The Noughties (00's) In Cars - - The Decade of the Supercar
As we near the end of the decade, I thought that now would be a good time to reflect on what has been achieved this past ten years - how has the car world changed? A lot can happen in ten years. Companies can be changed forever, rare technologies can become mainstream, and fashions can go full circle. Some decades were known for different things, but the noughties was all about living large. Excess was the name of the game, and no other type of car does excess like the supercar. There were many amazing supercars of the noughties, and so I thought I'd summarize what they were all about in alphabetical order. Were they hits, or were they misses?
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione (2007): It takes it's parts from all over the Fiat Group, but Alfa's first true sportscar in nearly twenty years hit the spot. It didn't have to be the greatest driving tool ever (and it wasn't, really - it couldn't corner to save its life), but it had to be sexy, fast, and prestigious. And it certainly hit the mark. It featured somewhat retro proportions and stance, but brought the design into the modern era with Alfa Romeo's new face. A convertible version has also recently gone into production - only 500 will be made at a mad price of $350,000 AUD. Save up, children.
Engine type 4.6 Litres, eight cylinders
Power/Torque 331kW/480Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual with paddle shift
Performance 0-100 kmh: 4.2sec
Top speed: 291 kmh
Price $250,000 AUD approx
Aston Martin DBS (2007): Honestly, we could have included every new Aston Martin in this list, but instead chose to stick with the DBS. It's the fastest Aston, and the headline act in the new 007 James Bond films. So it gets a place here. There is no doubt that this is one sexy, agressive car. Attempting to build on what was probably the most beautiful design of the decade (the DB9 of course) was never going to be easy. But the DBS defines cool, and will go down in history as quite possibly the sexiest, most aggro Bond car in history. And in 2010, there will be a DBS Volante. I have heaps of photo galleries, for your pleasure.
Engine type 6.0 Litre V12
Power/Torque 380kW/570Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 4.3sec
Top speed: 307 kmh
Price $500,000 AUD approx
Audi R8 (2006) - (V10 model 2009): Audi set out the R8 with only one intention - to destroy the legacy of the Porsche 911. Is it better than a 911? Who knows, but when the R8 is this good, who cares? The R8 cuts a menacing figure, especially with the glowing day-time LEDs, but crucially, was a car that could be used as a daily drive. That alone was a feat of magnificence. Let alone the speed...
Engine type 5.2 Litre V10
Power/Torque 386kW/530Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.9sec
Top speed: 316 kmh
Price From $280,000 AUD approx
Bentley Continental GT (2003): Despite the sales wonders the GT has performed for Bentley, reviews for the car were largely mixed. Many could see how what a comfortable, fast, grand tourer is was, but many more saw that it was simply a Volkswagen on steroids. It didn't drive as well as it should have, and wasn't as fast as it needed to be, weighing in at 2300kg. At the time, however, it could rightly claim to be the world's fastest four-seater.
Engine type 6.0 Litre W12
Power/Torque 411kW/650Nm
Transmission Six-speed automatic with paddle-shift
Performance 0-100 kmh: 4.8sec
Top speed: 319 kmh
Price From $400,000 AUD approx
Bugatti Veyron (2005): The iconic supercar of the noughties, and the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive car in production history (at the time). A mighty vehicle, everything about it was truly a startling feat of engineering. It will likely be the fastest accelerating road car we will see for a long time, especially since the economic meltdown, sadly. But on a lighter note: have you ever dreamed of owning a Bugatti Veyron? What two-tone colour scheme would you choose? Have a play around at this site, then, the best timewaster ever. Only 133 Veyrons were produced.
Engine type 8.0 Litre W16
Power/Torque 736kW/1250Nm
Transmission Seven-speed DSG sequential
Performance 0-100 kmh: 2.9sec
Top speed: 407.9 kmh (...!)
Price: $2,000,000 AUD approx
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (2009): The fastest production Corvette ever made was an absolute cracker - dynamite around corners, and blasting down straights. If anyone wanted a slice of delicious Yank action, the ZR1 was the perfect ticket. In a new era of "Yes we can!", the big Corvette proved that Americans could actually make a brilliant car. Sensational, in fact. And ridiculously cheap, too - though you'd want it to be, with the kind of interior you get. Americans still can't pull off a cool interior.
Engine type 6.2 Litre V8
Power/Torque 476kW/819Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.4sec
Top speed: 330.6 kmh
Price: $150,000 AUD approx
Dodge Viper SRT-10 (2008): Just because a car is fast, doesn't make it so remarkable. In fact, the Viper passed largely unnoticed when it was launched into its fourth-generation in 2008, because by that time, there were so many other cars out there that were cooler, more exciting, better quality, and even faster. There just wasn't any subtlety and quality of engineering about the Viper, though there was with the Corvette. It's hard to explain. Anyway, there just wasn't any really big reason why one should buy the Viper and not the Corvette ZR1. I'd have to agree, anyway.
