Memorable Moments And Amazing Cars From 2014

Speedmonkey is all about cars. I've been running the site since 2012 and don't do it for money, but for the experiences it brings. 2014 has presented me with some amazing experiences.

The year started well when Morgan Motors got in touch. The email said, "We would like to invite you to visit our factory in Malvern to get to know Morgan, the new 3 Wheeler and the other cars in our range."

Oh wow, yes was my first thought. My second was that my son would love it. He'd enjoyed a trip to Lotus Cars in Hethel in 2013 so I asked if the visit could be arranged for half term.  Of course it could replied Morgan.

So son and I travelled up to Malvern. The factory tour was an eye opener. The land it stands on, in Pickersleigh Road, was bought by HFS Morgan in December 1913 and Morgan Motors has expanded and built new buildings to become the factory that churns out Morgan cars today. Actually, 'churns out' is a rather unkind phrase - the cars are hand-built.

The term hand-built is rather stretched by some car companies but not so Morgan. I loved the fact the louvres on the Plus 8's bonnet are not only hand pressed but their placement is done by eye.

The cars we drove were fantastically bonkers, especially the 3-Wheeler which is as impractical as an ashtray on a motorcycle. The engine vibrates, the cockpit is open and cold and there is no storage space but it is a wonderful experience and quite unlike any other car available. The Plus 8 was monstrously powerful and fast - It houses a 4.8 litre V8 yet weighs only 1,100kg. Son thoroughly enjoyed his day, and especially the drive in the 3-Wheeler.

The passion for the brand was evident in the emails from legendary motoring journalist (and 3-Wheeler owner) Peter Dron who ticked me off for not conducting my own 0-60 times and from a chap who has bought the Plus 8 press car and has written his own review of it for Speedmonkey.

The year was bookended with an invitation from Rolls Royce Motor Cars to attend a factory tour and drives in some of their cars. Rolls Royce was incorporated in 1904, just one year before Morgan, and still hand builds its cars today, at the Goodwood factory, which was opened on 1 January 2003.

The Rolls Royce factory is worlds apart from Pickersleigh Road. Being only 11 years old helps but it has the atmosphere of a forensics lab, with men and women beavering away crafting, refining and ultimately creating the finest cars in the world.

Which, when you drive them, you realise they are. What struck me about the Wraith and the Ghost II (both of which I took for a 90 minute spin) is not that are simply fast, enormous, luxurious, quiet, smooth and refined but that they both have another, almost ethereal, quality about them which transcends the usual driving experience. Close the door and pull away and you are separated from the mundanities of the world in a manner that no other car is able to do.

Back to reality and a November appointment with Porsche at Silverstone to try out their 2014 range of cars at the newly extended track at their Experience Centre.

I love driving road cars on track. You are able to really go for it and test the limits of braking, acceleration and cornering without worrying about the myriad hazards on our roads. It's also bloody good fun, especially in a Porsche.

A track test allows you to find and critique the nuances of a car by pounding round the same circuit, the same corners time after time. It was after 20 or so laps of focussed driving I came to the conclusion that the Porsche Cayman GTS is perhaps the best driver's car on the road today.

I took a Porsche Macan Turbo for a spin on track then a Macan S Diesel for a drive on the roads around Silverstone. Experiencing both conditions highlighted how focussed and agile the Macan's chassis is on track but how pliant and able to soak up bumps it is on the road.

One of my favourite days of 2014 was spent in the company of Volvo and Polestar. I attended the UK launch of the Volvo V60 Polestar. We spent the morning driving through the home counties, lunched at a lovely pub near where I live then headed for Dunsfold Aerodrome, home to the Top Gear Test Track.

I was given some expert tuition by a Swedish touring car ace then let loose on my own in the V60 Polestar for several laps of the track. The car proved to be wonderful and the thrill of driving it at the Top Gear Test Track is my fondest memory of the year.

In between the factory tours and track tests I drove a variety of machinery in 2014.

Back in May I attended a Mercedes-Benz media day at its base in Brooklands. I drove the GLA, G-Class and S.  The GLA turned out to be far better than expected (I don't really like the A-Class on which it's based), the G-Class far worse (it's not a great deal better than a slightly posh Defender) and the S-Class was wonderful.

