This is a seminal moment for me. You see, my interest in cars started the day I saw the original E30 M3, one of the most successful cars both on the track and on the road. It was a hand-built coupe that has the heart of a supercar and handling so sweet that in some ways all M3s that came after it were in many ways incomparable. The following generation E36 saw the engine jump to an inline six and now the E46 has the final iteration of the high revving power plant. So for me to write about the E46 M3 is a very special moment, I can’t count the number of times I’ve watched Tiff Needell drive the M3 in the video below.
The M3 has always been the halo car for BMW, the essence of what BMW has always been about, the ultimate driving machine. High specific output from a relatively small capacity engine, responsive naturally aspirated engines as happy at the redline and refined and tractable enough to be driven in the city. Rear wheel drive handling with a tricked out M differential at the rear that makes mere mortals look superhuman. In many ways, the M3 is all things to all men. It is reliable and comfortable enough to be driven daily, but also raw enough to be the trackday star. Even considering the premium you had to pay over the top of the line 330i Sport, it was no wonder indeed that the E46 M3 sold in the numbers it did. This makes the E46 M3 such a fantastic used buy today.
The steering does not have the ultimate feel of a Porsche or even the E30 M3, but it is still very accurate. Power is naturally abundant and the M3 has reached mini GT levels of performance, capable of keeping up with Nine Elevens and seeing off contemporary pretenders from AMG and Audi RSes round the bends. You feel hard-wired to the car, quickly building up confidence as you push yourself and the M3 to the limit. Grip is prodigious but such is the awesome power of the engine that smokey slides are but a prod of the accelerator away. This car was born to be driven sideways and you’ll be steering by throttle soon enough. If I had to pick something that stands out, it’d have to be the throttle response. The way you’re able to mete out just the right amount of power to the rear wheels cements the various parts to make this truly the ultimate driving machine.
For under $60,000, you can get yourself into an M3 with less than 100,000 kms. What you get is that fantastic 343 bhp engine, a practical 5 seater with good luggage space. The interior should still be very fresh and will not show obvious signs of wear. They are also young enough to be well taken care of by their first or second owners unlike the aging E36. They are in a sweet spot, depreciated enough to take the sting out of owning a supercar, but still young enough to be able to find a well serviced example. With so many on the market, walk away from any that do not have a full service record. The high revving engine is durable, but only if servicing has been done religiously. The M3 is extremely well-built and you should not find tattered rattling interiors. Buy the best you can afford and when you do take the plunge, you will be rewarded with a machine that will keep you smiling as you congratulate yourself on probably the best buy in your automotive life. This is definitely one of those must own before you die cars.
If I have US$380,000, this is the vehicle I’m going to buy. It’s a fully equipped expedition vehicle based on the immensely capable Mercedes Unimog U500 that will put a Humvee to shame. At a flick of a lever, you can switch the driver’s controls from the left to the right and vice versa. The 4 wheels sit on portal axles which gives it an approach and departure angle of 45 degrees and a ramp over angle of 38 degrees. It will also be able to ford depths of up to 1.2m and drive up 100% gradients. The central tyre pressure system that be be controlled from the cockpit to give maximum traction depending on the terrain. Compared to a rival Unicat, this is considered something of a bargain. And seeing as it’s a home away from home, you know what they say, location is everything. Hit the videos to see why I’m crazy over this vehicle.
Wankel, that’s the name of the rotary engine designed by German engineer Felix Wankel. Mazda is the last manufacturer to use a rotary engine in its production cars and in particular the RX, but perhaps, the launch of the RX-8 saw a design feature that overshadowed the continued use of the rotary engine. When you first see an RX-8, you think yes, it’s quite a svelte car, it’s sleek, it has all the usual visual cues of a two door coupe, but it’s only when you open the doors that you think hang on, there are rear doors! And that’s not all, it opens in reverse! You slide into the front seat, try out the back seat and suddenly you think, why aren’t there more coupes with doors like that. This is the first true coupe you wouldn’t feel embarrassed to invite your nanna into the back seat, even if Nanna happens to be rather tall. Sure Mercedes and Volkswagen have since created what they would like to call four door coupes, but in reality, they’re just sedans with squashed up backs to give you less headroom.