Engine type 8.4 Litre V10
Power/Torque 450kW/760Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.5sec
Top speed: 325 kmh
Price: From $130,000 AUD approx
Ferrari Enzo (2002): Ferrari were so proud of their supercar creation that they named it after the company's founder, Mr. Enzo Ferrari. And what a car it was. Sure, it didn't really look that great, but just one look at it told you it would be lightning fast. It dawned the new era of supercar madness, and was super exclusive. It came at just the right time - Schumacher was at his peak, and everything about Ferrari made them seem unstoppable.
Power/Torque 485kW/657Nm
Transmission Six-speed semi-automatic
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.14sec
Top speed: 365 kmh
Price: $1,000,000 AUD approx
Ferrari F430 Scuderia (2008): I was almost tempted to say that this car was a miss, and not a hit. Want to know why? Because I think the Lamborghini Gallardo is better than this car. But then I realised - so what? The F430 was an outstanding car in its own right, and in every respect. So much so that the waiting list to buy one stretched into several years. If that is anything to go by, this is one popular car. Soon to have a Spider form!
Power/Torque 375kW/657Nm
Transmission Six-speed sequential
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.6sec
Top speed: 315 kmh
Price: $575,000 AUD approx
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (2006): Ferrari continued their brilliant streak with the 599. This was a car that could go almost as fast as the god-like Enzo, yet still be as safe and easy to use as a supermarket shopping trolley. This brilliance is not to be understated - even timid drivers could come out of the 599 feeling like Michael Schumacher. Once again, it isn't stunningly pretty, but the engineering focus was remarkable.
Power/Torque 456kW/608Nm
Transmission Six-speed sequential or manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.7sec
Top speed: 330 kmh
Price: $630,000 AUD approx
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (2004): Is it the ugliest Ferrari ever? Is it the most boring Ferrari ever? Sure, the 612 had a brilliant engine, and cornered fantastically, considering it's size (it has 4 seats), but nobody could really feel any compassion for it - as superficial as it seems, it's true. Why would you speed nearly 700 grand on an ugly car, and have to tell your friends: "Don't worry, it drives much better than it looks". You shouldn't have to do that, least of all when it's a Ferrari.
Power/Torque 397kW/588Nm
Transmission Six-speed semi-automatic or manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 4.3sec
Top speed: 315 kmh
Price: $670,000 AUD approx
Ferrari California (2009): No one was really sure why the California had to look awkward. That's the way it is, I guess. And despite the California being a grand tourer, we really didn't expect it to be so much fun. Here, we simply have a case of "there are so many other convertibles I'd rather look at". But although this car has a huge arse, you could almost see yourself owning one. Not only is it quicker than a convertible F430, it has a folding metal roof, a big boot, and four [almost] useable seats. And it'll be the cheapest Ferrari - genius!
Power/Torque 338kW/485Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual/Seven speed double-clutch automated manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 4.0sec
Top speed: 310 kmh
Price: $380,000 AUD estimated (unconfirmed)
Ford GT (2003): The Ford GT probably isn't the sharpest supercar tool in the shed, in hindsight. But that doesn't mean it wasn't fantastic. Just like the GT40 its styling is based on, the Ford GT was out to kick some Ferrari butt. And, in a way, it did. It was super fast, turned pretty well, and looked gobsmackingly good. Sure, the interior was retro and cheap. But you could forgive this car for anything, simply for the way it looks.
Power/Torque 410kW/680Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.8sec
Top speed: 341 kmh
Price: $200,000 AUD approx
Gumpert Apollo (2005): The ugliest supercar ever? Possibly. Least glamourous sounding name ever? Possibly. Mind-bendingly fast? Definitely. So the Apollo doesn't have a cool badge, or exclusivity. But if you're looking for a wild track weapon, this Gumpert has it covered. No other production car can give you this much quickness on straights and around corners. It surpasses the Bugatti Veyron, and is in a class all of its own. And guess what? It's about to get a whole lot faster, with a 600kW version in the works.
Power/Torque 478kW/850Nm
Transmission Six-speed sequential manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.0sec
Top speed: 360 kmh
Price: $400,000 AUD approx
Koenigsegg CCXR (2008): Fast and furious - this car is dangerous, and not for the faint hearted. The kind of car that instils the fear of god into you. Not many cars can do that, and for this reason, the Koenigsegg was a hit. For people everywhere in the quest for speed, (or just daredevils) the CCX was the ultimate, something you can't go past. But the CCXR did the impossible - not only did it get faster than the CCX, it was greener than the CCX. I still don't understand how - the CCXR can run on E85 ethanol blend fuel, and because of that, somehow, we get the titanic kilowatt figure.