I drove two Range Rovers this year. In January I had a Range Rover Vogue SDV8 for a week. It turned out to be the best all rounder I'd ever driven, although at £85k it's not cheap. Later in the year I had a Range Rover Sport SDV6 for a few days and used it to drive to Cologne and back with four of us on board.  There could hardly have been a better car for the trip. It's spacious and utterly superb on a long journey. Does 135mph on the autobahn too.

Staying in the JLR family I got a few days with a Jaguar F-Type V8 S. Damn that thing is unhinged.  No other car flies so close to the spirit of a TVR than the V8 F.  Just tickle the throttle and the tail pops out like a an excitable Jack Russell.

The Citroen C4 Cactus was interesting in different ways. With its air bumps, shape, innovative materials, 965kg kerb weight and low price it's a brilliant car, although it is too slow for my liking. I liked the Cactus from the moment I first saw photos of it and over the course of a week it shone in a way that a similarly priced Fiesta or Corsa wouldn't.

Taking of the Corsa I attended the UK launch. The 2014 version is shockingly good compared to its predecessors.  The new 1.0 engine is a peach but the 2014 Vauxhall Corsa SRi is the one to have.

The Subaru WRX STi was relaunched in 2014 and I was there to test it for Speedmonkey. The chassis is great but the engine and huge turbo-lag are far too old school when compared to the competition.

For a similar price you could buy a Volkswagen Golf R which redefines the hot hatch class and for £25k you can buy an Audi S1 which is like the Golf R, but smaller.

In amongst the SUVs, hot hatches, mega-expensive saloons and super-pricey sports cars I spent a week with a Toyota GT86.  Now 2 years old the GT86 is still unique in its offering and still delivers razor sharp handling and an outrageously waggy tail for a reasonable price.

My last test drive of the year was in a Maserati Ghibli. Sitting in the reception area of Ferrari North Europe was quite a thrill. The car itself was rather fine but didn't have an aura of 'special' that I expected from a Maserati.

2014 was a great year although at times I did feel a slave to the constant review writing (on top of a full time day-job). In 2015 I am going to turn down at least some of the invites that come my way and   will be more selective when choosing press cars. Something like the Mitsubishi Outlander might generate hits to Speedmonkey but the week spent with it and hours spent writing about it were not much fun.

The first car I will take delivery of in 2015 for a week long test is a Jaguar XFR-S. This will set the tone.

By Matt Hubbard

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Rolls Royce Wraith Video Review

You can read my 2014 Rolls Royce Wraith review here. I had the car for an hour so jumped out and recorded a quick video.

It was absolutely hammering down. The BBC forecast a wet morning and dry afternoon. We took the cars out at 1.30pm and the heavens immediately opened, but that couldn't dent the impression the Wraith left on me. It really is a superb car.

The drive was on the roads around the Goodwood factory. I spotted a reasonably quiet spot by the side of the road which is where I filmed this vid.



By Matt Hubbard

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2014 Rolls Royce Ghost Series II Review

Matt Hubbard reviews the Rolls Royce Ghost Series II

2014 Rolls Royce Ghost Series II Extended Wheelbase

Five minutes into my drive in the Rolls Royce Ghost, with the rain pouring down and the sky a slate grey, I sighed a deep sigh of contentment.

As I accelerated down a straight length of road a shower of raindrops, previously lodged atop the grille, formed around the Spirit of Ecstasy and headed towards me like stretching stars as the Millennium Falcon hits hyperdrive.

The water hit the windscreen and was swept away and into the ether by the wipers. Meanwhile I was insulated from the rain, the cold, the dire state of the road by the most luxurious, magnificent machine it is possible to buy.

The Ghost is long, wide, heavy, fast and crafted by hand from the finest materials available. It is also built to be driven in, rather than be driven, but to own one and merely ride in it would be a shame.

