The hot laps
WITH the 911 and Cayman parked in the pit garage – Porsche South Africa’s insurance does not cover track use – the cars lined up and Deon was ready for a full day of testing. Although the Porsches’ lack of participation here would not hurt them in final voting (Shootout contenders are road vehicles and therefore they are judged on their ability to work in real-world conditions), the team couldn’t help but wonder what times the two Zuffenhausen cars would have posted had they taken part, especially in such perfect, mild weather conditions.
Before we announce the final ranking, local racing hero De on jouberts et slap times inthecontenders
The Yaris GRMN was first to head out to do Toyota proud. The little hatch might have been the slowest car but overall was an impressive 1,4 seconds quicker than the current Volkswagen Polo GTI. Deon’s finding: “It feels light and easy to drive. It has a strong engine. I’m very impressed.”
Sadly, the Subaru WRX STI is showing its age and not even the increase in performance of this Diamond Edition led to any notable reduction in lap time compared to previous versions. Deon was lukewarm about the STI: “The turn-in is not great and, at times, it feels like a front-wheel-drive car through a corner. I wish the chassis rolled more at the front-end. However, it has strong brakes and becomes familiar quickly.”
That brings us to the first Kia we’ve ever track tested, the Stinger GT. Deon’s findings: “It is a very pleasant car but it just feels like it could do with a touch more development; maybe slightly wider tyres at the rear. There is some instability under braking. Other than that, a good, powerful engine. The rear wants to step out even in the fast corners, which is why I think it would benefit from marginally wider rubber.”
This is the third track test we’ve conducted on the Honda Civic Type
R (weather conditions previously were highly unfavourable) and, needless to say, it impressed us. Deon’s verdict: “It is marginally quicker than before and, as I’ve said previously, it is a brilliant car. It has fantastic brakes, engine and manual transmission. It must be the best frontwheel-drive car at the moment. It does push the nose a bit when the torque is delivered. But, other than that, it is difficult to fault.” We don’t often track test SUVS but the
Mercedes-amg GLC63 S Coupé has set the new benchmark, clocking a lap time the preserve of performance sedans from a few years ago. Rumbling past the finish line, Deon was suitably impressed: “The level of grip and the available power is incredible. It rolls a lot but it has fantastic brakes; the feel of them, pedal pressure and modulation are perfect. The only thing it struggled with is turning into a corner. The AWD system works perfectly. The moment you get on the throttle, the car grips and catapults you forward.”
Another car offering copious amounts of grip is the Audi RS5 Coupé. Deon’s take: “It is quick and beautifully made, but at the same time it is a little uninspiring. I can’t put my finger on it. There is a conservative element to the all-wheel-drive system; it is as if it is set up for ultimate safety. On the road, it will be great, though, but less so for the track. This RS5 was not faster than the V8-equipped RS5 we tested in 2012.”
The CAR team members are big fans of the BMW M2 Competition and it continued to impress. It was 1,3 seconds faster than the previous M2 we tested in 2016. Deon’s findings: “You think the other cars are fun and then you drive the M2. It really shows you what it is all about. First of all, it is rearwheel driven, the seating position is spot-on, it has enough power – but not too much power – and the car feels lighter than the M4 and easier to drive. It is not necessarily the fastest but it is a joy to drive. It is maybe a little too tail happy, though!”
With an excited giggle, Deon climbed into the Aston Martin Vantage. A few minutes later, the data illustrated how much Aston Martin has upped its game in recent years. Deon’s opinion: “It is very impressive and by far the greatest Aston Martin we’ve tested. It is not an intimidating car to drive and every aspect of it impressed on the track.”
Just when Deon thought the Aston would be the quickest car, the lounge missile –
BMW M5’s Competition – smashed its lap time. “It is a steamroller; a technological tour de force. It must be four-wheel drive with this type of power and torque, but that benefits the stability of the car. Fortunately, it still feels rear-wheel driven. It is relatively heavy but you don’t feel it from behind the wheel. This car is astonishing.”