Power/Torque 759kW/1080Nm
Transmission Six-speed paddleshift manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 2.9sec
Top speed: 414 kmh
Price: $3,150,000 AUD approx (seriously)
Lamborghini Reventon (2008): Only 21 were produced, but everyone who is anyone knows that the Reventon is the most aggro looking supercar the world has ever seen. Mess with this car, and its looks will kill. Although I have never seen a Reventon in any colour but that boring grey - wish it was yellow. The mechanicals of the car are basically lifted from a Murcielago, but who cares - you can drive down the street and scare small children.
Power/Torque 480kW/680Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.4sec
Top speed: 356 kmh
Price: $1,800,000 AUD approx
Lamborghini Murcielago LP460 (2006): When the original Murcielago was released in 2002, the motoring world was in awe of it. It was quite simply the wildest car the world had ever seen, but yet it was inexplicably beautiful. Not only that, it was fast. The LP460 was simply faster, and even more jaw-droppingly striking. Need I say more?
Power/Torque 471kW/660Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual/sequential manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.4sec
Top speed: 356 kmh
Price: $750,000 AUD approx
Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 (2008): Once again, the original Gallardo was not slouchy, nor bad looking, but the LP560-4 is simply a triumph of design and engineering. The Gallardo will go down in history as one of the truly great looking supercars, as it deserves to. Edgy lines are somehow rendered dramatic and emotive, not to mention the fact that this car is a Ferrari F430 killer.
Power/Torque 412kW/540Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual/sequential manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.7sec
Top speed: 325 kmh
Price: From $475,000 AUD approx
Maserati MC12 (2004): It didn't take a genius to work out the the MC12 was simply an Enzo Ferrari with a Maserati badge stuck on the bonnet. They shared the same engine, gearbox, suspension... blah, blah, blah... but because the body work of the MC12 is bigger than the Enzo (and bizarrely uglier), it was also slower than the Enzo. So what was the point of Maserati making this car? They wanted to create a racing variant of it to enter in the FIA GT Championship, so they had to have a production car to work from. The world largely ignored it.
Engine type 6.0 Litre V12
Power/Torque 465kW/652Nm
Transmission Six-speed semi-automatic
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.8sec
Top speed: 330 kmh
Price: $1,250,000 AUD approx
Maybach Exelero (2005): Pointless from the very start, you probably wouldn't have minded if the Exelero was a car of superlatives. It's not. It's not the fastest car ever made, although it's almost the longest (5.9 Metres), it's not the prettiest, not the most luxurious (but it should have been! It's a Maybach for god's sake!), but... it did have a most riduculous price tag. I've got to be fair though - how much would you really pay for a car like this? A million dollars? Two Million? No, try upwards of $12 Million. Makes the Bugatti Veyron seem like a bargain.
Power/Torque 522kW/1020Nm
Transmission Seven-speed auto
Performance 0-100 kmh: 4.4sec
Top speed: 351 kmh
Price: From $12,000,000 AUD approx
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (2004): We were honestly getting ready for a monster of a car, when Mercedes showed us pictures of their new McLaren supercar. After all, the last McLaren effort was the legendary F1, a car that was, for a long time (until the Bugatti Veyron) easily the fastest production car the world had ever seen. The SLR however, was comparitively soft-core. It had a rather slushy automatic gearbox, and wasn't quick enough (there was enough power, though!) to really make it feel like a supercar on the road. It did look very spectacular, even if it wasn't to everyone's taste. I think the convertible version is the better option - that way, you can enjoy the SLR as a seriously fast cruiser, and soak up some sunshine as you expend very little effort going very fast.
Power/Torque 467kW/780Nm
Transmission Five-speed automatic
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.7sec
Top speed: 334 kmh
Price: $650,000 AUD approx
Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss (2009): "Thought the SLR McLaren was too soft, did you? DID YOU?!?!" Mercedes-Benz finally responded, with the properly hard-core version the SLR always should have been. The Stirling Moss is wild, with a bonnet longer than an airport runway, no windscreen, no roof - so you can imagine that it's ultra-light and fast. It had the kind of "no compromise" attitude we always wanted to see from the SLR. At least this tribute to Sir Stirling Moss lives up to the legend of the great man himself.
Power/Torque 478kW/780Nm
Transmission Six-speed Manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.5sec
Top speed: 350 kmh
Price: $1,550,000 AUD approx
Morgan Aeromax (2005): Everyone laughed at the cross-eyed Aero 8, but when the Aeromax was released, everyone sat up and took notice. This was a very twenty-first century car, in a fusion with techniques and fashions of old. But nevertheless, it had the character and talent to hold it's own in the thoroughly over-the-top noughties. It was fast, eccentric, and very different. Loveable, one could say. It still wasn't a pin-up, but it now has cult status.
Engine type 4.8 Litre V8
Power/Torque 276kW/489Nm
Transmission Six-speed Manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 4.2sec
Top speed: 274 kmh
Price: $230,000 AUD approx
Nissan GT-R (2008): Everyone wants one. The car they nicknamed "Godzilla" (as with other GT-Rs) truly is the most accessible rendition yet of "the people's supercar". It is [almost] within the reach of the masses, and has almost Ferrari Enzo rivalling speed. It doesn't look that great, it's a bit characterless, but who cares? You can have a ridiculously fast supercar for the price of something far more mundane.
