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Lotus Cars Australia: Light Is Right
To go fast in a car, you can add power or lose weight. Or both. Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus said: “Adding power makes you faster on the straights, subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere.” Weight becomes an enemy, losing helps everywhere, such as braking and cornering. This philosophy is at the core of the Lotus Cars company and each car remains true to that philosophy.
All cars are developed using what Lotus calls the Lightweight Laboratory Concept. All parts are looked at and measured in context to themselves and to the whole car, providing ample opportunity to be redesigned and re-engineered if needing to be. Items such as carbon fibre are weighed up, literally and aesthetically, needing to be seen as adding proper and usable benefits, not just to look good.
The benefits of weight reduction come down to weight distribution, suspension calibration, allowing sharper handling and body control. To assist, Lotus don’t just use the super strong carbon fibre, they’re a world leader in using aluminuim, in bonded and extruded forms.
As an example, the chassis for the Lotus Elise and Exige weighs just 68 kilograms. This is roughly half the weight of the chassis if it were to be built in steel and being metal, less complicated than using carbon fibre.
To that end, Lotus’ latest offering, the Evora 400, sees unladen wights of 1395 to 1425 kilograms, depending on a buyer going manual or auto. Behind the driver and passenger sits a supercharged 3.5 litre capacity engine, in V6 configuration. Lotus quotes power and torque at 298 kilowatts and 410 torques. These are bolted into a chassis so torsionally strong, Lotus rate it at 27000 Newton metres per degree for rigidity. Sir can specify a six speed, close ratio, manual gearbox or a slick six speed auto.
But being a light weight doesn’t mean it’s a lightweight when it comes to features: ISOFIX child seat mounts in the rear two seats, heated and folding mirrors, leather trimmed heated seats, Alcantara trim as an option, Michelin Pilot Sport tyres in 235/35/19 &285/30/20 configuration and hiding Eibach springs and Bilstein dampers, bi-xenon headlights and to haul the lot in, AP Racing brakes. 
Needed when there’s a zero to one hundred kilometre per hour time of just 4.2 seconds. Consumption for the combined cycle is quoted as 9.7 litres of unleaded for every 100 kilometres driven.
For prices and extra information on the Lotus range, including the exciting new Evora Sport 410, please contact your local Lotus dealer or go here: Lotus Cars Australia
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Suzuki Vitara RT-X AllGrip 4×4 diesel
A Wheel Thing once sold cars. One brand was Suzuki so it is a genuine pleasure to have the 2016 Suzuki Vitara RT-S diesel AllGrip in the garage. For the second car of five from Suzuki that A Wheel Thing will review, the Vitara with the torquey 1.6 litre diesel was the one supplied, coinciding with a weekend away that included a visit to the Australian alps and to the home of one of Australia’s most recognised cheese brands, Bega.
First up, the RT-X looks exactly the same outside as the RT-S tested previously bar different painted alloys and the discreet AllGrip badge on the rear door. Well, unless you’re a train-spotter and notice the LED/xenon headlights, electric folding mirrors with LED flashers for the indicators, the different shade of plastic inserts for the front and rear bumpers, and are tall enough to see the panoramic sunroof. There’s also Parking sensors fitted to the RT-X.
Inside you’ll see suede cushioning on the leather seats, effectively making heating elements redundant, a light metallic grey plastic trim on the dash console with AllGrip badging, Auto headlights and rain sensing wipers, a push button for the Start/Stop which is out of the driver’s eyeline and sometimes not easily found intuitively, with the Parking sensor button (located in a strip just above the driver’s knee) being pressed instead. What the Vitara (and most cars) needs are the extensions to the interior sunshades when pulled over to the driver and passenger windows.
In between the front seats, you’ll find the selector for the six speed auto and a simple yet effective dial for the drive mode selector, being Auto, Sport, and Snow, with a tab saying Lock as well. These show up on the (still monochrome, why not colour?) centre screen in the binnacle facing the driver. There’s also an extra stalk for the tripmeter, compared to the single in the RT-S.
Closing the doors sometimes needed an extra push, as a “normal” closing move had the last door to be closed not fully sealing, indicating an extra bit of venting to equalise pressure is needed. There was also unexpected interior fogging, as in too much too often, especially when the exterior temperature was showing double digits.