So how does it drive? The Wankel engine delivers 240bhp with a redline of 9000rpm. Needless to say, it revs hard, but to those of you not familiar with a rotary engine, the way the revs build up is incredible. Even at the 9000rpm rev limiter, you feel like the engine could spin faster yet. There’s barely any vibration from the engine even at the redline, and the revs just build upon itself, it just wants to spin faster and faster. When you’re really gunning for it, it’s highly addictive. Because of the compact nature of the twin rotary design of the engine, it sits behind the front axle and this gives the RX-8 a 50:50 weight distribution. The result is a neutral handling stance where you choose how you want to go round a corner.
So it seems like with the RX-8, you really can have your cake and eat it as well. Space and easy access for four adults, smooth powerful engine with excellent handling and now on the used market, there are plenty at around the $25,000 mark. However, the RX-8 does consume oil faster than you may be used to, so do not be alarmed. Also, do not think that being just a 1.3l that the RX-8 will be economical, it does drink rather prodigiously. Besides, the engine capacity is not comparable to reciprocating piston engines. If you are comfortable with the consumption, you’ll be rewarded with a very unique car that might be the last of its kind. With the emphasis on emissions and efficiency, Mazda may find it too expensive to continue the development of the rotary engine to meet ever tightening requirements.
Above is an illustration of the rotary engine going through its combustion cycle. Credit to Wikipedia.
Pros: True 4 seater, 4 door coupe. Distinctive and possibly the last of its kind.
Porsche has always been the aspirational badge, they are expensive enough to maintain their exclusive image, yet not too expensive to be out of reach for most. With more than 10 years since Porsche released the Boxster, they have never been as affordable. The 911 fanatics will say that the Boxster is the car you buy if you can’t afford a ‘proper’ 911, be it as it may, you will not for a moment feel like you’re losing out when you’re in here. Besides, without the Boxster, Porsche as we know it might not even exists today being on the brink of bankruptcy in the mid nineties.
Although the 911 might be the quintessential Porsche, the Boxster due to its mid-engine layout is logically the better handling car. The weight of the engine sits within the wheelbase keeping the rotational inertia low which gives the Boxster its handling prowess. This is the car that you want to take out on a Sunday to find a secluded road, to push the car through the turns with the roof down. The innate balance of the Boxster is such that you learn to trust the car’s abilities giving you confidence to take yourself to the limit. You will soon be cornering much faster in the Boxster than in the 911. The Boxster is by no means the fastest car around, but again in this case, especially on the road, you feel like you’re in control all the time. The flat six engine produces a raspy howl that is recognisable as pure Porsche and pushes the relatively lightweight body with ease.
The steering is communicative and it telegraphs your intentions to the wheels. In fact, all the controls are perfectly weighted, adding to the tactility of the whole driving experience. The gear change, throttle, brakes and even the turn signal stalks have a consistent weight and feel to them. This is something the Germans do best and is often overlooked by most manufacturers. Enjoying a car is not just about pure numbers, it’s often the minute details that inexplicably makes one car great and another just good.
This particular Boxster is the S, with the 3.2l engine. However, you will not be disappointed whichever engine you choose. At the asking price of $44,000 and with much of the depreciation already taken out of the equation, the Boxster is certainly within easy reach for most. True it will most probably be a 2nd car, but it can most definitely serve as a daily driver. It has 2 boots, one in front and one in the rear making the Boxster the roadster with the most luggage space. Porsches are also reliable and few things do go wrong. Servicing is relatively reasonable by supercar standards and oil changes are done in 20,000km intervals. I think the question now is whether to take the black or silver.