Power/Torque 360kW/580Nm
Transmission Six-speed dual-clutch automated manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.2sec
Top speed: 311 kmh
Price: $170,000 AUD approx
Pagani Zonda F (2005): How can one leave out the Pagani Zonda? In 2005, when the better-than-ever-before Zonda F was released, the world once again fell in love with this spaceship of a car. There simply isn't anything remotely like the Zonda, and there probably never will be. There's a sense of theatre in it you just can't go past.
Power/Torque 478kW/760Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.5sec
Top speed: 346 kmh
Price: $900,000 AUD approx
Porsche Carrera GT (2004): A great car, but totally overshadowed by the Ferrari Enzo, which it was so often compared against. In fact, it was as though Porsche really could have done better, but didn't try hard enough - perhaps they're waiting to shock us all with a successor (there is a rumour it'll be called Porsche GT1). Still, it was cheaper than the Ferrari, and Porsche lovers, well... loved it.
Engine type 5.7 Litre V10
Power/Torque 416kW/589Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.9sec
Top speed: 330 kmh
Price: $700,000 AUD approx
Saleen S7 Twin Turbo (2005): The American S7 is truly a stunning testament to supercar engineering. The Saleen has huge presence, in a sort of NASCAR racing kind of way, and shows that ultrafast cars will never die. This is the quintessential American supercar (forget the Corvette, this will eat it for breakfast), and don't you forget it. Posters of this car are all over the bedroom walls of millions of young North American boys. And for good reason.
Engine type 7.0 Litre V8
Power/Torque 559kW/949Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Performance 0-100 kmh: 3.2sec
Top speed: 399 kmh (ouch! That's so close to 400)
Price: $850,000 AUD approx
FEATURE STORY: 15 Amazing Car Wallpapers You've Never Seen
Like many hopeless car fanatics, I have a huge collection of digital car pictures. Sort of like my own private stash. They serve as my desktop backgrounds, and my slideshow screensaver, and with about 1300 high resolution pictures on my hard drive, I thought I'd share with you a few of my favourites. They aren't necessarily the coolest cars on the planet, but as a desktop wallpaper, they're all pretty hard to go past.
But of course, I'll start with the supercars. Although the Mercedes-McLaren SLR isn't one of my favourite supercars (awkward proportions), there's something about the cold, brutal foreground of this photo clashing with the background that makes me love it.
But I really do love Aston Martins. And although I think the DBS is merely an adulterated (with bodykits, etc.) DB9, and silver is my least favourite colour of all time, this picture has got it all. It's better than any scene out of Casino Royale of Quantum of Solace, anyway.
While this picture of the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione doesn't have such an amazing background to match the last two, it does have a superb paint job - just look at the tones of red present in the front flanks of this car. Doesn't hurt that it's a brilliant looking car, either.
This next picture convinced me that when James Bond isn't driving Aston Martins, he should definitely be driving a Jaguar XF. No, it isn't the XFR, but it's a stunning picture, nonetheless. Only makes me love the big Jag sedan even more.
Everything about the Bentley Azure is encapsulated in this next wallpaper. Serene rivers, mountain ranges that appear to have been dusted with icing sugar, and bright warm sunshine. Not to mention a huge, rich, sumptuous convertible.
Small cars can make some great wallpapers too. I couldn't choose between these two Fiat 500 wallpapers, so I'm showing you both. I just love the way the scenes are laid out, and the way light and shadow are handled. Little car, big impact.
And you're probably wondering why I love this one of a Lancia Ypsilon. It's not as immediately stunning as the others, but the use of colour (or lack of it) really strikes a chord with me, and the way the puddles are black makes the scene menacing and austere.
In contrast, this little picture of a Peugeot 107 is all about fun, vibrant colours, and sexy attitude. And again, the use of colour is what attracts you to it - I wish I was doing the samba around a Peugeot 107 now too.
Interestingly, 4x4s can sometimes provide some of the most beautiful car landscapes you can find. Especially if the company wants their car to appear butch and outdoorsy. Like this Ford Explorer, whose occupant has gone on a camping trip in the mountains. Fantastic.
This is another interpretation of this "butch and outdoorsy" theme, courtesy of the Land Rover Discovery 4, which will be released next year. The elements are all there - steaming river, gnarly rocks, rugged (yet impeccably polished...) car - so what more could you want?
This next one is just a really good landscape photo, I figured. It just happens to contain a car - a Land Rover Freelander 2 - so for that reason, it's awesome.
But not all 4x4s are trying to appear rugged. Volvo, for instance, doesn't want its XC60 to appear rugged - because it isn't. It's a city slicker, and that's what's represented here. I have never seen a photo that appears so colourful and interesting, but in reality would be ordinary and boring. Genius.
