Top Car

January 2016|TOPCAR.CO.ZA 67

2016 ’s MOST WANTED

IS IT ABSURDthat an SUV needs to be exciting todrive? Not these days,

so Jag’s F-Pace has no choice but to compete. To achiev e this it wi ll need

to be ballerina-nimble and appreciably dynamic, as the Porsche Macan

has both th e handling and off-roading aspects waxed. Comparedwith the

Macan’s Audi Q5-sourced foundation, the F-Pace’s modular underpinnings

have given the engineering team more freedom toput the wheels in

the best place for handling and interior space, and fewer body-in-white

hardpoints to work ar ound. Jaguar claims the F-Pace is a winner – it’s

double wi shbone front suspension possesses a 50% greater late ral stiff-

ness than that of the Porsche, and its integral-link rear

35%. Add to that the 50:50weight distribution

and a 280kW/450Nm 3.0- litre supercharg ed

V6, and the F-Pace is goingto be hoot to sling

aroundyour fa vourite mountain ro ad. If the

Jaguar F-Pace lives up to firm’s words – and

figures – it should be very special.

NUMBERS SAY IT WILL TOPPLE THE MACAN,

VOWS JAG

JAGUAR F-PACE

TAKINGINFLUENCEfrom the legendary E30 M3, BMWis going back
to basics with the new M2 – or at least, as back to basics as it can in 2016.
Successor tothe madly sideways 1M Coupe, the M2’s emphasis is firmly on
an awesomerear-wheel drive ex perience, and the methodology is a cut-down
version of the M4. Motivation comes courtesy of a 272kW 3.0- litre twin-turbo
straig ht-six that employs M4-gradecomponentry, but it’s the incorporation of
big brother’s chassis techthat’s really goingto make this car shin e. Forged
aluminiumsuspension components, active dampers and – yes – the fully
variab le M-diff are all here. M-DCT ’box shaves two-tenths off the manual’s
0-100kph, making it 4.3sec. On sale April.

BABY M WILL BE BMW’S BEST DRIVER’S CAR

BMW M2

THELONG-AWAITEDSUV

companion to th e game-changing

Model S, the Model X could have

been conventional and still

wowed us. Instea d, Tesla

has conjured up an SUV

with a drag coefficient

of 0.24Cd – 20 per cent

better than any rival – and

fitted it withan all-wheel

drive, twin-motor

electric powertrain that

produces either 381kW (90D model)

or 560kW in the P90D. Deploy its

‘Ludicrous’ modeand it’ll hit 96kph

in 3.2sec. Yet the Model X also seats

seven, tows 2.3 tonnes (an electric car

first) and travels 400km on a charge.

It’s got the world’s bigg est panoramic

windscreen, front door s that open

automatically, and powered ‘falcon

wing ’ rear door s that can allege dly

copewith the tightest parking space.

Marty McFly eat your heart out.

TESLA MODEL X

THE ALL-ELECTRIC SUV ERA STARTS HERE

ALPINEISalmost crimin ally
under-appreciated. This is a marque
that’s conquered the Monte Carlo
rally with a one-two-three finish –
twice – won the inaugural World
Rall y Championshipand taken overall
victory at Le Mans. It resonates with
the kind of engineering innovation
that should have made it a true
French competitor to Porsche, yet it’s
been languishin g in a Renaul t-owned
crypt for litera lly two decades. Finall y,
though, a comebackis on the cards,
in the form of a mid- engined coupe

with a four-cylinder turbo motorand

a paddleshift transmission. Shouldn’t

be toug h to better the Alfa 4C,

even if the Caymanisn’t

look ing worried. Shame

Renaul t seems to have

taken a leaf out of

Honda’s book when it

comes to the launch

schedule; though we’ll

see a production-ready

concept very soon,

sale s don’t star t until

2017.

ALPINE: THE COMEBACK COUPE

LE MANS-WINNING, WRC-WINNING ALPI NE IS BACK!

5

4

6

7