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Private Fleet Car Review: 2015 Audi TT Quattro S Line.
It’s a rare occasion for A Wheel Thing to be in the seat of a proper sports car; with a huge nod of thanks to Audi, A Wheel Thing went one on one with the Audi TT Quattro.
Powersource.
Turbo technology for consumer level petrol powered cars has come a long, long way since the 1970’s. Audi’s bolted a “hairdryer” to a 2.0L petrol engined four cylinder, with a massive 370 Newton metres of torque available across a mesa flat range, from 1500 to 4300 revs. With the TT weighing just over 1410 kilos unladen to a total gross weight of 1730, it’s a measly four point six kilos (roughly) being moved from each metre of Mr Newton’s finest torques.
Peak power is on tap from 4500 to 6200 revs, ensuring a smooth transition from twist to pull in the pursuit of driving nirvana. Top speed is an electronically limited 250 km/h (speedo says 300…) while the ton comes up in six seconds (front wheel drive) and 5.3 seconds with all four paws. The oomph is sent to all four corners via a six ratio, dual clutch, automatic transmission and an electronic, rear axle mounted, multi plate clutch. The whole shebang operates seamlessly.
The Suit.
There’s no doubting its heritage, with a look clearly pointing to the now iconic original whilst being as modern as tomorrow. There’s the same, fluid, rounded profile, the hatchback third “door”, a compact size (under 4200 mm in length) however the front is somewhat sharper, more up to date with LED headlights (with a distinctive vertical bar) whilst the shapely rump gets neon look lights. Rolling stock is 19 inch alloys, with grippy 245/35 rubber thanks to Hankook.
There’s LED powered indicator strips underneath the headlights, which strobe when the car is locked and unlocked. Sadly, it’s not something many drivers would know of and appreciate. What it does, however, is further amplify how much thought Audi has put into the nuances of the TT, such as the iconic alloy fuel filler lid, emblazoned with TT.
The front is angular; there’s the hexagonal “Single Frame” main air intake, flaked by two deep set ducts that echo the edgy design of the headlight casings. The lower edge of the bonnet continues as a crease line, joining front to rear and breaking up the flatness of the doors. The rear finishes off nicely, with more than a hint of the original in the lower extremity, with the addition of a balanced look thanks to the dual exhaust. In essence, it’s a beautifully cohesive exercise in design.
On The Inside.
Sure it’s snug, like slipping on a boot whilst wearing winter socks. Yet there’s no feeling of claustrophobia…except for any rear seat passengers. If you’re two feet tall, you’ll fit; otherwise, forget it. Yes, the padding is spot on, as is the support, but when you’re dealing with a short wheelbase, leg room for those at the front isn’t the priority.
Audi have taken simplicity to a new level in the area that counts for the most; where the driver sits. Take the centre upper console: gone is the normal (nowadays) info screen, in it’s place is “old school” with thre air vents and it’s here that Audi has taken simplicity to ridiculous heights. Nowhere to be found are dials and levers near the vents, instead the temperature/fan speed/air direction mode are located inside a touch button/dial in the centre of the vents themselves. Simple. Smart. effective.
It’s the driver, though, that gets the best toy (apart from the car itself) to play with. Audi call the dash the “Virtual Cockpit”; fitted with a gorgeous high resolution 12.3-inch display , it shows everything the driver needs, from speed, tacho (which reacts as quickly as the engine thanks to a high speed refresh rate), to the music station or media feed, to a whole navigation screen. Being a high definition screen, it’s super clear, non fatiguing on the eyes and, of course, uber cool.
To use it, there are either controls on the steering wheel or a dial wheel with a touchpad on top. Two main buttons next to the dial help you pick between navigation (based on Google Earth and Street View!) and media, then the rest is done with the dial and touchpad. It’s super easy to use, and makes it very easy to use without taking your eyes far off the road. Especially having the full navigation screen just there, it’s deliciously simple and wonderfully efficient.
Then there’s the addition of the S Line componentry: from the gloss black grille, front and rear bumpers and door sill inserts and more, allowing a driver to personalise their car thoroughly. Speaking of cool, Audi has eschewed the traditional bulbs for the interior lighting, with cool white LED’s doing the trick, even down to framing the speaker housings in the door.