Normal driving is left in Auto, Sport holds the upward gear changes longer (along with the paddle shifts on the steering column being called more into usage) and Snow looks after Mud and Gravel as well.
Even the Bluetooth streaming capable sound system gets an extra tickle, with a pair of tweeters fitted to the A pillars, improving the presence and soundstage. It’s not a vast improvement over the RT-S overall, but substantial enough to be a more comfortable listening environment for the office.
Up front is Suzuki’s chattery and throttle sensitive 1.6 litre diesel. Power is rated at 88 kilowatts (@ 3750 revs) but it’s the 320 torques at only 1750 rpm that make it the cracker it is. It’s also superbly efficient, with a final consumption figure, after 1450 kilometres of driving in just over two days, of just 5.0 litres per one hundred kilometres covered. It’s a smallish 47 litre tank on board yet it was after a sensational 773 kilometres from full when the tank was topped up.
If there’s a niggle for the driveline, it’s the dual clutch transmission that is the only gearbox option for the diesel. It’s prone to the same “lemme think” pause when going to Reverse from Park, with the roll forward or back and at a stop in Drive, the brake pedal needs a firmer push otherwise there’s the lurch as first gear is in then out, kinda like the hokey-pokey. To counter balance this, Suzuki fit Hill Hold Control, which isn’t always effective. Underway, it’s slick, smooth and mostly imperceptible in its shifts. Push harder and there’s an increase of chatter from the front and a longer, more linear surge of torque as the speedo numbers climb.
Otherwise, what you drive is a responsive, frugal, sounds bigger than it is, engine. That economy is helped along by a body weight that tips the scales at around 1200 kilograms, so it’s a fantastic torque to kilogram equation. It’ll surge forward from a standstill at the lightest touch of the pedal and will kick down readily enough for overtaking on the long open highways south of Canberra and on the Hume and Federal highways between Sydney and Canberra. Naturally it’ll run out of puff at revs where a petrol engine is just hitting its stride but only rarely did it feel that a 2.0L may have been a better option.
Ridewise, it feels tauter all round but has the same short/hard and long/soft suspension combo of the RT-S, even down to the underside of the chin belting the road coming off a road calming bump. Being a constant four wheel drive, you’ll notice more weight in the steering as the centre diff works with the rear to apportion drive and handling is affected as a result.
It’s less prone to being knocked around by cross winds, unlike the RT-S and feels more sure footed. In the wet and greasy conditions found near Thredbo and Mt Selwyn, some judicious driving was called for, more to ensure the capabilities of the drive system were met rather than exceeded. A light dab of the throttle to get underway, traction to the ground and you’re away.
It’s more easily settled by throttle application as well; the transmission will kick down a gear or two on a down hill run on a long turn, using the engine to assist braking and the front can then be pushed back onto the ground with a flex of the right foot. The power comes back in and the car recomposes itself. On the straight runs, there were times when the steering seemed lighter, as if the drive system was pushing more torque to the rear. In tight cornering, the 2500 mm wheelbase again proves handy, endowing the Vitara with a nimbleness many will enjoy, including a sub six metre turning centre.
There’s little doubt that the niche the Vitara aims for is soft roading; the Vitara gets an approach angle of just 18 degrees, departure angle is a decent 28 degrees but the rollover point is also just 18 degrees. That’s good enough for most people and there’s Hill Descent Control built in to give an extra bit of courage and confidence for those in need. The Continental tyres fitted to the polished and painted 17 inch alloys are the same 215/55 profile type you’ll find on the RT-S, more attuned to tarmac than serious off roading.
Pricewise, it’s up there, with $35990 plus ORCs, but you do get that wonderfully efficient diesel, plenty of room and driveability, the sunroof (normally a 2K plus option elsewhere), satnav, the techy dual clutch gearbox and paddles and the Continental rubber as standard. But you don’t get a full sized spare tyre.
At The End Of The Drive.
