@wheelsaustralia 25
For bringing a bit of rational perspective to the W1 versus
Value debate, Wes will enjoy his favourite motoring
magazine home delivered on us for the next 12 months.Backing a W1inner
Letter of the month prizeX compares with the latest
performance cars in the
segment. Or, to put it another
way, what could Mitsubishi have
achieved if they’d stuck with the
formula that the others seem to
have copied?
For a mere $5000 or so, the
Evo X with the factory turbo
can be upgraded to more than
300kW and 500Nm, comparing
more than favourably with the
others. I believe the drivetrain
is still probably just as effective
as the other manufacturers’
newer models.
So you can outlay circa-$80K
for one of the German cars or
buy a secondhand Evo X for
around $45K, spend another $5K
on a power upgrade and most
probably have a quicker car. And
pocket the $30K difference.
My fairly stock Evo X
recorded quicker lap times than
the then-current versions of the
AMG A45 and Audi TT RS – and
I can’t claim it was my superior
driving skill.
Okay, I know the Evo X
interior is cheap, but the driving
experience is far from it.
Ken Strain, via email
FUTURE FAILURES
Unfortunately we are heading
towards the future of bland
motoring (Barely Holden on:
Ford almost overtakes rival,
April sales figures show,
WheelsMag.com.au).
In 40 years time, will we look
at ‘classic’ 2017 SUVs and go,
“Jeez, what a great-looking
classic car; I want one” or
“I want the last of the V8s”?
Because I know what I would
choose. Hint: it’s not some
useless, soulless, bland SUV
that the boring masses drive.
Michael Raymont, via FacebookVEE-EIGHT, MATE!
Hyundai should scrap the V6
and make the Genesis G70 a
V8 hybrid (Hyundai G70 to get
a V8-rivalling V6 TT Hybrid,
WheelsMag.com.au).
Turbo engines, especially in
a large, heavy car, are barely
more economical and just add a
heap of complexity, compromise
long-term reliability and make
it more expensive for the owner
to own/maintain with little
fuel savings – especially seeing
as modern V8s are becoming
remarkably fuel-efficient andhave come a long way.
Make a V8 that sounds
amazing yet uses as little fuel as
a hatchback and it will sell like
hotcakes. Anybody would pick a
V8 over a V6 any day if it used
the same or less fuel as the V6.
Not to mention that V6s sound
awful and asthmatic. Guess all
that matters to the beancounters
is that these turbos meet
emissions and performance
standards – how an engine
sounds and performs in the real
world doesn’t seem to matter.
Ben Parsons, via Facebook3 OR 2: WHICH ONE?
I always thought this three-pedal
fetish was just a motoring journo
thing; certainly, the high sales
figures for automatic cars back
up that idea.
I’ve had manual, auto and
dual-clutch performance cars,
and I’d never buy a manual
again. The reality is most carsspend most of their time in
traffic. I understand $600K cars
being bought as occasional toys
by millionaires, but a $60K car
only for weekends? Really?
In most cars, the dual-clutch is
quicker than a manual anyway.
Colin Suttie, via FacebookIt’s not all about what tech is
fastest (BMW M to dump dual-
clutches, go auto-only within a
decade, WheelsMag.com.au.)
A manual gearbox is simply
more fun. Those people needing
technology to go fast may as
well just be passengers.
Chaise Delia, via FacebookSCRAP HEAP
To protect the many people
who don’t have access to such
information (Hold your horses:
Chinese-built Steed hits two-
star crash-test wall, WheelsMag.
com.au) and to further justify
ANCAP safety tests I don’t
understand why such results
don’t mean an automatic ban on
imports of those vehicles.
Bruce Christopher, via FacebookPACE RACE
I like a quick car as much as
anyone (Next Mercedes-AMG
A45 to have more than 300kW,
WheelsMag.com.au) but you
really have to start to wonder
where we draw the line. Elon
Musk has a lot to answer for.
Richard Chester, via Facebook“Anybody
would pick a
V8 over a V6
if it used the
same amount
of fuel as a V6”
“I’ve had
manual and
dual-clutch
performance
cars, and I’d
never buy a
manual again”