The centre console plays host to the jog dial that allows you to swing through the various settings, plus there’s a couple of switches for Navigation and Radio but it’s forward of the gear selector lever that we’ll find a VIB (Very Important Button). It’s marked “Drive Select” and it’s responsible for the varying driving characteristics the TT can offer.
There’s Sport, Dynamic, Auto and it adds weight to the steering, sends more grunt to the rear to provide a more sporting edge, lowers the car by up to ten mm, all dependent on which setting. Does it work? Does it ever! Combined with a beautifully sized, leather wrapped, steering wheel, it’s automotive nirvana.
On The Road.
Audi has pushed and pulled the TT into various weight saving strategies; there’s lighter seats, all aluminuim panels and that engine takes advantage of every lost kilo (end weight is around 1230 kg). It’s thought sensitive in steering and engine/gearbox response as a result. The various Drive Select settings allow the driver to take advantage of the electronic parameters and the whole package comes together, holistically, to provide a complete driving experience.
Acceleration is seat of the pants quick, it’s almost tactile in how the car reacts from light to heavy throttle pressure. Audi quotes 5.3 seconds to 100 kilometres per hour, however the pucker factor says it’s quicker. With a gentle prod, the TT’s torque is already working, with a sensation of refined effortless as the speedo’s numbers seem to change quicker than they should.
The steering is around two turns lock to lock and is so tight that the merest twitch of an eyebrow will have the car moving in a left or right direction. Lateral grip is stupendous; try as one might, there was no way known the TT would lose traction sideways and it’s obvious how good longitudinal grip was.
It’s not all beer and chips though; there’s road noise, plenty of it, intrusive at times through the excellent B&O sound system. The rear vision mirror is also located at just the right spot to block (from the driver’s seat) leftward vision, making it difficult to see oncoming traffic at intersections. Ride quality was variable; a slow speed over a speed bump would have the TT comfortable-ish, but at a reasonable clip would have the same bump shattering bones and rattling fillings.
Fuel consumption was surprising for such an animal, one expects fuel to be slurped quicker than a tradie’s beer on a Friday afternoon during summer, final consumption was 7.2L per 100 kilometres.
The Wrap.
A Wheel Thing relies on the support of manufacturers in order to provide reviews; as such, access to cars of the calibre of the TT are rare and A Wheel Thing publicly thanks Audi Australia for their support.
There’s been sports oriented cars in the garage: Volvo’s explosive Polestar, Ford’s brutal XR8 and HSV’s sledgehammer Club Sport, but the TT offers a level of finesse and iron fist in a better measure.
The TT is raw, almost unbridled, in its hard edged appeal to a driver that enjoys a true driver’s car. The razor sharp steering, the taut suspension, the muscular stance of the TT’s haunchs, appeal greatly and with the range starting at just over $71K (front wheel drive manual) plus on roads, with the test car a touch under $95K drive away, it’s not a horrendous amount of money for pure exhilaration.
For further information on the Audi TT, go here:Audi TT
The Car: Audi TT Quattro S Line.
Engine: 2.0L in-line, four cylinder turbocharged.
Power/Torque: 169 kW/370 Nm @4500-6200 rpm/1600-4300 rpm.
Fuel: 95RON recommended.
Transmission: six speed S-Tronic dual clutch automatic.
Consumption: 8.4L/100 km urban, 5.5L/100 km highway, 6.5L/100 km combined.
Tank: 55L
0-100 kmh: 5.3 seconds (claimed).
Wheel/Tyre (as fitted): 245/35/19.
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS Diesel.
Mitsubishi’s update to the Outlander is a mix of looks and minor suspension work. There’s revisions front and rear to the sheetmetal and refinements to their engines. A Wheel Thing takes the 2016 Outlander diesel XLS for a run, backing up from the petrol version tested recently.
Powersource.
It’s the 2.2L diesel that Mitsubishi has had for some time, with 110 kW and a “decent” 360 Nm of torque, between a usable but lightswitchy 1500 to 2750 revs. It’s an on/off proposition, thanks simply to two things: the placement of the accelerator pedal and the CVT transmission.
