Author: carcoutureblog

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Damon Hill on the hill… What you can’t do in a McLaren

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I spent yesterday storming up the famous hill-climbing course at Goodwood with former F1 champion, Damon Hill. And yes, the headline will no doubt read ‘Hill On The Hill’ when the article appears in the FT.

We had been provided with a McLaren 650S – a £220,000 supercar of quite epic proportions. However, what bemused both Damon and myself was the fact the McLaren was too good to wheelspin!

The photographers wanted tyre smoke but despite out best efforts, the 650S just refused to oblige.

No such worries with the DS 3. It may only sport a humble diesel engine but it does have a proper handbrake and no traction control. So, you can do so much more in a Citroen!

 

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I’m missing sat nav in the DS 3 – motoring writers are spoilt with their test cars

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I can only assume the chap in the Citroen press photo is lost – perhaps wondering why the DS 3 he’s driving doesn’t have sat nav as standard…

One of the dangers of being a motoring writer is that you usually end up testing a vehicle loaded with extras. This week’s Citroen doesn’t have sat nav, probably the first car I’ve driven this year without it. Add around £1,000 if you are interested.

Things I’m liking about the DS 3 are the blindingly good headlights, the easy access to the rear seats despite only three doors, and a decent sized boot.

I’m not liking the lack of DAB radio, the fiddly Bluetooth set-up and some rather cheap feel trim inside the cabin. It’s odd. Some of the materials in this hatchback are top notch – others are cheap and nasty.

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The Citroen DS 3 has Pat Butcher ear-rings – crazy coloured door mirrors

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The DS 3 is a sister car to the C3 supermini but that’s where the comparisons end – the DS is more of a lifestyle choice than its sensible sibling. Like a racey relation in a Victorian novel, the DS is from the naughtier side of the family.

Well that’s how it’s supposed to look on paper. The DS has the Pat Butcher ear-rings – contrasting coloured door mirrors – and rather a lot of shiny chrome bits on the dashboard.

Buyers can customise the interior trim with a choice of dashboard colours and seat trims. Even the gearknob offers you multiple choice. In fact, you could spend a week on the Citroen website designing your perfect DS3, then delete and start again.

All the extra bits add up though – so don’t get too carried away as you click down the spec sheet…

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The Citroen DS 3 is a car for fashionistas to drool over. It just doesn’t drive that good…

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I think I’ve sussed the DS 3 already. While it bows to the trend for fashionista’s to personalise their car with a zillion different options and styles, it doesn’t have the drivability of the best superminis.

Shame really because I’ve already developed something of a soft spot for the bling white thing park outside. It looks great both inside and out.

But while alloy wheels and purposeful looks scream performance, the Citroen’s handling and steering just don’t live up to that promise.

I know there are faster, more ‘sport orientated’ DS 3s out there but the basic underpinnings of the range are all the same.

Our diesel makes a lot of noise when you push it hard. That combined with general road noise in the cabin make the interior uncomfortable at times.

Still, compared to a Mini or BMW 1 Series, it does represent great value for money…

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Somebody stuffed the Citroen DS 4 so we’re riding in a DS 3 instead

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Sometimes in this job it’s difficult not to compare the car that’s just been delivered with the vehicle that is on it’s way back to the test compound. So it was yesterday.

The shiny red Audi TT was leaving Car Couture and being replaced with a Citroen DS 3 (it was meant to be a DS 4 but somebody stuffed it on its last outing).

Yes, I’m supposed to be neutral and keep an open mind but I know which car I’d like to drive to Goodwood next week – and it’s not this French hatchback. Or so I thought…

OK, so the TT costs almost twice the price of the Citroen and is a proper sports car. The DS 3 meanwhile has a badge that harks back to the company’s glory days but is otherwise a small family hatchback with ear-rings.

I’m going to try and keep an open-mind I promise. It’s comfortable, spacious and much cheaper than a Mini too. There, I’m back to normal now…

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The only area where the new Audi TT doesn’t score is exclusivity…

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It really is is difficult to spot the difference between this latest TT and the last model. My best advice is to look carefully at the headlight cluster – 2015 TT has much narrower lenses.

The interior is an improvement over the previous TT too but what really stands this latest version apart isn’t the aesthetics, it’s the drive.

New TT is sensational. The steering inspires confidence, the brakes have great feel and, well, everything about the TT just feels right. You will want to own one because it makes you feel good.

Shame then that the one feature the TT has never had is exclusivity. You just know that in two years time, every Tom, Dick and Harry will be driving one.

Like the brilliant VW Golf GTI, the TT is a victim of it’s own success. So buy one now – before they become too common…

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Audi’s new TTS is quick – so what is the RS version going to bring to the party?

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If the TDI and TFSI TT don’t offer enough grunt for your taste then this month Audi unleashed the answer – the all-new TTS.

With power output upped to 310bhp, the TT is suddenly brushing on supercar status. The 0-60mph time is trimmed to 4.6 seconds and the car is available as coupe or convertible too.

Prices start at around £39,000 – which seems like good money when you consider the TTS is almost as quick as a Porsche 911.

Many people will be waiting for the RS version of the TT that is destined to be even quicker. As the TDI is no slouch, I can’t imagine what that’s going to perform like!

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My landmark diesel moments from the last 30 years of clattering…

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There has been several defining diesel moments in my life. One was when a neighbour used to wake me every morning by firing up his 1980s Audi diesel. Painful.

Another was when BMW launched the 2003 5-Series range in Spain. I drove the 535d back to England, convinced the diesel market had changed forever because the car was so damn good.

The most terrifying was being a passenger in Peugeot’s Le Mans winning car – at Le Mans. Shame we never saw that one on the public road.

And now there is the Audi TT TDI. This engine/coupe combination is simply class-leading. It takes diesel power to a new, much higher level that rewards the driver not just with economy, but with great performance.

Sure it takes the TDI around 7.5 seconds to reach 60mph but the torque is incredible. The TDI is no longer a poor relation to the petrol unit. It’s quite possibly the better car…

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Buying a new motor involves six months of research looking at car ‘porn’

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Come September I’m buying a new car. For me, that involves six months of research and delicious car ‘porn’. At least I can now rule the Maserati Gran Turismo out of the equation.

I’m currently in Northern Ireland, driving the Maserati around County Down. Turns out the 2+2 is stunning in the metal – but lacks the drivability of the Porsche 911, Jaguar XKR, or even the Golf R.

The Mazzer is, like all Maseratis, beautiful but flawed. It’s a supermodel with a scar on her cheek, you simply can’t escape the fact that the Gran Turismo has a deep secret – it doesn’t drive well.

Entering the equation instead is the new Audi TT – except I need the RS version to come along sooner rather than later. Razor sharp handling, high tech interior – it’s a no brainer…

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Razor sharp – handling in the new Audi TT is astoundingly good

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Razor sharp. That’s how I would describe the handling of the new Audi TT. After steering the boat-like Mulsanne for a week, this coupe feels like an F1 car through the corners.

In fact, the first left-hander I tackled in anger, I over-compensated and almost lost the TT in a hedge. It’s staggeringly good and every inch as precise as a Porsche 911.

I can recall testing the last generation TT cabriolet, back-to-back with a Boxster. The TT may have enjoyed quattro four-wheel drive but the Porsche felt more balanced and settled through a corner.

Now I wouldn’t be so sure. The new Boxster is, of course, a barnstormer but I reckon the latest TT would be on a par. And the Audi costs less – plus our test car isn’t a grippy quattro. It’s astoundingly good!