The Ghost was introduced in 2010. A long wheel base version arrived in 2011, a two-tone Ghost was revealed in 2012 and the Ghost Series II was launched in 2014. The test car was a two-tone (Salamanca Blue and Silver) Extended Wheelbase Series II.

It is made on the same production line as the Wraith, with which it shares a platform and takes the same amount of time to build, at the Goodwood factory in Sussex.  It is 5,569mm long, which allows for lots of interior space, a huge boot and a long bonnet under which resides a 6.6 litre V12 engine.

2014 Rolls Royce Ghost Series II Extended Wheelbase

That engine produces 570bhp and 780Nm/575lb ft of torque. Even though it weighs a hefty 2,495kg the Ghost is incredibly fast. 0-60mph takes 5 seconds and the top speed is limited to 155mph.

I'd imagine that even at 155mph the car would remain as refined as it did at legal speeds in Sussex.

It is a handsome car. It doesn't come with curved, swooping bodywork, instead the Corinthian columns up front orchestrate a grandly sweeping expanse of metalwork with no jarring lines to detract from its elegance.

The front door opens in the standard fashion, hinged at the front, but the rear door bucks the trend and hinges at the back. When open the pair welcome occupants on board equally, as if to ask, "would you like to drive or be driven?"

Choose either option and you'll be welcomed by plenty of space. The rear in particular has enough leg room that a six footer can cross his or her legs, whilst watching TV, sipping on champagne and ordering the chauffeur to put his foot down.

The interior of the test car is unlikely to be the same as any other Ghost. Just like the infinite options available for the paint colour the choice of leather, trim, veneer (or not as the case may be) are many, and can be individually ordered if the customer chooses.

Your family crest or favourite bird of prey (a frequent request from middle-east buyers) can be hand stitched into the leather, the climate controls can all be located on one particular side at the rear, indeed almost anything is possible.

2014 Rolls Royce Ghost Series II Extended Wheelbase

But whatever you order, and as long as you don't make a hash of it (which has been known to happen) your Ghost will be just about the best car available on the planet.

The air suspension makes for a smooth ride on whatever surface, the driving position is ideal without the need for too much adjustment, although it can be adjusted to fit just about any body, the steering and controls are light to the touch and the controls are delicately damped.

The Ghost comes laden with all the tech you need but it is hidden away until such point you choose to use it. Adaptive cruise, auto wipers and lights, adaptive main beam, satnav, digital radio, bluetooth are all standard.

It is a quiet car but it is not silent. The glass is thick and does a good job of keeping most sounds out but you do hear the world around you, albeit muffled. The engine, though, is almost silent unless it is pressed into action and, as it's a V12, the noise is smooth and deep.

The Ghost is a car that is more than the sum of its parts. It costs twice as much as an S-Class and for some people that is enough reason to buy the Mercedes, but to judge it based on its specs, space, looks or even exclusivity is to miss the point.

The Rolls Royce Ghost has a gravitas, a bearing that elevates it above any other luxury car apart, that is, from the Phantom. The Wraith is a Rolls Royce for those who want their luxury a bit sharper, a bit faster and a bit more youthful.

2014 Rolls Royce Ghost Series II Extended Wheelbase

I have no concept of one-upmanship, I would never buy a car for the benefit of others opinion of me, to make people judge me as a person, to show off in. I don't care what car the neighbours own, I just like cars that drive great, make me feel good and that have a personality. This car has a presence that I've not felt before in the hundreds of cars I've driven.

It is a special car. For that alone it is worth the price, which is a not insubstantial £216,684.

Stats:

Price - £216,684
Engine - 6.6 litre, V12, twin-turbo, petrol
Transmission - 8-speed ZF automatic
0-60mph - 5 seconds
Top Speed - 155mph (limited)
Power - 570bhp
Torque - 575lb ft/780Nm
Economy - 20mpg
CO2 - 329g/km
Kerb Weight - 2,495kg

2014 Rolls Royce Ghost Series II Extended Wheelbase

2014 Rolls Royce Ghost Series II Extended Wheelbase

The Spirit of Ecstasy 

2014 Rolls Royce Ghost Series II Extended Wheelbase

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2014 Rolls Royce Wraith Review

Matt Hubbard reviews the Rolls Royce Wraith

2014 Rolls Royce Wraith

You don't drive a Rolls Royce, instead the car allows you to drive it. This is how it should be and how it feels to enter the Wraith; door opening the 'wrong' way and closing at the touch of a button, feet sinking into the thick lambswool carpet and fingers wrapping round the surprisingly thin steering wheel.

