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January 2016|TOPCAR.CO.ZA 672016 ’s MOST WANTEDIS 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 needto be ballerina-nimble and appreciably dynamic, as the Porsche Macanhas both th e handling and off-roading aspects waxed. Comparedwith theMacan’s Audi Q5-sourced foundation, the F-Pace’s modular underpinningshave given the engineering team more freedom toput the wheels inthe best place for handling and interior space, and fewer body-in-whitehardpoints to work ar ound. Jaguar claims the F-Pace is a winner – it’sdouble wi shbone front suspension possesses a 50% greater late ral stiff-ness than that of the Porsche, and its integral-link rear35%. Add to that the 50:50weight distributionand a 280kW/450Nm 3.0- litre supercharg edV6, and the F-Pace is goingto be hoot to slingaroundyour fa vourite mountain ro ad. If theJaguar F-Pace lives up to firm’s words – andfigures – it should be very special.``````NUMBERS SAY IT WILL TOPPLE THE MACAN,VOWS JAGJAGUAR F-PACETAKINGINFLUENCEfrom the legendary E30 M3, BMWis going backto 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 onan awesomerear-wheel drive ex perience, and the methodology is a cut-downversion of the M4. Motivation comes courtesy of a 272kW 3.0- litre twin-turbostraig ht-six that employs M4-gradecomponentry, but it’s the incorporation ofbig brother’s chassis techthat’s really goingto make this car shin e. Forgedaluminiumsuspension components, active dampers and – yes – the fullyvariab le M-diff are all here. M-DCT ’box shaves two-tenths off the manual’s0-100kph, making it 4.3sec. On sale April.BABY M WILL BE BMW’S BEST DRIVER’S CARBMW M2THELONG-AWAITEDSUVcompanion to th e game-changingModel S, the Model X could havebeen conventional and stillwowed us. Instea d, Teslahas conjured up an SUVwith a drag coefficientof 0.24Cd – 20 per centbetter than any rival – andfitted it withan all-wheeldrive, twin-motorelectric powertrain that``````produces either 381kW (90D model)or 560kW in the P90D. Deploy its‘Ludicrous’ modeand it’ll hit 96kphin 3.2sec. Yet the Model X also seatsseven, tows 2.3 tonnes (an electric carfirst) and travels 400km on a charge.It’s got the world’s bigg est panoramicwindscreen, front door s that openautomatically, and powered ‘falconwing ’ rear door s that can allege dlycopewith the tightest parking space.Marty McFly eat your heart out.``````TESLA MODEL XTHE ALL-ELECTRIC SUV ERA STARTS HEREALPINEISalmost crimin allyunder-appreciated. This is a marquethat’s conquered the Monte Carlorally with a one-two-three finish –twice – won the inaugural WorldRall y Championshipand taken overallvictory at Le Mans. It resonates withthe kind of engineering innovationthat should have made it a trueFrench competitor to Porsche, yet it’sbeen languishin g in a Renaul t-ownedcrypt for litera lly two decades. Finall y,though, a comebackis on the cards,in the form of a mid- engined coupewith a four-cylinder turbo motoranda paddleshift transmission. Shouldn’tbe toug h to better the Alfa 4C,even if the Caymanisn’tlook ing worried. ShameRenaul t seems to havetaken a leaf out ofHonda’s book when itcomes to the launchschedule; though we’llsee a production-readyconcept very soon,sale s don’t star t until2017.``````ALPINE: THE COMEBACK COUPELE MANS-WINNING, WRC-WINNING ALPI NE IS BACK!5467