Let’s not beat about the bush. 2009 was horrible. There were only about two definite highlights, of which the Tri-Nations was one, and Wikus van der Merwe the other.
But for the biggest part, ’09 was a disaster year of cosmic proportions. And I’m not even talking about the credit crunch, swine flu, Michael Jackson or Eskom. Or Pieter de Villiers’ moustache. Whether you’re Amor Vittone or Felipe Massa, everyone appears to have had an annus horribilus. Even goodie-two-shoes Tiger Woods has ended the year in the rough.
Personally, my hairline has only stopped receding because there is nothing left to recede. It’s a similar story with my bank account, except that, of course, a bank account can continue to recede even when there’s nothing in it. Both of these events have quite a lot to do with the fact that the fixing-up of my Opel GT, which was supposedly going to take 8 weeks, is now on 10 months… and counting. To make matters utterly unbearable, my son told me this weekend that his favourite song is no longer Eye of the Tiger, but Abba’s Mamma Mia. Thankfully he is only 2, so I have to time to fix this.
But oddly 2009 has been rather good in motoring terms. I’ve decided to limit myself to 10, but there were around 20 cars that really impressed me this year. The ones that didn’t quite make the final cut include the Nissan GT-R, Mercedes E350 coupé and facelifted S-Class, Renault Koleos dCi, BMW 760Li, Suzuki Alto, Aston Martin V12 Vantage and even the Audi R8 V10, but only because I’ve forced myself to be very sensible in my final selection. We are in a financial crisis, after all.
1) So, that said, the first on my list is the R4-million Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder. There are two ’09 motoring moments that will forever remain engraved on my memory banks. The first is driving a lurid green Gallardo Spyder up the Teide volcano on Tenerife, with the sound of thunder bouncing of the cliffs and the sight of roadside dogs scampering with their tails between their legs at the sight and sound of it all. The second was driving a Gallardo Coupe really hard over the De Doorns mountain pass during our Performance Issue shootout, a drive that actually did make the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
I’ve now got a few thousand of kilometers of Lamborghini driving under my belt and I can say this – they’re reliable, even quite comfortable, but no less spectacular than you’d expect from a Lambo. I can’t fathom how a Ferrari could possibly be better. But seeing as we’re not allowed to drive Ferraris, that point is moot. Lamborghini makes the best supercars in the world. And that’s that.
2) Considering the Audi R8 V10 costs half as much as the Lamborghini Gallardo and is most certainly not only half has good, you’d think it would be an easy entry on this list, but I think the S4 was the more important Audi this year. Previously the magnificent RS4 gave us glimpses of the excellence of Audi saloons of the future, but there was always the feeling that it may be a one-off. But now the S4 has cemented this promise. Finally, here is an Audi saloon that, in terms of performance and dynamic ability, can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best of BMW. There’s a rumour going around that the S4’s quoted power output (245 kW) is actually conservative. It certainly feels that way on the road, where the punch out of the corners is gi-normous.
3) Much to the dismay of Audi’s PR department, comparisons between the apparently incomparable S4 and BMW M3 by rival magazines and websites are regular. As much as I can understand some colleagues trying to push these two machines into battle, I’m afraid I’m with the PR departments on this one – the BMW M3 operates on an entirely different level. The M3 is a supercar slayer, as you’ll see in our upcoming January issue, where it competed with the likes of Lamborghinis, GT-Rs and R8s. I’m not going to give away the end-result here but I’ll tell you this. I’m now a M3 convert. Especially when it comes with the marque’s M-DCT dual-clutch transmission, which is snappier than Helen Zille. Yes, there are way too many set-up options and buttons to push, but wire all of that nonsense to the M button on the steering wheel and you’ve got an easy solution. And then supercars better watch out. It’s comfortable, too, and practical.
4) But the best performance car for the common man remains the hot hatch, of which the best of the species continues to be the Volkswagen Golf GTI. While rivals like Mazda continue to try and send nuclear station-like power through a pair of front wheels only, with predictably dire consequences for sheep that happen to be grazing next to the road, Volkswagen has backed out of the power race and quietly come up with a car that has just the right amount of power for its chassis. The key to the GTI’s greatness is its balance… in everything. The GTI hits the sweet spot in terms of comfort, firmess, sportiness, luxury, aggression, sophistication and desirability. The new Renault Mégane RS will have to be very, very good to trounce it. Being very fast and very yellow will not be enough.
5) But enough of the performance stuff, for now. If I had to pick one brand that really picked up its game this year, it has to be Kia. From the quirky Soul, to the big and luxurious Sorento, this Korean marque’s product portfolio has been entirely revitalised. I’m not entirely surprised, to be honest. When they hired designer Peter Schreyer I had a feeling this would happen. Sure, Schreyer’s taste in eye- and footwear is questionable, but with the original Audi TT in his portfolio, you’d have to say the man knows what he’s doing.
