The Motor Forum

Eff One · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:15 am Post subject: Autocar's 2009 Best Driver's Car

I haven't got the magazine but they've revealed the result on the website. If you don't want to know, look away now...

It's the Evora. Few details on the website but there's a lengthening list of comments slamming Autocar for bias - mainly GT3 fanboys as far as I can tell. The winner isn't a complete surprise, but the second placed car is - it's not the new GT3.
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franki68 · Petrolhead Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 2382

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Eff One

franki68 · Petrolhead Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 2382

ALF · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject:

I've been up near Norwich a few times recently and saw a silver Evora on the main road near the Lotus factory. I have to say I was very disappointed with the looks - it looked just as dull as it looked in the magazine pictures. It certainly doesn't look worth the price, if you know what I mean, which would put me off a bit... Looks are, after all, pretty important for this sort of car...

Parm · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:24 pm Post subject:

The Evoras styling does nothing for me either. A friend who has an Elise test drove one recently and absolutely loved it, touting it as much fun to drive as the Elise, but with none of the compromises.
I bet it would be a hoot round a track, but I wouldn't buy one over a Cayman S. for every day use.
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Guitar Zero · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:35 pm Post subject:

I don't understand why Autocar have been accused of bias or favouritism - what on earth would they gain by pretending the Lotus and Aston are better than a GT3 ?. It's certainly not money, because if road test rankings could be bought, then a borderline tinpot craphouse like Lotus couldn't afford to lick the shit of Sutcliffe's shoes.

It can't see how it could increase magazine sales either - why would your decision to buy the mag be based on whether an Evora is deemed better or worse than a Pork GT3 ?

I think they should rename the article " Sutcliffe says " - with the strap line, " if you don't like my opinion, you can suck my balls until you spew "
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BeN · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:41 pm Post subject:

I remember a couple of years ago (when I still bought the mag), there was similar hoo-ha when Autocar placed the Cayman ahead of the Elise.

There is no pleasing some people.
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Martin · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 10:46 pm Post subject:

I've not read it yet, but I don't have a problem over the Lotus winning.

I was more surprised to see the position of cars they love such as the XFR and Focus RS.

It's all just opinion anyway!
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PG · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:37 am Post subject:

It would also appear that Lotus have managed to create some kind of anti / super matter in building the Evora. A car that produces 276bhp and tips the scales at 1370kg is producing only 80bhp/tonne, according to the final rankings.

Perhaps Autocar could so with a couple more sub-editors and less editors in chief / residecne / wandering / senior / at-large / online?

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:40 am Post subject:

PG · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:45 am Post subject:

Oops......Petard, hoisting, own.

DaveGibson · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:46 pm Post subject:

Interestingly, the same picture of all the cars on page 5 does not have the Jaguar error.

Twelfth Monkey · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:47 pm Post subject:

I thought that the text led logically to the conclusion, which isn't always the case, and that Sutcliffe's intro set out how they best attempt to pigeonhole tidily what are complex and subjective issues. Good on Lotus, furthermore.
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Apex clipper · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:00 pm Post subject:

DaveGibson · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:04 pm Post subject:

No, 276/1.37 is 201.46 bhp/tonne.

Apex clipper · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:11 pm Post subject:

DaveGibson · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:32 pm Post subject:

When I looked at the scores given for each car, I wondered which driver's assessments most closely matched the average.

On a quick look, I suspected it was Vicky Parrott but, in fact, Mike Duff's scores were nearest. He had one car three places out and three cars just one place out, giving a total difference of six. Vicky Parrott, though, was the only driver to have no car more than two places away from the average. Richard Bremner was furthest out, scoring 22.

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:01 pm Post subject:

Apex clipper · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:31 pm Post subject:

It seems to have got a few peoples hackles up.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/forums/t/8067.aspx?PageIndex=2
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Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:48 pm Post subject:

Whenever I read threads like this on the Autocar forum, my bullshit detector is always triggered by posts that start with "having been lucky enough to drive all of these cars ...". Don't reckon half of them are old enough to have a licence, to be honest.

Turbonutter · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:43 pm Post subject:

TimR · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:57 am Post subject:

Twelfth Monkey · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:13 am Post subject:

franki68 · Petrolhead Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 2382

Frank Bullitt · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:49 pm Post subject:

I love the way Autocar attempt to provide a conclusive answer to an incredibly subjective question, one that means so many different things to different people; they'd be better-off testing the lot, giving a precis and inviting the reader to use this as a starter for ten if selecting the best drivers car.
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simonp · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:51 pm Post subject:

Did the Clio come above the Focus?

Apex clipper · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:32 am Post subject:

cbeaks1 · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 9:30 am Post subject:

Martin · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:14 am Post subject:

Rodge · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:56 am Post subject:

I just read it this morning and I'm not surprised at the R8 not finishing higher, especially after the V8 won it 2 years ago. I mentioned that at Goodwood, I spoke to an Audi chap who told me that out of all the 65 R8 V10 customers Audi had, none of them had upgraded from the V8, because the handling balance was not as good in the heavier car.
Does handling mean the car that is the most enjoyable to drive as opposed to it being the best weapon around their track?
I'm sure the track comes into it too, it limited the faster cars in that they had to be reined in due to noise restrictions and also, alot of faster cars only come into their own further up the rev range, handicapping them on a shorter track.
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GonnaBreakABuggy · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 12:14 pm Post subject:

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:31 pm Post subject:

Interesting, though depressing, to note the GT3 was stymied by noise regs. I've often wondered if mine is too loud for some tracks. Particularly aware of this having just spent a couple of hours at speed on the Autobahn ... I'm half deaf as a result!

TimR · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 8:07 pm Post subject:

Eh?

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 9:08 pm Post subject:

Young man ... you're going to have to speak up ... you young people all mumble these days ...

Matt · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:02 pm Post subject:

TimR · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:08 pm Post subject:

Martin · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:15 pm Post subject:

Sight as well as hearing problems then.........
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Matt · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:59 pm Post subject:

Saucer of milk for table 9, please.

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franki68 · Petrolhead Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 2382

BeN · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:06 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure how many of you people watch the Autocar videos, which are also now on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/user/autocar

I will say one thing: There is a reason why they are magazine journos. Sutcliffe's drone is such a bore. Some people really aren't meant to be on camera.

Some excerpts:
"You gonna think, I gonna stop, and the thing just stops."
"It is also, quick"

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