The pedal is placed so the upper half of the foot, the part that most people use to press, is not right on the middle or upper section of said pedal, therefore it feels as if the toes were pressing in the lower half. The rev range then kicks in; light pressure had the XLS move away sluggishly, a decent prod had the torque explode through the drivetrain and pushing people into their seats as the vehicle suddenly surges forward.
The CVT itself is reasonable enough, but like so many CVT’s it never feels as if the full ability of the engine is being put down to the tarmac, whether it’s a lower torque petrol or a gruntier diesel, as is the case more and more in SUV’s.
The Suit/On The Inside.
Click here:A Wheel Thing reviews the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS petrol. for the review of the petrol powered XLS and the Outlander’s new clothes.
On The Road.
It’s here that, oddly, the diesel’s ride quality differs from the petrol. It’s stiffer, more taut, less compliant but still comfortable and less prone to understeer compared to the petrol version. There’s more steering feedback, it’s not as somewhat vague or numb in comparison with even the braking system feeling more up to the task. It’s all quite…odd.
The overall impression was one of more solidity, more coherence, a more holistic feel; once the engine and gearbox had settled on where they wanted to be, the XLS hummed along quietly, with 100 kmh ticking the engine over at just under 2000 rpm, right in the middle of the peak torque figure. The positioning of the accelerator makes this a bit more difficult than it needs to be, but overtaking and freeway acceleration is an easy affair thanks to the torque.
However, again, the CVT dulls the experience, with that sense of sapping the ability of the engine and drivetrain to take full advantage of that 360 Nm. “Normal” driving just doesn’t imbue the same sense of pizazz and zap that a traditional hydraulic gearbox does, and even with preset ratios selected via the paddles there’s little improvement.
The Wrap.
The XLS, in kit and fit and finish, is fine. The diesel is lusty yet hobbled somewhat. The ride is better controlled and economy (6.2L/100 km combined, claimed from the 60 litre tank) offers Sydney to Melbourne range on the highway system.
The XLS audio system here DOES have a DAB+ (Digital Audio Broadcast +) system, which was pretty clear in reception up to Sydney’s lower Blue Mountains (where stations don’t guarantee signal) but, like any car based digital system, was prone to dropoff (also known as the cliff fall effect) unexpectedly.
As a package, the diesel is, A Wheel Thing feels, a better proposition than the torqueless petrol version. As a result, of the two, this is clearly the pick.
For pricing and details, head to the website: 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander range
The Car: Mitsubishi Outlander XLS diesel.
Engine: 2.2L diesel.
Transmission: Constant Variable Transmission (CVT).
Power/Torque: 110 kW/360 Nm @ 3500/1500-2750 rpm.
Tank size: 60L.
Economy: 6.2L per 100 km (combined cycle.
Dimensions: (L x W X H in mm): 4695 x 1810 x 1640.
Wheelbase/Ride Height: 2670 mm/ 190 mm (unladen).
Seating: seven, two rear fold down, 60/40 split fold middle row.
Weight (dry): 1535 kg.
Cargo: 128L/477L/1608L depending on seating configuration.
Service/Warranty: refer to the Mitsubishi website for terms and conditions.
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Toyota Camry Atara SL
It’s amongst the first of the last from the Australian manufacturing arm of Japanese goliath, Toyota. To say the Camry has had a facelift is to say the Burj Khalifa is a tall building. Effectively, every single component externally, bar the roof and the window line, has been redesigned, re-engineered and rebuilt. The 2.5L engine stays at the same capacity and offers two different peak outputs, depending on which Camry you buy. A Wheel Thing drives the top of the range Atara SL, wondering if a cardigan was required and was pleased to find out the answer.
Powersource.
It’s Toyota’s venerable 2.5L four, offering 133 kW or 135 kW (with the dual exhaust model) at 6000 rpm. Most drivers, of most cars, will never see that rev limit, which makes this number irrelevant. What is relevant is the torque, at 4100 revs of 235 metres of Mr Newton’s best, up four over the single exhaust.
There’s enough to get the 1505 kg (dry) Camry up and rolling deceptively quickly yet, oddly, doesn’t feel as if there’s anything there when the go pedal is asked to do something.
Toyota claims 7.8L combined cycle economy over 100 kilometres using 91 RON unleaded….A Wheel Thing saw a best of just over 10L per 100.