Of preconceived notions mine were initially conceived in the early 1980s via Car Magazine and stats that merely read 'adequate'. Rolls Royces were mysterious, elegant, unattainable but I would see them hammering along the A556 from my home town in Mid-Cheshire, via Knutsford and on to the spiritual home of Rolls Royce. Charles met Henry at the Midland Hotel in Manchester in 1904. Rolls said to Royce 'you build them and I'll sell them'. A partnership was sealed and a new car company created.

110 years later I drove my first Rolls Royce. A car is a car but a Rolls Royce is a Rolls Royce - different animal. My preconceived notions of quietness, luxury, a deftness of touch, of unflappability and speed were all confirmed within half a mile of setting off.

But by god the Wraith's speed took me aback. It is properly bloody quick. 0-60 in 4.4 seconds shouldn't be possible, the Wraith is huge and weighs 2.4 tonnes but it does have the advantage of being powered by the leviathan 6.6 litre V12 from the Ghost II, which has been engineered to produce a mighty 624bhp and 590b ft of torque.

2014 Rolls Royce Wraith

It's not a pretty car but it is handsome and has oodles of presence. It looks great in certain colour schemes and slightly unsettling in others. The trick is to visit the factory and check out the paint samples in the flesh, same goes for the leather and wood (or carbon fibre or aluminium) trim.

The signature Rolls Royce grille and Spirit of Ecstasy (which you can order in solid silver, gold plate or illuminated) are present and correct as is the elegant and unfussy bodywork.

The Wraith is a two door and the doors open back to front, inviting you in. Sit inside and press the door close button instead of pulling on it yourself.

The interior can be whatever you want it to be in terms of colours, leathers (or non-leather for the vegan multi-millionaires out there) and trim. Wraith has lowered the age of Rolls Royce' customer base by 20 years and the younger buyers tend to prefer carbon fibre, brushed aluminium or piano black over wood veneer.

Having seen it in the flesh the open grain extended Canadel Panelling veneer looks fabulous. Of course most of these choices add to the list price but who's quibbling when the starting price is over a quarter of a million pounds?

The interior is elegantly and simply laid out. The Wraith has all the tech you could want but it is subtly integrated. The controls all feel light to the touch. Some parts may be sourced from BMW but somehow they feel more Rolls Royce than Beemer.

2014 Rolls Royce Wraith

Start the engine and its presence is felt more by a shimmer than anything else. Balanced and quiet it never shrieks or howls.

The dials ahead of you are classic, understated and the indicator (and wipers - it rained the entire test) are lightly damped. The indicator, though, can be a faff to turn off if the turn is not sharp enough to cancel it automatically.

The steering is fingertip light. The Wraith might weigh more than two VW Polos but the driving experience is effortless. As long as you take into account its size you can happily swoosh around all day without breaking a bead of sweat.

Push the throttle into the carpet and it picks itself up and takes off in a linear fashion and at a mighty rate. The gearbox (using the GPS in the satnav) reads the road in front of you and is prepared for whatever lies ahead.  Jerky kickdown is not something needed in the Wraith.

Engage a corner and you can feel the heft of the machine but only through movement of the body. The steering remains light and precise, although without a great deal in the way of feedback. This is a grand tourer rather than a sports car.

The ride is sublime. England's terrible roads are damped in typical Rolls Royce style. On the road exterior noise is barely heard behind the twin bulkhead and thick glass.

2014 Rolls Royce Wraith

Visibility is fine all round when driving, although the rear window appears quite small in the rear view mirror - best to rely on the parking sensors and camera when reversing. The mirrors obstruct visibility when manoeuvring at low speeds and when parking, a result of their placement on the doors.