This one's a bit of a laugh. It always makes me chuckle - that the Subaru Forester could make it to the antarctic, where a group of exactly three penguins would examine it's spotless body in the musky moonlight.
And I leave you with an Aussie company - HSV. This picture of the Clubsport R8 Tourer is a really nice one - I just wish it had been driving past the MCG.
FEATURE STORY: Car Commericials From the Superbowl
I'm convinced of something: people don't actually watch the superbowl for the stupid sport American jocks play... they watch it for the commercials! A 30-second spot in the Superbowl telecast is worth about 3 Million US dollars, so ad agencies make sure they get it right. So I've got for you the three best car-related commercials to air during the Superbowl telecast. They're crackers, but which is the best?
Bridgestone - "Taters"
Audi - "Chase"
FEATURE STORY: My Sister Bought an i30... Shock!
It was time for my sister to buy her first car, and with my advice in mind, to cut a long story short I should just tell you that she ended up buying a Hyundai i30. Today, actually. So I thought I'd share with you the way she arrived at her choice, because I believe that the way she went about buying her first car was exemplary to say the least.
To start off, we discussed her size range - one of the single most important things to consider when buying a car, and most often overlooked. It is a great starting place, and also gives you a consequential price range. My sister is a percussionist, and is often carrying a reasonable amount of gear, if not necessarily a lot of passengers. So a large cargo room area (with seats folded down) was needed, but a wagon was deemed too big. Instead, a large hatchback seemed the go, especially with the high amount of city driving that she plans to do. So immediately, she found that she had a list of cars to investigate.
However, there were a few priorities that influenced this list. She did not want safety to be at all compromised - so her car had to feature the full set of airbags (front, side and curtain) and feature electronic stability control. To obtain these features in a used car is next to impossible, and she found that it involved buying a reasonably old car from a premium brand such as Audi. The trouble then was that such premium cars incur extra costs, namely insurance, premium grade fuel, parts prices, service and repair costs. With the cost of ownership stacking up on cars that were already more than 5 years old, she decided that it simply wasn't worth it. With about $25,000 to spend (she had saved for a good number of years!) she decided that the best course of action was to buy a new car, and fit the safety features as options where they weren't standard. So a list was created, and we prepared to eliminate those who were unworthy.
The cars on this list were extensively researched on the internet, and the findings written down in a notebook for easy reference later. Each page was devoted to a different car, and when compared, all the pros and cons of each car were evident. So my sister stayed true to my golden rule number 9: "Do ya bloody research, ya lazy bugger!" - although that article "Your First Car" is geared (forgive the pun) toward buyers looking at a used car, you can read my buying tips here. Anyway, it was clear that some cars would have to be rejected before the race started, for the various reasons stated below:
Citroen C4 SX - too expensive, especially with automatic transmission
Fiat Ritmo Dynamic - automatic transmission not available (...!), expensive too
Ford Focus CL
Holden Astra CD - curtain airbags not available on "CD" model, no stability control
Honda Civic VTi - not a hatchback, lacks stability control, only front airbags available
Hyundai i30 SX
Mazda3 Neo Sport
Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback CL - no stability control, automatic is $2,500 extra!
Nissan Tiida ST-L - no stability control, not roomy enough
Peugeot 308 XS - too expensive, no automatic on XS model
Renault Megane Dynamique - Expensive, not practical enough
Subaru Impreza R - Expensive, again
Suzuki SX-4 - no stability control, only two airbags, high fuel consumption
Toyota Corolla Seca Ascent - no stability control at all
Volkswagen Golf Edition - wait for it... too expensive also
As it turns out, after all that, there were only three cars that fulfilled her needs at all, even if it was only on paper. And if you remember my "Your First Car" feature story, I had a golden rule - forget about Chrylser, Daewoo, Daihatsu, Dodge, Hummer, Hyundai, Kia, Proton and Ssangyong. Technically, this should have ruled out the i30, but my argument for this rule in the first place were that these brands make unsafe and poor quality cars. The i30 had all the safety features she wanted, providing she optioned the safety pack, and a new Hyundai will have a 5-year warranty. It's seemed churlish to deny it a spot in the final three.
So, having done all her research, she went dealing, and found that she really could just rule the Focus out of contention. Sometimes things aren't as good as they seem to be on paper. The Focus was essentially just as good as the Mazda3, without the sporty attitude and cool looks. The Focus also lacked a few convenience features that the Mazda had, and in the end, the after-bargaining price was pretty much the same.