The transmission is a six speed auto, a smooth and quiet one at that. It works hand in hand with the engine, for the most part, with barely noticeable shifts under most throttle applications. Under a heavy foot, needing acceleration, it drops back, one, two ratios and there’s a fair bit of noise coming from under the Camry’s scalloped bonnet. Forward motion seems to not increase rapidly although the tacho is right around, rev wise, where peak torque is meant to be.
The Suit.
If one was to place this alongside the preceding model, one would be hard pressed to see a resemblance, unlike Audi’s “new” A4 (unveiled June 2015). Apart from the roof and the windows, every other panel is new. And damn, it looks good. From a sculpted, scalloped bonnet, to the deep dish, inverted Vee shaped, front air intake, to stylish 18 inch alloys to the Lexus-like profile and tail lights, it’s possibly the best looking, nay, sexiest Camry we’ve seen.
Ever.
From the front, head on, there’s no resemblance at all to Camrys of yore, rather the aforementioned inverted Vee, eagle eye headlights and LED driving lights set into the slopes of the Vee. In profile there’s a strong resemblance to a vehicle from Toyota’s luxury arm, whilst the windows are the only clear (no pun intended) carry over from the prior model..
The rear has a refinement of the angular lights whilst the bootlid opens up, via the lightest of touches on the pad, to reveal a chasm that seemingly (belying the actual 515L capacity) swallows the Grand Canyon and leaves room for a battleship.
On The Inside.
Yup, there’s plenty to like here too, but it’s not entirely perfect. There’s plenty of room, of course, comfortable seats and ergonomics are mostly well thought of. There is a clash of interior designs that are jarring to the eye, however.
The dash’s upper level has a stitched material look to it, but is hard to the touch. At either end there’s not a smooth blend into the door trim and they’re made of different material to the dash. There’s the same slightly bulbous look to the lower part of the forward console, with the result being a look that impacts on the legs and leg space.
The actual dash is a nice piece of engineering, with a smooth arched binnacle over the dials; there’s a four inch full colour LCD display, with an unusual layout to the information shown, plus a 6.1 inch touchscreen for the navigation and audio system (ten speakers for the Atara SL). Another oddity stands out, with the Atara’s dual zone climate control showing a light for when it’s off, not on…
The mix of colours is, to A Wheel Thing, a constant hindrance to being fully appreciated. The plastic alloy look is and always has been a cheap and chintzy add on, detracting from the otherwise pleasant enough ambience the cabin has. Except for the high visibility reflection of the dash in the windscreen…
The seats, in faux leather, are comfortable without a huge measure of support, with flat cushioning; the audio controls on the steering wheel (a clever nod in design, looking not unlike the Toyota emblem) double up on the search buttons, with seek and select preset leaving volume adjustment to be used separately, rather than leaving the seek to the touchscreen.
Safety isn’t overlooked for occupants, with seven airbags including curtain and driver’s knee. There’s pre-crash avoidance for the Atara SL, front and rear parking sensors (lower models get just two rear), blind spot and rear traffic alerts systems as well.
There’s a couple of nice touches in the Atara SL, such as an electric rear sunshade, auto high beam and digital radio but heating/cooling for the front seats didn’t seem to be readily visible. Keyless start is available for bar the entry level Altise petrol.
On The Road.
It’s surprisingly un-Toyota like like in its ride; it’s taut, firm, not plush, this Atara SL. Small bumps are dealt with, partially, and coming across those in turns has the nose feeling skittish, skipping across the road. That same tautness has the nose pushing into massive understeer in one roundabout, an unusual design that gives a driver a half figure eight entry and exit.
The steering ratio is quick (the column is also adjustable for reach and rake) with good response and feel through the system. It always felt communicative and was barely vague dead on centre, like so may are. The 215/55/17s help in feedback, yet, surprisingly don’t have a tendency to tramline, given the relatively thin footprint.
The torque of the 2.5L, being delivered so high, nevertheless sees the Camry moving to freeway speeds quickly, it’s when the high revs for the torque are called upon it feels as if it’s fallen into a hole. 235 Nm is a decent enough amount from a non turbo petrol engine, but it just doesn’t seem that it’s there. The lower ratios of the gearbox take advantage of the lesser torque nicely compared to the upper limits.
