Motor Australia — January 2018

Range Rover http://www.landrover.com.au

Evoque HSE Dynamic Si4

11133

May 14 $82,781 (9a) I4/2.0T 177/5500 340/1750 all 1640107 – – 13.6

Concept-car looks; classy interior; drives well

Tryseeingoutofit;terrifyingoptionslists

Velar D300

11133

$92,850 (8a) V6/3.0TD221/4000 700/1500all 1959113 6.5 – 6.4 Rock-star styling crushes Macan; diesel torque and efficiency

Blank-canvas specification demands big wheels, other options

Velar P380

11133

$93,462 (8a) V6/3.0S 280/6500450/3500all 1884149 5.7 – 9.4

F-Type blown V6 is a goer; interior is gorgeous

Price can ascend as quickly as fuel needle descends

Sport HSE Dynamic

11113

Jan 14 $168,811 (8a) V8/5.0S 375/6500 625/2500all 2310162 5.3 – 13.8 Great handling; wonderful engine; looks much better

Somewillseeitasthepoorman’sRangeRover

Sport Autobio. Dynamic

11113

Jan 14 $196,511 (8a) V8/5.0S 375/6500 625/2500all 2310162 5.3 – 13.8 Drives like an enormous hot hatch; goes like a scalded cat

Very little; thirsty, and off-road ability wasted on most

Sport SVR

11123

Oct 16 $233,211 (8a) V8/5.0S 4 0 5 / 6 5 0 0680/2500 all 2310175 4.7 – 13.8 Ludicrous acceleration; anti-social exhaust noise

Is this performance 4x4 thing getting a bit silly?

SDV8 Autobiography

11113

$ 2 4 4 , 4 0 0 ( 8 a ) V8/4.4TTD2 5 0/3500700/1750 all 2360 108 6.9 – 8.7 Diesel V8 perfect fit for the Rangie’s calming character

Huge weight saving, but still incredibly big and heavy

5.0 SC Autobiography

11113

Jan 14 $257,300 (8a) V8/5.0S 375/6500 625/3500all 2336161 5.4 – 13.7 Like an off-road S-Class; incredible ride and feel-good factor

Fuel tank seems to have a hole in it; poor people hate you

SV Autobiography

11123

Nov 17 $316,000 (8a) V8/5.0S 4 0 5 / 6 5 0 0680/3500 all 2457165 5.4 – 13.7 Snarling F-type engine adds plenty of theatre...

...but no more speed; confused personality

Renault http://www.renault.com.au

Clio RS 200 Sport

11113

$ 3 0 , 9 9 0 ( 6 d c ) I4/1.6T 1 4 7 / 6 0 5 0 2 6 0 / 2 0 0 0front 1204122 6.7 – 5.9 Facelifted favourite gets chequered-flag DRLs, extra 20Nm

Still no manual option; lacks visceral appeal of Fiesta ST

Clio RS 2 0 Cup

11113

$ 3 2 , 4 9 0 ( 6 d c ) I4/1.6T 1 4 7 / 6 0 5 0 2 6 0 / 2 0 0 0front 1204122 6.7 – 5.9 Likes to wag its tail; zesty drivetrain

Sounds like a vacuum on boost; shift paddles feel arcade-ish

Clio RS 200 Trophy

11113

$42,990 DA

(6dc)

I4/1.6T 1 6 2 / 6 0 5 0 2 8 0 / 2 0 0 0front 1204135 6.6 – 5.9 Akrapovic exhaust should sound a treat; even tighter chassis

Can feel over-tyred; price tag is getting up there

Megane GT

11123

Ann 16 $38,490 (7dc) I4/1.6T 151/6000 280/2400 front 1392108 7.1 – 6.0 Sharpened French hatch promises to be an RS-lite

Unkillable ESP means it fails to deliver on the promise

Megane GT Wagon

11123

$39,490 (7dc) I4/1.6T 151/6000 280/2400 front 1393106 7.4 – 6.0 Sporty-ish wagon a French forte (and we ain’t talking AUs)

Octavia RS wagon far more focused, if noisier

Rolls-Royce http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

Ghost Series II

11112

Feb 15 $595,000 DA

(8a)

V12/6.6TT 4 2 0/5250780/1500rear 2360 17 8 4.9 – 14.0 Quicker and sportier than a Phantom, but no less opulent

What’s the point of a sportier, faster Rolls Royce?