The i30 however, is the one that came on top of the Mazda - for a few reasons, actually. Believe it or not, the i30 had the better interior. No, really. The interior pictures I have here are merely for illustration, and have been nicked from www.carsales.com, and aren't the actually the cars she looked at. But they are the right models, Neo Sport (Mazda) and SX (Hyundai), although I understand it may be hard to see what I mean from just the pictures. There were a few things about the 
Mazda that were simply done better in the i30. For example, the instrumentation of the i30, with its blue lighting, is much clearer than the Mazda3 and its eye-hating red illumination. Actually, the speedometer of the Mazda3 Neo Sport is the biggest problem, because 0-100kmh occurs in the 6 to 9 o'clock positions of the dial, and such a small spread of numbers makes your speed difficult to gauge (I'm loving these puns today!). This is no such problem in the i30. In fact, the i30 interior was obviously cleaner and just as classy as the Mazda, which does not appropriately reflect the pictures to the right. Even the rear seat provides more legroom and kneeroom, while boot space for either car is virtually the same.
Where the Mazda should gain ground on the i30, in driving experience, it fails, because the difference was not enough to gain the attention of my sister, who felt that they both drove very well and was content with either, although she preferred the driving position of the i30. This underscores the importance of test-driving these cars - even my sister was going to assume that because the i30 was a Hyundai it would be incompetent on the road. The i30 even has a few extra features over the Mazda, the most useful of which is a burglar alarm.
Don't get me wrong, we're both huge fans of the Mazda3, and still are, but at the time she was car buying, the Mazda was a car at the end of it's model cycle, and significantly older in design than the i30 - it showed. Which proves a point in my "Your First Car" article - cars are getting better all the time. Although the Mazda is obviously cooler than the rather bland Hyundai, this did not bother my sister at all - the Hyundai was by no means boring, she argued, and was better in just about every other area of assessment.
In fact, even I have been converted to an i30 fan - I'm not a huge fan of the way it looks, but for most people, it looks absolutely fine, drives absolutely fine, and is great value. She haggled like her life depended on it, and came away with a great deal. The real way to describe the i30 would be with this sentence: "There is absolutely nothing wrong with the i30, other than it has an awful Hyundai badge on the bonnet and tailgate."
But if that doesn't bother you, like it didn't for my sister, then the i30 is a great car. More importantly, it's a car that you can love. And she certainly loves her red Hyundai i30 - she's going to show it off to her friends.
FEATURE STORY: Wacky and Fast Police Cars
Seeing the new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, recently delivered to the Italian police force, I laughed very hard, as we all did when we learnt about it. A tiny two-door coupe, with a 412kW V10 screamer of an engine, working as a police patrol car? The idea was fantastic, if absolutely ludicrous. But the idea of giving a police force a wacky or superfast police car is not a new idea, and has happened all over the world - with interesting results, I must say. So I thought I'd take you through the world of desirable (arguably, anyway) police cars. It is quite a fun trip, and certainly yields some unlikely results.
Believe it or not, Italy aren't the only country to have a Lamborghini Gallardo in its police force fleet. In South Africa, a Gallardo with a slightly underwhelming paint job rules the streets, especially imported from Italy. It is actually loaned to the police force by the importer. So why exactly did the South African police want a Lamborghini Gallardo in the fight against crime? As an "attention-getting device" to control traffic, or so they say. Good try, boys and girls. We all know you spend your time doing donuts in the station carpark.
But if we could get back to the Italians for a second, what do you think they drive when they don't drive their Gallardo? There is, after all, only one. Well, among their fleet, we also have some Smarts, for use in narrow Rome alleyways and streets. Can you imagine the pain of an Italian police officer going on duty? "I'll just take the Gallardo today, what do you reckon boss?" - "Oh sorry, I'll be out on the road in that today - you can have the Smart instead." Shot down!!!! By the time the smart reaches 100kmh from a standing start, the Gallardo is past 250 - it's that fast.
Naturally, the Germans have also taken this idea to a nutty new extreme, and produced a few police cars that can chase just about anything on the autobahn - like this Brabus CLS Rocket, a heavily tuned version of the Mercedes-Benz CLS. The Brabus CLS Rocket has a twin-turbo V12 sitting under the bonnet, with a mind-bending 544kW on tap. The Brabus CLS Rocket is actually the worlds fastest street-legal production sedan, with a top speed of 362.5kmh. Unbelievably.
In case those nutty krauts get bored with their monster of a CLS, they also have a TechArt tuned Porsche 911 Carrera S to chase down the bad guys. It will also do 300kmh, and a 0-100kmh sprint of just 4.5 seconds. What a shame the German police have too much integrity to have a drag between this and their Brabus CLS... now that I would pay to see. Ah, but TechArt swear that they've modified the 911 safely for community well-being, and all that jazz - you can tell they're just really lying by looking at the size of the alloy wheels!
But sometimes you just have to wonder about the practicality of these cars. I mean, in Bulgaria, they decided that a Porsche 911 Convertible would be perfect for the job. A convertible?!?! Why does it have to be convertible? Do the police officers really need to feel the wind in their short-shaven hair when they're pursuing a crook? Obviously in Bulgaria the union has demanded it. And what about the flashing lights? Where do they go now? Sometimes you wonder whether they really wanted to use them as proper police cars, or as public relations stunts.