As expected, there’s good braking feel as well, with minimal travel before the foot begins to be told the pads are biting and it’s progressive, firmer, for the rest of the way.
The Wrap.
Much like its Australian based competition, Ford and Holden, with their final outings also rated as being the best made, the Camry Atara SL stands tall amongst its brethren. The external looks may polarise, perhaps even put off traditional Toyota customers, but some would say that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
In a crowded market and against contenders such as the Mazda 6, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima and Holden’s failed Malibu, a bold move from Toyota may be what the Camry, a car long seen as needing its driver to be outfitted in a cardigan, needs for that cardigan entry token to be ditched.
For pricing and extra information, head here: 2016 Toyota Camry range
For A Wheel Thing TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plwk9_Yu4qI&feature=em-upload_owner
The Car.
Toyota Camry Atara SL.
Engine: 2.5L petrol.
Fuel tank: 70 litres.
Economy: claimed (from 91RON) 7.8L per 100 kilometres combined.
Transmission: six speed automatic with paddle shift.
Power/Torque: 135 kW/235 Nm @ 6000/4100 rpm.
Weight (unladen): 1505 kg.
Dimensions: 4850 x 1835 x 1470 (L x W x H in mm).
Wheels/Tyres: 215/55/18.
Turning circle 11 metres.
Servicing: 4 years capped price (see Toyota for conditions).
Private Fleet Car Review: 2015 Range Rover Evoque Dynamic.
There’s SUV’s. There’s AWD. Then there’s Luxury. Brands once thought of as never going down the luxury SUV path, such as Jaguar, Bentley, even Lamborghini, have done so. Yet there’s one brand that spans luxury through to bare bones and offers a very diverse range to boot. A Wheel Thing looks at the lifestyle choice offering from Land Rover’s luxury arm, Range Rover’s Evoque, in Dynamic specification.
Powersource: The vehicle supplied came with the EcoBoost turbo 2.0L petrol engine (a diesel is also available), pumping out 177 kW and 350 Nm and puts those numbers to the tarmac via a sophisticated all wheel drive system with electronic terrain selection and a nine ratio automatic transmission.
It takes fuel from a 68L tank whilst motoring to 100 km in 7.6 seconds. Range Rover claim 10.3L per 100 kilometres on the urban cycle, 6.4L/100 km for the highway and 7.8L/100 km in the combined cycle.
The Suit: It’s a style not to everyone’s taste, with a stocky presence; a sharp wedge shape, a bluff front end that tapers into a steeply sloping roof line that hints at a lack of interior rear seat room. There’s different front end treatments for the Evoque, with the Dynamic’s front being served a horizontal cross bar in the lower air intake, bracketed by sharply angled joiners, whilst the main grille receives the blackout treatment.
LED driving lights frame the Xenon main lights, with a strong Range Rover look under the current design philosophy highlighted by an almost “Spirit of Ecstasy” profile to the head and tail light cluster design.
The Dynamic Coupe is, by virtue of its name, a three door design, with two longish main entry doors and a powered rear tailgate. The doors themselves are nicely balanced, not requiring any major extra exertion to open or close. The rear door itself rises and falls at the mere touch of a rubber button on the outside, a push button in the lower plastic extremity.
Rolling stock is 20 inch six spoke alloys, wrapped in 245/45 Continental tyres. There’s little give in the sidewalls, making the electronically adjustable suspension do the work. It’s a compact car, too, at 4335 mm in length, 1605 mm in height and a whopping 2090 m in total width at the front with the mirrors folded out.
On The Inside:No surprises that it looks and feels sumptuous inside; from the soft touch and fabric covered dash, to the rising and rotary gear selector, from the superbly comfortable and supportive seats to the surprising amount of rear seat room.
From the moment you unlock the door via the remote or touch pad on the handle, it’s luxury all the way. There’s provision for three memory positions for the leather wrapped driver’s seat, the premium look and feel of the dash, the blue backlit Range Rover logo in the door sill, complemented by the logo that shines from under the wing mirrors. The test car came fitted with the optional full length glass roof, opening up the interior to the outside world visually.
The seats have a flip lever and are motored electrically in order to allow access for rear seat passengers. It’s a nice touch but no good when you’re in a hurry. The rear seat itself is configured for just two, not three, people but due to the width of the Evoque, it’s a comfortable pew, plus the seats are set deep which provides better than expected head room.
