6a) V8/4.7 338/7000 520/4750 rear 1880 180 4.9 – 16.6 Drop-dead-gorgeous coupe finally gets more grunt

Still doesn’t have the bite to back up its bark

GranTurismo Sport MC

11133

$345,000 (6s) V8/4.7 338/7000 520/4750 rear 1880 180 4.7 – 15.5 The four-seat alternative to the harder, faster Stradale...

Costs the same as the flagship

GranTurismo MC Stradale

11123

May 11$345,000 (6s) V8/4.7 338/7000 520/4750 rear 1800 188 4.5 – 14.4 Stiffer, faster Stradale is the first 300km/h Trident

There’s some serious rivals at this price point

Mazda http://www.mazda.com.au

3 SP25

11123

Nov 14$25,890 (6m)

$27,890 (6a)

I4/2.5 138/5700 250/3250 front 1308 105 8.2015.87 8.1 Tremendous value; entertaining handling

For what it’s meant to do, very little really

3 XD

11133

Dec 14 $40,230 (6m)

$42,230 (6a)

I4/2.2TD 129/4500 420/2000 front 1398 92 7.7 – 5.0 Loaded with every feature under the sun; grunty engine

No MPS replacement; Golf GTI money

MX-5 Roadster

11133

$47,280 (6m)

$49,405 (6a)

I4/2.0 118/7000 188/5000 rear 1167 101 – – 8.1 Still the only real semi-affordable roadster around

Price is madness in a post-86 world; feels quite old

MX-5 Roadster Coupe Sports

11133

Aug 12 $49,885 (6m)

$52,010 (6a)

I4/2.0 118/7000 188/5000 rear 1169 101 7.4415.46 8.1 Still a superb drivers’ car on the right road

All-new car isn’t too far away

McLaren http://www.cars.mclaren.com

650S

11112

Jun 14 $441,500 (7dc) V8/3.8TT478/7250 678/6000 rear 1428 335 3.0 10.5 11.7 Incredible performance – 0-200km/h in 8.4sec!

We’ll let you know when we drive it...

650S Spider

11112 Jun 14 $486,250 (7dc) V8/3.8TT478/7250 678/6000 rear 1468 326 3.0 10.5 11.7

Carbon cell means no less rigidity or performance

Will it be able to knock off Maranello’s finest?

Mercedes-Benz http://www.mercedes-benz.com.au

A250 Sport

11123

Mar 14 $51,000 (7dc) I4/2.0T 155/5500 350/1200 front 1445 107 7.4815.44 6.6 Great chassis; excellent steering; classy looks

Can’t turn ESP off; gearbox could be more responsive

A45 AMG

11113

Mar 15 $75,800 (7dc) I4/2.0T 265/6000 450/2250 all 1480 179 4.6012.85 12.8 First four-cylinder AMG does the brand proud

Ride can be tiring; handling isn’t super adjustable

CLA 250 Sport

11123

Sep 14 $64,900 (7dc) I4/2.0T 155/5500 350/1200 all 1540 101 6.6 – 6.6 All-wheel drive justifies $15K premium over A250 hatch

Needs more power to justify the cost

CLA45 AMG

11113

Mar 14 $88,400 (7dc) I4/2.0T 265/6000 450/2250 all 1510 175 4.6 – 7.1 Adding a boot just adds to the appeal; rides a little softer

Responses dulled a little; styling odd from some angles

C63 AMG Edition 507 Coupe

11112

Jan 14$159,500 (7a) V8/6.2 373/6800 610/5200 rear 1730 – 4.2 – 12.0 If you’re a hooligan at heart, this is motoring perfection

We can’t afford one, despite its reduced price; nothing else

E63 AMG S

11113

Feb 14 $250,930 (7a) V8/5.5TT 430/5500 800/1750 rear 1870 230 4.9112.72 10.3 Breathtakingly fast; rides and handles beautifully

Doesn’t have the response or the charm of the old atmo 6.2

(FACELIFT) CLS500

11123

$169,900(7a) V8/4.7TT 300/5750 600/1600 rear 1955 153 4.9 – 8.9 Stunning design, comfortable and refined cruiser