In The Netherlands, they've gone even crazier in their quest for the ultimate police car. They've got a Spyker C8 Spyder, which is a convertible also (for some apparent reason), and has Lamborghini-like scissor doors. For chopping off the heads of criminals, I presume. Don't laugh, this is quite likely - remember that marijuana use is quite legal in The Netherlands, even encouraged. You can walk into a corner shop and get wonderful giant-sized hash lollipops for one euro each - true story. So that's why there is a Borat impersonator in the driver's seat with a Sale of the Century buzzer on his head.
In the US, the story is similar, although Americanised. Take this supercharged V8 Hummer H2, which stalks the streets of, you guessed it, Texas. And with it's 7.0 Litre engine producing 522 kilowatts of power, it's all fine and dandy by this County Sheriff. He's just loving it, isn't he?
And of course, the muscle cars. There are heaps of police muscle cars in the US - and it's a national culture that police cars simply have to be faster than everything else. So below, in order, we have a very beefy Dodge Magnum, which is all dressed up to run people over - what a shame the police don't do that either; we have a nice and welcoming Dodge Viper, demonstrating some famous southern hospitality; a Chevrolet Corvette with flame livery, because it's necessary to look cool; and of course, a Ford Mustang.
In China, they've taken a similar approach to the US - they also have a Hummer for their police department. Except, of course, because it is Chinese, it is a copy of a Hummer, and not the real thing. Is anyone else getting some Chery QQ deja vu, or is it just me? And if you're thinking that it looks very much like a military vehicle, then you're thinking exactly what I'm thinking - it's basically a big bad tractor, ready to eat all the left over Chinese children, I reckon. Alright, that was a low blow. But you have to admit, it certainly looks sinister - I would get very scared if one of these things appeared in my rearview mirror, anyway.
And next door, in Japan, they've decided that the best way to take on "fooli-sik" types in their Skyline GT-Rs is to, well, get a GT-R themselves. You know what they say: if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. So that's exactly what the Japanese are doing. So now, every time I see a Skyline roar past me with bright blue underbody neon lights and an ear-splitting stereo, I'll wish that a Japanese GT-R was there to hunt it down. I mean, it even has a vertical plastic screen on the bonnet - aerodynamics perhaps?
These efforts tend to make the Australian police cars pale in comparison, although we have had a few interesting efforts over the years. An Alfa Romeo GT springs to mind, which is stylish, if not brutally fast, but really, you can't go past the Lotus Exige - and both cars lie in the Queensland Police Department! Ahh, those Queenslanders - something in the hot tropical air does it to them. Still, gotta admire their style.
So what would be your ultimate police car? What would you like to see? A British DBS? A Swedish Koenigsegg? Now that would probably kill more people than it'd save! Bad idea...
FEATURE STORY: Have a Laugh with these Car Names
First of all, Happy New Year, everyone! To celebrate, I thought I'd give you a taste of some of the funniest car names I know. Feel free to help me add to the list!
It may just be because I'm a smutty guy, but what do you think of when you hear the name: Buick YJob (pictured)? Admittedly, it was only ever a concept, and back in 1938, no-one would have ever heard of the various "jobs", but I still like to think that it was a good reason it never made production. The phrase "I just got a YJob downtown" has a fantastic ring to it, doesn't it? You could even say how much you paid to get your YJob. What would the "Y" even stand for, anyway? Nevertheless, it was one of the world's first concept cars, and that's why I wanted to celebrate it here. But it was called the YJob.
Chevrolet's done some dumb ones too. You might not think this one's particularly funny, but I still thought it was a really silly name for a car: Chevrolet Celebrity (pictured). You know a car has a silly name, when you say the phrase "I just bought (or got) a..." and it sounds as stupid as "I just bought a Celebrity." By the way, remember the Holden Gemini of the 80's? Want to know what it was known as in the US? The Chevrolet Chevette. Weird.
Naturally, there are some car names have the effect of making you sound like a boring old toff - take the Dodge St. Regis, for example. Would you like a cup of Devonshire Tea with your St. Regis, sir? Or a Ford Country Squire (pictured)? Perhaps the Chrysler Town and Country is more to your liking? The Nissan President is rather evocative, I must say. I still like the Mercury Wrist Twist Park Lane concept, myself. Although you can't go past the Volvo Elisabeth I concept for regality.
Some names are meant to sound cute, but sound rather camp, instead - think about the Bedford Rascal, sold here as the equally embarassing-sounding Holden Scurry. Not to be confused with the Mazda Scrum. Or the unfortunate Nissan Cedric. Other camp names? Try Nissan Sunny, or the Lancia Jolly, which is only bettered by the Lancia Superjolly. Which in turn is trumped for campness by the Lincoln Mardi Gras concept. Although the Suzuki MightyBoy (pictured) runs it close. If you like your boys nice and meaty, I would suggest you buy a Toyota Deliboy.