The fact that Honda manages to produce 210bhp from a 2.0l naturally aspirated (NA) 4 cylinder engine with a red line of 8400rpm should tell you a thing or two about Honda. Not many car makers have broken the 100bhp/l barrier in a production NA engine, some that come to mind are the BMW M3 and the Ferrari F430. Honda continues to pursue the route of high revving, naturally aspirated 4 cylinder engines while competitors choose to fit a turbo to produce higher outputs. Honda considers the use of forced induction as too ‘easy’ and has stuck with NA engines in nearly its entire history of engine making. In this day and age of emissions, global warming and cost cutting measures, I wonder how long before Honda follows the lead of BWM in succumbing to forced induction.
There are many positive attributes to forced induction, but nothing makes your heart race like a high revving NA engine zinging its way through the rev range. Honda is widely considered to be the best manufacturer of 4 cylinder engines and the K20Z1 found in the Type S is one of their best. The VTEC gives the Integra a split personality, potter around in city and changing up early, passengers not in the know might think what the VTEC fuss is all about.
But when you get to the hills and start piling on the revs, the rush of power is intoxicating. You hear the snarl of the induction egging you on to pile on more revs as you snick the precise gear change up through its 6 speeds. All the while, your senses are heightened as Dr Jekyll turns into Mr Hyde. You feel plugged in, and connected to the road, not just merely going fast. After all, if acceleration is everything, a Mercedes S500 can get to 100kmh quicker than most sports cars.
On your way back from the hills, you will appreciate the well built interior, the leather bound seats are supportive and comfortable. The cockpit surrounds the driver to create a cosy environment while all instruments are within easy reach. The rear seats fold down to provide a surprisingly large cargo area. Being a Honda, you know everything will still be working in years to come. If you’re worried about the high revving reliability of the engine, Honda claims that of the millions of VTEC engines that have been manufacturer, there has not been a single failure reported up till this day. That is just an amazing feat of engineering.
With no successor to the DC5 Integra in sight, your only choice is to buy used. At around $25,000, you get a car with around 60,000kms on the odometer which will be well taken care of and in pristine condition. Hondas tend to hold their value very well and you shouldn’t lose much even when it comes time to trade it in. But I can’t see why you would want to trade the Type S for anything else.
Pros: 8400rpm redline, reliability and relative comfort
There are plenty of fast and practical cars, the perennial Porsche 911 representing the supercar end of the scale and the rally inspired twins, the Impreza WRX and the Lancer EVO. We even have Audi’s RS4 wagon. They’re all very fast and rather practical, but then, there’s the BMW M5.
BMW’s M division has always been seen as a specials ops team, a crack team of engineers that can turn the already very capable 3 and 5 Series into supercar scaring GTs. Cars that look like the regular sedans that they’re based on, but perform with such conviction that is beyond other car makers. Remember also that BMW was the engine supplier for the legendary Mclaren F1 supercar that over delivered on Gordon Murray’s initial specifications on the power output that enabled the Mclaren to claim the title as the world’s fastest road car for two decades.
It’s certainly safe to say that the heart and soul of the BMW M5 is the engine and what an engine it is. The 5.0l V8 pushes out 400bhp and 500NM of torque. This is enough to propel the big luxury sedan to 100kmh in just 5 seconds. The throttle response is electric, at any speed in any gear, plant the throttle and instantly, you get unabated acceleration that goes all the way to the 7000rpm redline. Unlike the newer E60 M5, the E39 only ever came as a manual which adds to the driver involvement to give you full control of the engine.
The M5 also has aluminium suspension parts and together with the lightweight alloys bring the unsprung weight down. This blesses the M5 with the rear wheel drive handling that should not be possible with such a large and heavy car. Weight is distributed evenly between front and rear, and although coming into a turn fast, you will get some understeer, power-oversteer is just a stab of the accelerator away. If you have the talent to bring out the rear, you get a wonderfully balanced drift that only BMW seems to be able to master.