I've admired the brand for as long as I can remember.  My experience with a Wraith delivered on my expectations, and then some. If you're extremely rich and like to drive, rather than be driven, the Rolls Royce Wraith is the one to have.

Stats

Price - £229,128
Engine - 6.6 litre V12, twin turbo, petrol
Transmission - 8 speed ZF gearbox, RWD
Power - 624bhp
Torque - 590lb ft / 800Nm
0-60mph - 4.4 seconds
Top speed - 155mph (limited)

Economy - 20.2mpg

CO2 - 327g/km

Kerb weight - 2,435kg

2014 Rolls Royce Wraith

2014 Rolls Royce Wraith

2014 Rolls Royce Wraith

2014 Rolls Royce Wraith

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2014 Rolls Royce Wraith Video Review

I recently had the opportunity to drive a Rolls Royce Wraith for an hour. In the usual Speedmonkey manner I jumped out and recorded a short video review

The Wraith is an amazing car and Rolls Royce a fabulous company but even they can't control the weather - the heavens opened just as we set off.

That notwithstanding I enjoyed the drive and will publish a written review soon. If you've a spare £250k I'd recommend a Wraith.



By Matt Hubbard

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A Day With Rolls Royce Motor Cars

I spent yesterday at the Rolls Royce Motor Cars factory in Goodwood, West Sussex. I was given a tour of the factory and a drive in a Wraith and Ghost II.

The Spirit of Ecstasy 

When I say "I" I mean a handful of bloggers from the motoring and fashion worlds. Rolls Royce is launching an exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery called Inside Rolls Royce. We were given a sneak preview of the displays and can't give too much away but even for a petrolhead (rather than fashionista) it looks interesting. Suffice to say the installations are uniquely Rolls Royce and reflect the themes of effortless luxury and innovation.

Rolls Royce was the subject of a recent Channel 4 programme, which you can watch at this link. The company liked the exposure generated by the programme and realised that opening up to the public and showing the inner workings of the brand and its cars produced positive results in terms of awareness and sales.

Rolls Royce Wraith

The Goodwood factory opened on 1 January 2003, and the first car, a Phantom, was delivered at one minute past midnight on that day. They now make around 3,000 cars a year.

The Phantom, which was originally the only car to be built at Goodwood has its own production line whilst the Ghost Series II and Wraith share a line.  The Ghost was launched in 2009 and was revised in 2014, hence Ghost II. Wraith was launched in March 2013 and has been such a success the factory has introduced weekend shifts for the first time.

Cheesy grin and a Rolls Royce Ghost Series II

Obviously Rolls Royce cars do not come cheap - the Phantom starts at £300k, the Ghost II at £209k and the Wraith £229k. Add in a handful of options and personalisation and expect to pay a lot more.

I drove a Ghost II and a Wraith for an hour each and will produce a review of each. They're both supremely refined, luxurious cars.

But the driving experience only tells half the story. When you buy a Rolls Royce you enter a world of personalisation not seen elsewhere in the motor industry. Customers can choose any colour they like, literally anything, for the paint work.  The range of interior materials is vast and every single item is handcrafted - almost half of the staff work in the wood and leather shops.

More than any other car company Rolls Royce focusses as much on the look and feel of its cars as the  accommodation and driving experience.  The attention to detail of the design and the materials used in the cars is exquisite.

Keep an eye out for my reviews.

The Wraith/Ghost production line

Creating the celestial roof

The Spirit of Ecstasy being affixed 

Ghost doors waiting to be installed

By Matt Hubbard

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2014 Rolls Royce Ghost Series II

This is the Rolls Royce Ghost Series II which has just been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show

The Rolls Royce Ghost Series II is an evolution of the original Ghost.  It features redesigned, and rather sleepy looking, headlights, a new bonnet which lends itself to two tone colour schemes, revised bumpers and the waft line has been redesigned to enhance the car's 'effortless dynamism'.

It's good to see Rolls Royce using the term 'waft line' which is both daft and glorious at the same time.  It's also good to see the use of the term 'Series' when describing a model's evolution.