Ghost EWB Series II

11112

$675,000 DA

(8a)

V12/6.6TT 4 2 0/5250780/1500rear 2450 171 5.0 – 14.1 Even more luxurious with added rear seat space

For those who prefer someone else to do the driving

Ph ntom

11112

Nov 17 $855,000 DA

(8a)

V12/6.75TT4 2 0 / 6000 900/1700rear 2560 164 5.3 – 13.9 All new, now with twin turbos and 130kg in sound deadening

Even this small Phantom is still massive

Ph ntom EWB

11112

$990,000 DA

(8a)

V12/6.75TT4 2 0 / 6000 900/1700rear 2610161 5.4 – 13.9 900Nm and small-apartment-sized legroom has great appeal

An artwork can be installed inside the dashboard, which is OTT

Wraith

11112

Dec 14 $645,000 DA

(8a)

V12/6.6TT 4 65/5600800/1500rear 2360 197 4.6 – 14.0 Incredible comfort and luxury; traffic-stopping styling

Definitely no drivers’ car; you’ll want the Phantom

Dawn

11112

Jun 16 $749,000 DA

(8a)

V12/6.6TT 4 2 0/5250780/1500rear 2560 164 4.9 – 14.2 Jaw-dropping looks; you’ve-made-it driving experience

Best suited to wafting; prepare for envy

Skoda http://www.skoda.com.au

Octavia 169TSI RS

11123

$38,890 (6m)

$41,390 (6dc)

I4/2.0T 1 6 9 / 6 2 0 0 3 5 0/1500front 1420119 6.7 – 6.5

Affordable mix of space and handling, now with extra grunt

Questionable new front-end; misses Golf’s seven-speed DSG

Octavia 169TSI RS Wagon

11123

$40,390 (6m)

$42,890 (6dc)

I4/2.0T 1 6 9 / 6 2 0 0 3 5 0/1500front 1442117 6.8 – 6.5 Even more space than liftback, with mirror-imaged dynamics

Shares in the same price rise as its liftback sibling

Octavia RS245

11113

Jan 18 $43,390 (6m)

$45,890 (7dc)

I4/2.0T 1 8 0 / 6 7 0 0 3 7 0 / 1 6 0 0 front 1445125 6.6 – 6.6 180kWandLSDstillcomeswithamanual,unlikeGolfGTI3dr

DSGadditionwillbringmorepuntersin,butitisn’tasgood

Octavia RS245 Wagon

11113

Jan 18 $44,890 (6m)

$47,390 (7dc)

I4/2.0T 1 8 0 / 6 7 0 0 3 7 0 / 1 6 0 0 front 1467123 6.7 – 6.7 So much better than a Subaru Levorg, or any medium wagon

Frumpy new styling only heightens design appeal of Golf GTI

Superb 206TSI Sportline

11123

$ 5 3 , 4 9 0 ( 6 d c ) I4/2.0T 2 0 6 / 6 5 0 03 5 0/1700 all 1537 134 5.8 – 7.3 Golf R speed in a more practical package; now gets a bodykit

Not as agile as its hatch cousin; needs adaptive suspension

Superb 206TSI Sportline wagon

11123

$58,490 (6dc) I4/2.0T 2 0 6 / 6 5 0 03 5 0/1700 all 1600129 5.8 – 7.3 Great combo of looks, speed, and smart packaging

Like the above; lacks low-down urge

Hot Source

Fast guide to quick cars

MODELTESTED PRICE ENGINEKW/RPMNM/RPMDRIVEKERB KGKW/TONNE0-100 KM/H0-400MFUEL CONSPROS & CONS

TOP 3

DROP

TOPS

OVER

$150K

Merc-AMG SL63

$368,715

Roofless thunder

$264,712

Snarling, intoxicating V8

3 RD

1 ST

ND

$409,888

A fine Italian cruiser

1 ST

$409 888

Jaguar F-Type V8 R

$264 712

SUPERIOR AIRFLOW. SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE.®

THE CURE FOR YOUR

ITCHY TRIGGER FOOT.

2.5cm DPS Strip 25x438.indd 1 16.05.17 14:54