What makes the Suzuki Vitara diesel RT-X a winner is the engine. Flexible, unbelievably economical (that figure was achieved with four aboard and luggage as well), it pulls like a train and gets the dual clutch auto singing. The cloth inserts on the seats negate a need for heating, which was a HUGE benefit given the morning temperatures. Yes, there’s a couple of niggles but they’re livable. It certainly is an almost ideal chariot for a weekend away for a family and has a good feature set for the price.
Head to 2016 Suzuki Vitara range for extra details.
Fatalities Are Up. Why?
No apologies for the bluntness of the title. However, I’ll clarify that the following is specific to New South Wales, with information provided courtesy of the NSW Government’s Transport for safety site.
Why this, though? It’s simple. In NSW, the most populous state in Australia, there’s been an unexpected and unwelcome spike in road deaths for 2016 compared to 2015 and what’s called the three year average. Naturally, the road safety organisations, police and government are left scratching their heads as to why. Although it’s been a downward trend, the rise that’s concerning the relevant bodies started in mid 2015.
Here’s something that stands out: in NSW, men are twice as likely to die on the roads compared to women with last year’s toll almost exactly the same as the three-year average for men (121 in 2015, 121 on average) and women (56 in 2015, 53 on average). But in 2016 (at the time of writing), it’s 167 men to 54 women. The age breakdown raises eyebrows too. It’s the 40-59 year old age bracket that heads the list. So far in 2016 there’s 65 compared to 49 last year. That’s also 23 and 19 more that the 17-25 year old males for the same time periods. In the 26-39 slot, there’s almost identical numbers, with 37 this year compared to 35 in 2015.
Unsurprisingly, it’s on country roads where more people have lost their lives. 2015 saw 113 in total, 2016 has already exceeded that, with 142. The three year average before was 118. On suburban roads, the difference is marked: 79 for 2016 versus just 65 for all of 2015. In a look at who, it was the car driver that lead the tragic figures, with 109 this year, against 78 for 2015. Motorcyclists are on an upwards trend, with 31 in 2015 but already 34 in 2016. Frighteningly, there’s already 46 pedestrians listed for 2016. That’s a jump of 14 compared to all of 2015.
What isn’t listed is a breakdown of the causal factors, however senior police said: speed, intoxication, fatigue and distraction are consistently key factors of recent fatal accidents: all elements that are a driver’s responsibility. “Out of the five fatalities, four were males; in all five cases, the actions of the driver involved will be the subject of each investigation; in three of these crashes, a vehicle left the road and hit a tree or power pole.”
“Those speeding, drink or drug driving, not wearing a seat belt or proper helmet, fatigued or distracted, are the ones that continue to put themselves, their passengers, and other innocent road users all at great risk, which continues to cost lives on our roads.”
The bottom line is this: don’t drive like an idiot and use some common sense and courtesy.
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Suzuki Vitara RT-S
A Wheel Thing welcomes Suzuki to the garage, with the first of five in a row being the entry level Suzuki Vitara RT-S. It’s a 1.6L engine and five speed manual transmission combo driving the front wheels and with prices starting at just $23990, it’s a great way for a new driver to get out on the road. Here’s why.
Suzuki’s Vitara range is part of a stable of cars that come from the niche Japanese automotive manufacturer. This particular vehicle, the RT-S, is, in A Wheel Thing’s opinion, one of the most ideal cars that a recently licensed driver can get into to hone their driving skills.
Up front is a frugal four potter, with Suzuki claiming consumption of just 5.8L per 100 kilometres. A Wheel Thing backs that up, with 5.6L/100 km from 560 kilometres worth of most urban driving, from a 47 litre tank.
No, it’s not a firecracker, with Suzuki reserving the fuse lighting for the 1.4 Turbo engine (which will be reviewed in August 2016). There’s 86 kilowatts at 6000 revs and a reasonable 156 torques at a highish 4400 revs, but not unexpected for this size engine. It’s partly why the manual transmission is “only” a five speed, not six, as the fifth gear ratio of 0.725:1 sees around 2800 rpm on the tacho at 110 kilometres per hour. That’s reaching the bottom limits of effectiveness for torque to twist a sixth ratio. Another positive which aids consumption is the light weight for the size of the car; just 1075 kilos kerb weight for the manual.