Inside you get all the luxury and comfort you could want from an executive sedan. Time and time again, it still amazes me that something so comfortable and docile in the city, with space for 5 and luggage can entertain the way the M5 does. Now that the E39 has been superseded by the E60, a used one can be had for under $50,000. For its incredible engineering depth and maturity, it has got to be the best bargain around for someone seeking a practical, fast luxury sedan. Some M5 fans having ordered the E60 and having driven them subsequently actually forfeited their deposits and kept their E39s citing the better drive of the latter.
We only live once, and if you love driving, an opportunity to own an M5 at this price has to be reason enough and almost the sensible thing to do. If you’re still not convinced, have a look at Tiff Needell in the M5 below. If that doesn’t stir you, you had better check your pulse.
I’ll say it now, I love the Forester XT, there’s no other car quite like it. Subaru has taken the Impreza chassis, added a compact SUV wagon body and put in a WRX turbo engine to create this incomparable vehicle. It scampers to 100 kmh in under 6.5 seconds, faster than the Porsche Cayenne S and BMW X5 4.4l V8. Only the X5 4.8iS and Cayenne Turbo are faster, but they cost almost 3 times as much as the forester XT! Of course the Forester is in a different class to the BMW and Porsche, but that places the XT in a class of its own.
The XT is faster than most hot hatches and sedans, yet it has the versatility and space of a compact SUV. Those not in the know will be shocked at how you can pull away from them at the lights. Because the chassis is based on the Impreza, the Forester acquits itself well even in the bends. Outright mechanical grip is not very high and the body does roll, but everything is very predictable and just adds to the silliness of the existence of the XT. Nobody really needs a compact SUV that can outrun a Boxster, but we should be glad that it even exists.
The interior has nothing much to write home about, the dash is made of hard plastics, but it feels durable. The visibility is great in all directions and the double sized sunroof that opens up to the rear bench adds a sense of space and airiness to the cabin. You get a feeling that Subaru is more engineering than marketing led, and the budget is spent on where it counts. You never buy a Subaru because of the perception of quality like an Audi, but you buy it because you understand what a great car it is. And for that, I’d take the Forester over its competitors all the time.
Pros: Surprising speed, versatility and reliability
I love my fast cars just like everyone else, but over the years I’ve come to realise that it’s not the amount of power you have under the bonnet, but it’s the smile that a car puts on your face and how it makes you feel going around corners. These days, most cars can accelerate hard without requiring much effort, put the transmission in D and stomp on the throttle. In no time at all, you’re doing silly speeds and worrying about your licence. Surely there’s a better option?
So if you love driving, what you need is actually a car with less power. You will actually get to use the full extent of the throttle and rev range more frequently and it teaches you to be a better driver by anticipating the road ahead and preserving momentum by picking the best cornering line. You also get that smug satisfaction that you’re able to push the limits of the car instead of cruising along, wondering what your car can actually do, but will never be able to explore on the road. So what better car to do all that than in a lightweight hatch?
Before the Mini took the premium hatch market by storm, Renault gave us the Clio Sport. The 2.0l engine pushes out a frantic 172bhp and combined with its light weight result in a very healthy 160bhp/tonne. In comparison, the original Porsche Boxster could only manage 142bhp/tonne! All these translate to huge fun! The French may not be good at luxury cars, but they sure know how to do sporty hatches. Driving fast around windy roads, the Clio Sport feels very eager. In comparison to modern hatches, you wouldn’t call the Clio refined, but you forgive it mostly because you’re doing something far more important, driving.
The interior of the Clio is not particularly attractive, but it’s not ugly either. The sports seats are excellent at holding you in place but the driving position may not suit everyone. Also, if you ever get too carried away and run out of talent, the Clio has scored 5 stars in the NCAP safety tests. At $10,500 for this 2002 example, only thing left to do now is to get one and finding that perfect road.