By Matt Hubbard

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Spotted - Rolls Royce Wraith: A Snip At £319,000

Rolls Royce launched the Wraith in March 2013, with a base price of £215,000.  I was at the UK launch - it's a damn fine looking automobile and the interior is sublime.

The Wraith has been a sales success.  It is hand built in the company's Goodwood factory alongside the Phantom II and Ghost.  The price is pretty reasonable given what goes into building a Rolls.

As such waiting lists have started to build, and have reached 7 months in some markets.

For those of us in the UK with pots of cash and a burning desire to own a Wraith an independent supercar dealer in Preston is selling one for £318,760.

It comes with just 13 miles on the clock (put on the car by Rolls Royce themselves on the test route around Goodwood) and has a ton of options including a bespoke audio system, Rolls Royce logos on the headrests, a boot that opens when you wiggle your foot under the bumper, a sunroof (that doesn't open(?)) and all sorts of posh bits and pieces that rich people like.

So, if you can't wait for a new Rolls Royce Wraith head up to Lancashire and pay £103,000 more than the list price for the privilege of owning a rather handsome slice of British (and some German) engineering.

You can find the advert here.

Article by Matt Hubbard

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Catch-up Corner - A Bespoke Roller, Devel Sixteen, Nissan Qashqai And More

Graham King rounds up some of the week’s motoring stories you might have missed

Another week, another Bespoke Rolls-Royce

Dubai clearly loves Rolls-Royce Bespoke, RR’s in-house tailoring division. Last week I brought you the rather wonderful Phantom Chicane Coupe, but this one, the Phantom Celestial, is a bit gratuitous. It starts with the exterior paintwork, a shade of dark blue given extra depth thanks to glass particles mixed into the paint. Then there’s interior, which has the Starlight Headliner usually found in the Phantom Coupe. And 446 diamonds inlaid by hand into the door, dashboard and central divider cappings. And yes you did read 446 diamonds. If you’ve got the money…

Land Rover sets Empty Quarter record

A couple of weeks ago I told you about Land Rover’s attempt to cross Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter desert in record time. Well, they have done just that. Rally driver Moi Torrallardona drove a completely standard supercharged Range Rover Sport the 849km route in 10 hours, 22 minutes. That’s an average speed of 51.87mph. On sand. With road tyres.

Toyota designs oddly familiar-looking taxi

With three big motor shows coming up in the next few weeks, there’s a stream of concept car previews coming along already that will soon become a deluge. I’m not going to saturate Catch-up Corner with them, but this one amused me so I thought I’d point it out. It’s the Toyota JPN Taxi Concept. It’s completely obvious what it’s for - presumably Toyota’s thinking it might be time to start phasing out the ancient Crown saloon that still sells in vasts quantities to Japan’s taxi fleets. It looks kind of familiar, doesn’t it?

Amy Williams to tackle Rally GB

Britain’s favourite Winter Olympian, the very lovely Amy Williams, will switch from being a Skeleton gold medal winner to an international rally co-driver on Wales Rally GB later this month. She will partner Sky F1 pundit and rally regular Tony Jardine in an Evo 9. Amy got a taste co-driving during a challenge on the sports-themed gameshow ‘A League of Their Own’. Jardine was sufficiently impressed to ask her to navigate for him on the UK’s round of the World Rally Championship. They’ve already completed four rallies in preparation, taking some class wins along the way - Amy says the goals is simply to finish in Wales. She retired from Skeleton a couple of years ago, but hasn’t said if she wants to take co-driving further post-Rally GB. Personally I’d love to have her sat next to me in an enclosed space for hours on end…

Do you believe the Devel Sixteen?

Amidst all the highly conspicuous displays of mind-boggling wealth at the Dubai Motor Show, the Devel Sixteen is by far the most boggling. The people behind it, whoever they are, claim it has a V16 engine producing 5000bhp! I’ll say that again: 5000bhp! Quite where that engine comes from, you can only guess. Performance? 0-60mph in 1.8 secs, top speed 348mph. Apparently three stooges, I mean customers have already signed up at $1 million each. I’ll leave you to make up your own mind, but personally, I think this might be the world’s first bullshit-fuelled car.