An E-Class sedan is cheaper and more practical

(FACELIFT) CLS63 AMG S

11113

$249,900 (7a) V8/5.5TT 430/5500 800/1750 rear 1870 229 4.1 – 10.0 ‘S’ designation adds 20kW; not that it needed it

It’s better looking, but rivals still look better

CLS63 AMG S S/Brake

11113

Jun 14 $264,675 (7a) V8/5.5TT 430/5500 800/1750 rear 1955 220 4.3012.15 10.3 Surely about as desirable as family cars come

Not as practical as a proper wagon; have fun parking it

S500

11112 Feb 14 $286,600 (7a) V8/4.7TT 335/5250 700/1800 rear 1995 168 4.8 – 9.2 The world’s best limousine; incredible tech and interior You’ll probably enjoy it more from the back seat

S500 L

11112

$311,800 (7a) V8/4.7TT 335/5250 700/1800 rear 2015 166 4.8 – 9.2 Even more rear seat room for ultimate passenger comfort

Chauffeur doesn’t come as standard

S63 AMG

11113

$387,300 (7a) V8/5.5TT 430/5500 900/2250 rear 2045 210 – – 10.2 The second best tool for crushing autobahns

There are no autobahns in Australia

S63 AMG L

11113

$399,900 (7a) V8/5.5TT 430/5500 900/2250 rear 2045 210 4.5 – 10.3 The best tool for crushing autobahns from the back seat

Not very relaxing doing 250km/h from the back seat

S600 L

11113

$414,530 (7a) V12/6.0TT390/5300 830/1900 rear 2045 210 4.6 – 11.3 Big daddy S-class is matched with silken V12

There’s not much wrong with the S500 V8

C250 Coupe

11133

Mar 13 $70,400 (7a) I4/1.8T 150/5500 310/2300 rear 1550 97 8.0215.78 10.9 Surprisingly sweet package; great ride and handling

Should be faster; chassis could easily handle more power

C350 Coupe

11133

$99,545 (7a) V6/3.5 225/3600 370/3500 rear 1615 139 6.0 – 7.9 Snarling six-cylinder really shifts hard

Not as balanced as C250, nor its BMW 435i rival

E400 Coupe

11133

$130,900 (7a) V6/3.0TT 245/6000 480/1400 rear 1725 142 5.2 – 7.5 Replaces E500; just as fast, much cheaper

Much more a tourer than sportster, but ride isn’t great

E400 Cabriolet

11133

$144,900 (7a) V6/3.0TT 245/6000 480/1400 rear 1845 133 5.3 – 7.7 Perfect for a summer’s day cruise

Keen drivers will definitely look elsewhere, like a Boxster S

SLK350

11133

$124,380 (7a) V6/3.5 225/6500 370/3500 rear 1540 146 5.6 – 8.0 Lovely engine note and plenty of performance

Unforgiving ride; can’t disable ESP; not super stiff

SLK55 AMG

11133

Jan 13$161,600 (7a) V8/5.5 310/6800 540/4500 rear 1610 193 5.2413.25 8.5 Unique atmo V8 sounds the business

Ride can be harsh and handling feels mismatched

SL500

11133

$307,500 (7a) V8/4.7TT320/5250 700/1800 rear 1785 179 4.6 – 9.4 All-aluminium platform cuts weight, improves handling

But ride quality isn’t exactly plush and it’s no looker, either

Nissan GT-R

$172,000

Brutally ignores physics

Porsche 911

Turbo

$366,500

Virtually flawless

Porsche 911

Carrera S

$245,200

Still the benchmark

1 ST

2 ND

3 RD

COUPES

OVER

$150K

Porsche 911

1 ST

i

33 RD

y

Porsche 911

2 ND

HOT

SOURCE

compiled byMOTOR STAFF

Fast guide to quick cars

MASERATI – MERCEDES-BENZ

TOP 3

Range Rover

Sport HSE

$161,200

A blown V8 hot-hatch

on stilts

M-B ML63 AMG

$182,900

Family-friendly speed

Jeep GC SRT8

$80,000

Huge character for

the money

SUVs

1 ST

2 ND

SUUVVVs

1 ST

222 ND

TOP 3

33 RDRD

d motorofficial f motor_mag^141

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