Honda are responsible for some shockers, too. My personal favourite would have to be the Honda Life Dunk - followed closely by the Honda That's. I'm not joking, that is actually what they are called. Other Honda notables include the Honda Today, and the Honda Logo - which confusingly, is a car, not a logo. Oh, and don't forget the Honda Hobio - which is one solitary letter away from being the Honda Hobo.
There used to be a truck manufacturer called Fargo Trucks (pictured), before the Chrylser Group shut them down and discontinued their models. Awesome brand name, huh? But then again, the newest supercar from Germany is called Gumpert. The Gumpert Apollo. But I'm sure the most depressing brand name has to be the Standard Motor Company. Thrilling. But not as thrilling as Daewoo - which means "Great Universe" in Korean. And then there are just car makers with names that make you snigger, like Donkervoort Automobielen of the Netherlands. Ah well, for brand name perfection, we can always look to Goggomobil. And there's also the German company Yes! - I'm not kidding, there is such thing, it stands for "Young Engineer's Sportscar". Mmm... right. You like exclamation marks? Then the Th!nk City is for you. Oh, by the way, anyone fancy a Hillman Wizard?
But you'd think that a company with the name "Bond" would have some great sounding cars. WRONG! What would you say to a Bond Bug? Perhaps you would prefer a Plymouth Cricket, then? There was also the Opel Frogster concept, and the Renault Racoon concept. Pets are always a good theme, as Toyota believed when it released the Toyota Toyopet. While we're on animals, how about the Daimler Dingo? It must have been a rather good name, because Mitsubishi went ahead and named a car the Mitsubishi Dingo many years later. Reliant Kitten? Bedford Beagle? Fiat Panda? Daihatsu Bee? Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon?!?! Did you know that the Volkswagen Golf is badged as the Volkswagen Rabbit in North America? If you like fish, there's always the Citroen Nemo (pictured) - which happens to be a van. Vans like being named after animals - it's apparently cuter if they're spelled wrong too, like the Renault Kangoo.
But evidently, the Mitsubishi Lettuce sounds infinitely more appealing. Tasty, too. Mitsubishi like cars that sound edible, because they named another car the Mitsubishi Pistachio. And another, the Mitsubishi Zinger... burger. For a more healthy option, try the Nissan Cherry. Followed by a Suzuki Cappuccino for dessert.
Some car names are more indicative of what they are - take for example, the Daihatsu Midget. and the Holden Nova (which was actually a rebadged Corolla, and not in the slightest redesigned) means "doesn't go" in Italian and Spanish. If you knew the Nova, you'd agree that this interpretation is rather apt. And the Ford Popular (pictured) actually was quite popular, even though it had a longer nose than a Frenchman. And when Hyundai names a truck, they give it a really tough name, like Hyundai Mega Truck, so you get the picture. Although sometimes, in their descriptive nomenclature, Hyundai becomes a little contradictory. Certainly, I'm thinking of the Hyundai Super Truck Medium - which courteously informs us that although their truck is "Super", massive, tough and huge, it is also "Medium". Speaking of size and indicative names, none do better than the Tata Nano - which is only 3.1 metres long, with a 24kW engine, and sells in India for US$2,500.
But if you like cars that describe their owners, try the Subaru BRAT - which stands fo bi-drive recreational all-terrain transporter. And if you understand what that means, then you too are a B-R-A-T. A brat, you idiot. Or the Volkswagen Thing, which implies you are neither male nor female, but somewhere in between. The king of cars that describe their owners must be the Volugrafo Bimbo - a young woman's perfect first car.
There are heaps of cars that, like the Holden Doesn't Go, are lost in translation - the Mitsubishi Pajero is Spanish slang for "wanker", but this was not known to Mitsubishi on launch in 1982. Consequently, the Pajero was renamed the Montero in spanish-speaking markets, after a "slow" start to sales. The Fiat Ritmo (known in Europe as the Bravo) was going to be exported to the US as the Ritmo, until Fiat remembered that "Ritmo" is a brand of tampon in North America.
Oooooh, awkward. Trucks aren't immune, either - the Izuzu GIGA 20 Light Dump is a classic, as is the Izuzu Mysterious Utility. But that's just baffling, not mysterious.
But of course, you want the names that have dirty connotations, don't you? What dirty minds you all have. I can tell you that the Daihatsu Naked (above right) is not exactly naked, primarily because cars don't wear clothes. Or why don't you have a Rinspeed X-Dream - and leave the details to yourself, please. And possibly the wierdest of all is the Venturi Fetish (below right) - 
which unsurprisingly comes from Monaco. And no, before you ask, I don't have a car fetish. I reckon telling your friends "I just bought a Fetish" will just make them stare at you blankly, before you hear this question in return: "Really, you couldn't just think of a fetish, you had to buy one?"
So which one's your favourite?