Which brings me to the new Kia Cerato, one of the best-value packages on the market today. Look, it’s no TT, but in terms of design it is sophisticated and elegant, and has an air of solidity about it that other cars in its class don’t quite possess. For once, here is a car that offers real value for money – packed with equipment even the likes of Audi and BMW will charge you extra for, with the kind of rear seat space some MPVs can dream about and the fit and finish of a more expensive car. In 1,6 EX form I think the Cerato is stunning value for money. Unmatched, in fact.
6) But then last week I drove the Chevrolet Cruze 1,6 LS, and now I think the Kia may have some competition. I’ve written a lot about the Cruze of late, mostly moaning about the 1,8 LT’s intolerable engine and transmission combination. But now I’ve realised the LT doesn’t matter at all, because the Cruze you should buy is the smaller-engined 1,6 LS, which sells for less than R190 000.
If there is one car that could put Chevrolet back in the hearts and minds of the hardworking South African family man, I think this is it. LS specification brings just the right mix of standard features to a package that offers good space, quality and dynamics. Of course, the 1,6-litre engine has less power and torque (not much less), but because it revs more smoothly and because you have direct control of every single kW and N.m through a five-speed manual ‘box, it is a far more enjoyable car to drive.
In fact, if you’re interested in this type of car you should go and buy it immediately before the price changes, because the new boss of GMSA, Edgar Lorencon, jokes that it is too well-priced. Soon, perhaps, he won’t find it so funny anymore…
7) As a staunch anti-SUV campaigner for years, I’m afraid I’m starting to cave in to these vehicles’ charms. Perhaps it is a result of becoming a family man and being married to a woman who finds something such as a Mini Cooper “ridiculous” and an Aston Martin as comfortable as a skateboard.
She does, however, like the latest Land Rover Discovery 4 TDV6 very much, and I think she has a point. This thing just smothers out road imperfections. Furthermore, the cabin is so well insulated and such a soothing place to be that you tend to arrive at destinations feeling fresher than you did when setting off. The engine is a jewel, too, and the throttle and transmission mapping was certainly done by the same gentleman in charge of the Jaguar XFR project, because it always responds with just the exact amount of verve you want when pushing down on the throttle. In full HSE specification, it is all the car you’ll ever need in your life. In fact, it is so good I can’t help but wonder if Land Rover hasn’t scored an own goal with it. The Discovery is now so good and desirable I struggle to see the point of a Range Rover.
Lower down the price scale we have the Volvo XC60 which, in 3,0T form, is a very likeable mixture of luxurious station wagon, SUV and sports saloon. That it manages to throw all these elements together and offer class-leading refinement to boot is what lifts it into the ranks of the truly desirable. I love the way it soothes and cocoons its occupants on the road, and responds with verve when you put your foot down. I’m a fan of designer Steve Mattin, too, and especially like the use of different and contrasting trim materials in the cabin. And judging by the comments of passengers, the Volvo XC60 is one of the few cars available to today that is as good to drive as it is to be driven in.
9) My next choice is not an SUV. It is also not an MPV. Or a hatch. A sports car. A saloon. Or a station wagon. It is the BMW X6 xDrive50i. And there’s simply nothing out there like it. I know the merest mental image of an X6 will cause some people to vomit on their shoes, but that’s fine. Challenging design and art often do that. What I like about this specific X6 is the way it goes – the twin-turbo V8 punches out 300 kW, and this endows the X6 with the ability to sprint to 100 km/h in 5,85 seconds (tested by us). The most amazing thing, however, is that when you rocket into a corner at a trillion km/h, seated as high as some bus drivers, common sense tells you that death is imminent, but it isn’t. Imagine for a moment an Elephant with the agility and speed of a Cheetah. The X6’s combination of shattering performance and gravity-defying dynamics is that bizarre. It’s a freak of science. Which perhaps explains the looks, too.
10) I’ve left the best for last, the one I’ll bestow my personal Car of the Year crown. At the time of its test in our August issue I wondered whether it was the best car I’d driven for months, years or ever. I’m still not sure. Even now, months later and not having driven another since, I can say this particular machine still presses all the right buttons, offering scintillating performance, the kind of responsiveness Italians supercars dream of, beautiful design inside and out, and impeccable build quality. It’s also quite good value, all things considered. I’ve always said that I’ll know its time to change career when I encounter a car that I can’t fault. With this car I came dangerously close to writing my letter of resignation, but mercifully it does have one flaw. The engine should roar a bit more.
The Jaguar XFR. My Car of the Year. Possibly of all years.
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