SBT’s Cars of The Year

It’s been an excellent year for cars and car enthusiasts alike. So many great motors have come forth over the past 12 months, that it’s been genuinely tough to pick our annual pick of the crop.

Some of these choices will come as a surprise and I know that many of you will disagree with the line up, but trust me, these cars have really stood out from the pack for many and various reasons. They are superb; they have made me smile, they have been great fun to drive, practical, good looking, economical, luxurious, innovative and head-turning (in varying degrees). So from overall top five, and with each representing a different category, here they are – The Sussex Business Times Cars of The Year 2015.

 

5. Renault Twingo TCe 90

The Twingo’s secret is the small turbocharger that lurks beneath the compact boot space and within the 900cc engine. It’s amazingly responsive and as much fun to drive as I ever could have imagined. It’s small, yes, of course it’s small that’s fine. It looks so much like the Fiat 500, you could be forgiven for getting them mixed up, but unlike the Fiat, this car is much less ‘dainty’. It’s sporty aesthetic is clear, with racing lines and graphics (particularly on the model that we had) indicate an imminent visit to the track. By far the best sub-1000cc car we’ve seen this year.

• Price: £11,695
• Engine: 0.9-litre 3cyl turbo
• Power: 89bhp
• Transmission: Five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
• 0-62mph: 10.8 seconds

 

4. Volvo XC90 D5 Momentum

If the XC90 was a person, it would likely be a 6’ 6” burley hiker with rippling muscles, a chiselled jaw and two week’s worth of facial hair on its face. On the other hand, it would probably wear a fleece and opt for an early night with a good book.

Volvo has a heritage unlike most other car manufacturers. Quality, safety and in more recent years, refinement and style. The new XC90 is the embodiment of all of these elements and heralds an exciting future for the brand. In many ways, the last car you’ll ever have to buy if you look at the technology: ease of use, comfort and safety. Perhapsthe only real alternative to the Range Rover? We think it’s better.

• Price: From £46,250
• Fuel type: diesel
• Doors: 5
• Transmission: 4×4 wheel drive, Automatic with manual mode, 8 speed
• 0-60mph: 7.8 seconds
• Top speed: 137mph

 

3. Maserati Ghibli

The name Maserati in itself, musters images of cool coupés on the Riviera, or perhaps F1 in the age of Fangio & Moss and with the Ghibli, they find themselves punching above their weight in the luxury saloon sector.

This is a car that’s clearly aimed at the executive sector but can’t really be compared with rivals, such as the BMW 5 Series or the Mercedes E Class. This is a car that’s more aligned with the sportier end of the luxury saloon market, so the Mercedes CLS and the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé; lower-slung, driver focused executive cars. From where I’m standing, this is a car that represents a big step for Maserati and I think they’ve done themselves proud with this model. It’s a car that will appeal to the young, affluent and discreet client base. The client that wants phenomenal power and handling, whilst achieving practicality and style. Maserati is expanding their range in the coming months. We are excited to try the expected company firsts as they roll out from the factory!

“It’s a car that will appeal to a young, affluent and discreet client base. The client that wants phenomenal power and handling, whilst achieving practicality and style”.

• Maserati Ghibli Diesel: £49,160.00
• Options: £12,685.00
• Total: £61,845.00
• Top Speed: 155 mph
• Acceleration: 0-62 mph 6.3 seconds
• Cylinders: 6 in a 60V
• Displacement: 2,987 cc
• CO2 emissions: 158 g/km
• PG combined: 47.9 mpg

 

2. Volvo V40 D4 Geartronic SE Lux Nav

This really is one hell of a car. The 2.2 diesel engine, producing 190 brake (and every one of them assisted by a faultless 8 speed auto box) is a real triumph – as tested in our April edition.

It really is a thing of luxury; full cream leather interior with a Harmon Kardon sound system built in and an excellent and simple to undersand NAV and hands free interface. It just feels like a quality, premium car from the minute you jump in. I suppose that you’d expect that from a car that carries a price tag a little over £37K but personally, I’d rather drive this than most comparable BMW, Audi or Merc and here’s why. It’s that combination of serious quality, understated refinement and the newly added prestige that sets this car apart. I get the feeling, as someone who enjoys cars and enjoys driving them to test the boundaries, that you’re able to slip under the radar in this car.

• Model as tested, including options/ accessories: £37,220
• Transmission: 8 Speed Automatic
• Engine: Four-cylinder turbo charged diesel with start/stop technology
• Fuel Type: Diesel
• Power: 190 BHP
• Rev at max engine torque:
  1750 – 2500 rpm

 

1. Jaguar F-Type V6 Coupe

Expanding range, the V6 Coupe has proved the most impressive so far. Whilst others have an incredible amount of power, they have seemed better suited to the track and simply not practical for every day use, which has to be something of a consideration when reviewing for SBT. This V6 engine from Jaguar is a triumph. Easy to drive and extremely slick, but with just the right side of nutso power to see off any jealous boy racers.

 

Read extracts from Simon’s review as it appeared in the March edition of Sussex Business Times, below:
When I break loose on the South Downs on a quiet Sunday afternoon, I take the opportunity to switch to sports mode and see what the car is really about.

The first blast takes me uphill from the foot of the seafront in Eastbourne, to the tip of Beachy Head on a tight and windy climb, sadly lined with what looks to be a solid stone-wall. No chance to open it up here then. Creep over the very blind junction at the top though, and it’s a very different matter. The road opens up as I do the same to every fragment of the engine.

The sound that comes from this car is quite unbelievable. Open the windows, turn the bloody radio off – it sounds like there’s a firing squad chasing you as the back end dances and skips before throwing you forwards at an incredible rate.

It’s one thing accelerating like this – but the corners and straights that loop around this part of the Downs really show you how well this car has been designed. It corners like a dream and even when the back end skips a little too far, there’s plenty of grunt to get you back on track. So it’s a real game of two halves here.

This is a car that, given the individual’s circumstances (and perhaps not in the bright red) could be used as an everyday car. It’s comfortable, sensible even. It’s easy to drive and even has space in the boot for a decent set of golf clubs and an overnight bag. It could be used to commute and even regular motorway drives wouldn’t be too off-putting – I was managing 23-25 per gallon through the week. Switch your psyche though and you have an animal. Real fun.

Price as tested: (Including options): £73,955

Engine: 3.0 litre V6 Supercharged Petrol 380 PS

Cylinders/valves per cylinder: 6/4

Maximum power:

EEC PS (kW) – 380 (280)

Maximum torque:

EEC Nm – 450

Transmission:

8 speed ‘Quickshift’ automatic

Acceleration 0-60mph:

(0-100km/h) – sec – 4.8 (4.9)

Maximum speed:

– mph (km/h) – 171 (275)

Economy: Urban – mpg (l/100km) – 22.8 (12.4) Extra urban – mpg (l/100km) – 42.2 (6.7) Combined – mpg (l/100km) – 32.1 (8.8)

Carbon dioxide emissions:

– g/km – 209