BMW i3 finally arrives

After years of concept cars doing the rounds at the world’s motor shows, the BMW i3 has finally been officially launched. I’m sure you’ve already read about it so I’m not going to go over the facts here. Instead, I’m just wondering if I’m alone in thinking it’s one of the most amazing-looking cars of recent years? I think it’s what all family cars should look like in the near future. But then I am a design progressive. Speaking of which…

New Nissan Qashqai revealed

Let’s be honest, you don’t buy the current Nissan Qashqai for its looks. It got a little better after the 2010 facelift, but it’s always been a car that sells on practically first and foremost. And while the new one is very much more of the same - more space, more technology, more economy - it looks pretty good too. And it’s built the UK.

Article by Graham King

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Catch-up Corner - some stories from the week we missed

Graham King rounds up some of the week’s motoring stories you might have missed

Ultimate Panamera launched

Do you want a stupidly fast supercar, but need room for the kids? Can’t quite stretch to an Aston Rapide S, but don’t want to slum it in an CLS63 AMG, RS7 or M6 GC? Then the new Porsche Panamera Turbo S is the car for you. As you would expect, it generates some big (and small) numbers from its twin-turbo, 4.5-litre V8 powerhouse and here they are: 562bhp; 750Nm; 3.8 secs to 62mph, 193mph flat-out, 27.7mpg (how?).

All of that thundering force is contained by all of Porsche’s most advanced chassis control systems and standard carbon-ceramic brakes. When it arrives in the UK in January it’ll cost £131,049. That’s about £30-50k more than it’s remarkably similar German rivals and £15k less than the Brit.

Yet another rather fabulous Bespoke Rolls-Royce

Another week, another creation from Rolls-Royce Bespoke. This time it’s the Phantom Chicane Coupe. Ordered by Rolls’ Dubai Brand Manager, it takes inspiration from the Goodwood racing circuit, right next door to the Rolls Royce factory. Racing-themed details include the matt black and gunmetal exterior with a chequered flag coachline. And the interior’s usual wood has been replaced with carbonfibre. No doubt it cost an absolute fortune, but I’d say it was well worth it.

Focus continues to beat Corolla in global sales charts

The Ford Focus was the best selling car in the world in 2012, knocking the Toyota Corolla off the top spot for the first time in probably decades. In the first half of 2013 Focus sales went up a huge 20 per cent to 589,709, with most of the extra demand coming from Asia. The current Focus may be a little blander than previous generations, but Ford’s global car strategy is clearly paying off.

Alto or Sandero?

Good News! Of a sort. Suzuki has extended its VAT-free offer on all Alto models until the end of the year. That means the base model costs just £5,999. Which is the same as a boggo Dacia Sandero. The Suzuki is (slightly) better equipped than the Dacia, but the little Romanian has so much character it would be my choice.

Cleanest ever SEAT Leon launched

The new SEAT Leon Ecomotive is now available to order and it’s really very economical. Power comes VW Group’s familiar 110PS 1.6TDI diesel mill. But fuel economy of 85.6mpg and Co2 emissions of 87g/km are remarkable for a conventionally-fuelled mid-size hatchback. It’s not cheap at £19,360 for the three-door Leon SC version, but it does come reasonably well equipped with SEAT’s Technology Pack. The five-door and estate bodies are also available.

Turns out the UK has a huge campervan industry

Which Motorhome has done a group test of 11 VW T5 van-based campervans. 11! And incredibly, 10 of them were built in the UK. I don’t know about you, but I had no idea there are that many firms building campers here. And I had no idea there were so many based on the T5. Last year Which tested another 12 with side-kitchen interior layouts. So there’s at least 23. Twenty-frickin’-three!

Comedian drives Grand Cherokee

Crazy-haired gag master Milton Jones is using a Jeep Grand Cherokee to drive between the remaining 20 dates of his ‘On The Road’ tour. Well, I suppose it’s a bit a publicity for both Jeep and Jones. Incidentally, I drove the big GC recently and thought it a very fine car.

Follow Graham King on Twitter @HeadBoltz, and visit his Facebook page.

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