As such, it’s a free revving unit, if somewhat buzzy at high revs and from the line does need a bit of rowing through the gears. Happily, that’s not a chore as both the gear mechanism and clutch are smooth, well weighted and the pickup point becomes instinctive very quickly, again ideal for new drivers. Under way and around town, fifth is mostly fine, but some may find fourth a better choice. The dash screen does indicate what gear you’re in, unusual for a manual transmission. Finding some hills to climb such as the Great Western Highway or the zig zag for the Old Bathurst Road at the base of the Blue Mountains will see a need to drop back through the gears, down to first at one point on the zig zag whilst the highway climb should only need a drop to third.
The gear lever, as mentioned, is smooth in the move, with just enough notchiness in the swap between gates to give feel and feedback. Occasionally, however, it didn’t wish to find third from second, but this was moreso on a hurried change than a measured movement. In the H pattern it’s fitted with, Reverse is at bottom right, directly below fifth, and it took a few “wait a second” moments to remind the brain not to go for sixth where a six speed ‘box would normally have the hand move.
The Vitara RT-S has a welcoming interior and a couple of unexpected equipment surprises as well, being an entry level vehicle. Design wise, it’s a clean look, with airvents being the user friendly twist and turn design, there’s some piano black plastic surrounding the seven inch touchscreen (complete with satnav and apps such as Apple CarPlay) sitting above the simple to follow aircon controls. 
The dash plastic has the familiar rippled look (with perhaps too much reflection into the windscreen), the cloth covered seats have manual adjustment only, power windows all round but only the driver’s window is Auto up/down.
Speaking of the dash, the centre screen between the speedo and tacho is monochrome only and doesn’t show the speed as an option, whereas you will get instant and average fuel consumption, distance covered, external temperature and trip meter.
You’ll also get a reverse camera, tilt and telescope adjustable steering wheel column, 2 ISOFIX child seat mounting points, and a headlight switch that is Off/parkers/on (no auto headlights, they’re found higher up the range) and just at driver’s right knee height is the switch for the additional halogen driving lights. Safety for the new driver is also assured, with seat side, curtain, front and driver’s knee airbags, traction and stability control, reverse camera and pre-tensioning seatbelts.
Outside it’s recognisable as a Vitara, even with design hints from a decade’s ago model. Rectangular style headlights, halogen driving lights set deep in the front bumper, a “three box” profile, a compact body but with plenty of interior room and a cargo space just big enough for a week’s shopping. Sadly, you only get a space saver spare in the rear, rather than a full sizer.
Sixe wise, what you get is 4175 mm of Vitara in length, spread across 1775 and 1610 mm for width and height, wrapping a 2500 mm wheelbase, with that providing a turning circle of just over five metres. That’s helped by a wider front track than the rear, at 1535 vs 1505 mm. What you also get is a slightly compromised cargo area, with only 375 litres available, increasing to 710 with the seats folded. BUT, it’s just big enough for a reasonable weekly shop for a family and just big enough for a weekend away. An added bonus is the lower than expected tail gate entry.
Underneath the Vitara is the tried and true mix of McPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension. It’s skittish and unsettled on some surfaces, with the rear moving left or right suddenly. It’s surfaces like road joins, some ripples etc and it’s easily controlled however. Another niggle is the rating of the dampers; they seem to be more tuned for hard absorption on short travel and soft for long travel, allowing the front and rear to feel as if they’re crashing down onto the bump stops.
Out on a straight and level road, it tracks well enough, with the Continental rubber, 215/55 in size, wrapping gunmetal painted five spoke 17 inch alloys and doing a great job of holding on and helping the front end turn in nicely. Undulations are noticeable for a few moments before being damped out and there’s considerable road noise on coarser chip surfaces as well.
At The End Of The Drive.
As suggested at the beginning, the Vitara RT-S will make an ideal first car for a newly licensed driver. Safety features, room enough for four comfortably, a user friendly interior, an economical non turbo engine and a fluid manual transmission make the Suzuki Vitara RT-S a more than reasonable argument and at just under $24K the dollar factor has a solid case for as well.
For more details on the range: 2016 Suzuki Vitara range and contact your Suzuki dealership for details on warranty and servicing costs.
Level 2, 9 Help Street