Although the engine provides a nice purr, Range Rover fitted the Dynamic with a Meridian speaker system, a well known high end British company; it’s operated via the touchscreen, has numerous sound parameters and is, as expected, a full and nicely balanced sound. Below the centre dash is a hollow back panel, lit by LEDs and changeable in colour and brightness.
Also, in the centre console is a set of buttons for the various off road driving options, including one called, naturally, Dynamic. When pressed, it changes the driving mood plus lights up the dash in a stark red. The profile, however, precludes seriously wide vision rearwards from the front seats; yes, there is a camera when Reverse is selected but when on the move it’s difficult to get any rear clear vision.
On The Road:
The turbo four has gained much acclaim for its flexibility, with that torque figure and the range it’s spread over making for a easy driving experience. It’s smooth and linear with a gearbox that works. The nine speed auto does, mostly. There were some occasional clunks, indecision and hesitancy, with enough lack of smoothness in the change at times to dull the effect of that engine.
Acceleration is decent by the seat of the pants feel, seeming to be quicker than the official figures, when the right pedal is given the command. It’s here the gearbox shines, with rapid, imperceptible, shifts, digging deep into the torque curve. It was more under light throttle the aforementioned issues appeared.
The ride quality was, somewhat unexpectedly, a touch harder than anticipated. The size of the wheels and the rubber would certainly have contributed, however the suspension didn’t feel as if there was much “give” past a minor amount of small bump absorption. As a result, however, there’s minimal body roll, dive and squat, with road undulations reduced to a single pogo.
Steering is light, responsive, communicative yet the big tyres don’t tramline, allowing the tiller to stay well within the driver’s control. On most road surfaces, too, there’s minimal external noise or tyre rumble that makes it way into the cabin. Handling wise it’s planted, no discernible understeer and thanks to that wide footprint, no provokable oversteer.
Braking is well modulated on the pedal, with feedback from within the initial travel downwards of the pedal providing a positive impression; there’s bite aplenty and hauls up the Evoque confidently and without any fuss, under light braking. When the brake pedal is given the heavy foot, ABS makes itself known but not to the extent that people unfamiliar with how the pedal will pulse and the system chatters back will lift the foot….
The centre console has buttons to change the driving dynamics, through Snow, Gravel, Mud, Wet Grass etc and it works. The changes seem minor but they are effective in how the handling and overall setup of the car changes, with sensors reading the road surface conditions and adjusting the throttle and brakes as required thousands of time per second.
The Wrap: Range Rover delivers on its luxury SUV promise. The Evoque Dynamic Coupe is, certainly, a lifestyle choice vehicle, in that two doors and four seats really aren’t a family orientated gear set. Price wise, at over $70K, it’s not within the “average” family sights, pricewise.
There’s plenty of tech to play with, for the technologically minded and it’s got a tractable, flexible engine with a gearbox that worked near nigh perfectly and more than enough room for one or two people and their luggage. At 1640 kilos, for its size, it’s not as light as it should be and Range Rover’s official fuel figures of 10.3L per 100 kilometres for an urban cycle, however, won’t trouble the likely buyers of the Evoque Coupe.
Fit and finish is of the quality one expects, from the feel of the cloth through to the sight of the gear selector rising majestically through the centre console.
The driving position imbues confidence, and there’s plenty of vision forwards. Rearwards, though…..
There’s an astounding range of options available, allowing a new buyer to personalise the Evoque to within an inch of its life and that’s what a true luxury brand offers discerning buyers. The Range Rover Evoque Dynamic is not in the reach of ordinary men (and women) but those that can grasp it, it’s well worth the time spent with it.
For information on Range Rover and Land Rover, head here: http://www.landrover.com.au/index.html
The Car.
Engine: 2.0L petrol with turbocharger.
Transmission: 9 speed automatic.
Power/Torque: 110 kW/340 Nm @ 5500 rpm/1750 rpm.
Fuel: 68L tank.
Economy: 10.4/6.4/7.8 (L per 100 km, urban,highway,combined).
Weight: 1640 kg.
Warranty: 3 year/100,000 km with Roadside Assistance.
Level 2, 9 Help Street