So you’re a young mother of two, you are looking for the perfect car. You drive mostly in the city and you also want a high driving position to give you better visibility. You don’t want to drive an SUV or MPV either because you’re fashion conscious or you find them just too long. To top it off, you’ll need something with a large boot for the prams and shopping so a hatch wouldn’t do. Oh, and it has to be safe so the little ones are well protected in case the worst happens.
You may not have thought about it before, but the Mercedes B-Class suits the above requirements to a tee. The height of the B-Class is similar to Nissan’s latest crossover SUV Dualis, so you do get the high driving position with the associated view. However, the B-Class is actually only slightly longer than a Volkswagen Golf at 4.27m while having a wheelbase of nearly 2.8m. That’s 7cm longer than the Golf and it’s actually longer than Mercedes’ own C-Class. So what does this all mean? Well, what the figures translate to is a Golf sized car that rides almost as high as a compact SUV, with leg room rivalling an E-Class. And if you choose the diesel like this B180 CDi, you even get 6.2l/100km economy which is similar to the diesel Golf!
If you are prepared to throw the notion of what a tradition Mercedes should be aside, you will be rewarded with a very versatile car in the B-Class. The boot is huge considering its relatively small exterior dimensions and with the rear seats folded, you’ll be amazed what it would swallow. The interior fit and finish is now back to the standards that Mercedes was once known for. It’s not ostentatious but it does feel like a quality car with none of the nasty cost cutting effects of the late nineties.
New, you would have to pay over $50,000 to get into the B-Class, but now after 3 years, it’s a more reasonable $32,000. It’s still a lot of money for such a ‘small’ car, but for its blend of versatility and manoeuvrable size, the B-Class has no current rival. There is no reason to suspect the B-Class to be anything but reliable as there’re no complicated electronics to fail. Sure you don’t get a sporty drive, but that’s not what the B-Class is about. What Mercedes has done is created a big but small, high but not too high, efficient and competent car that drivers don’t even know they want till they live with one.
Pros: Large interior space where it counts, economical
Cons: Dowdy van like image
I will take the plunge and actually admit that I love the design of this 7-Series. It wasn’t always the case, but with age, I’ve not only grown accustomed to the weird headlights and double-stacked bootlid, but in comparison to its competitors, it looks fantastic. Can you believe it’s been 8 years since the first Chris Bangle designed BMW was launched? Be it as it may, I will leave it to you to decide whether you love or loathe the exterior design.
To sit in the driver’s seat of the 7-Series (trust me, that’s where you want to be) is to feel like a million bucks. There’s sumptuous leather lining every touch surface and it feels like the car was hewn from solid billet. In here, you begin to understand why anyone would pay nearly a quarter of a million dollars for the pleasure of driving the granddaddy of all BMWs. You will also soon forget that this car is already 7 years old.
The 333bhp 4.4l V8 is smooth and full of charm. It quietly wafts you along when you’re not in a rush, but when you’re in the mood to hustle, it propels 2 tons as if it were nuclear powered. You can hear a hint of the V8 when you extend the engine, but it is not an unpleasant noise. The 7-Series is a big car, but as you spend time with it and begin to trust its abilities, the car shrinks around you. This is a properly luxurious car that you wouldn’t mind driving fast and not just on the motorways, but on the windy bits too.
If you are prepared to live with the V8 thirst and associated running costs of a luxury saloon, with more than 75% of the initial asking price already depreciated, it beggars belief that you can now have this 7-Series for just over $40,000. BMWs are generally reliable and the 7-Series is no different. However, for such a complex car, make sure every single function works before you buy. Once you’ve made the decision, I have no doubt you will be smiling each time you think of the depreciation the previous owner has suffered just so you can have the privilege of buying one for the price of a new Camry.
Pros: Superb handling, luxury
Cons: V8 Thirst, iDrive, potentially expensive to repair
