Car Tests: Cool reception for McLaren SLR 722 Edition, Opel GT

AUTOCAR recently tested two very tasty cars, and came away from both test underwhelmed.

First came the McLaren SLR 722 Edition, whose sheer raison d'etre seems to be to help sell the McMerc, whose market performence has been less than impressive to date. Why? Because McLaren did not even care to listen when everyone complained that the original car was too uncomfortable for a GT, and instead served something even more hardcore. At least when Porsche introduces the n-th version of an already successful 911, they do it for a reason: the Turbo quicker but no harder to drive, the GT3 is quicker but more hardcore, the GT3 RS is more hardcore still etc.

Then AUTOCAR got its first drive in the Opel GT, the European version of the Saturn Sky. As a result of GM's rush to get this car to the market a rhd version will never be made, and the Brits weren't very happy about it, at least until now. As it turns out, the car is not very good: poorly packaged, clumsily put together, and not even that great to drive. They still love the way it looks, though, as I'm sure you'll agree.

For full articles head to www.autocar.co.uk now.

[source: Autocar]

New Civic Type-R tested!

The first tests of the CTR are out, and the reactions are mixed.

CAR's Frank Ifield likes the car a lot, calling it characterful, fun to drive and good value.

Autocar's Adam Towler, however, points to two weaknesses:
1) ditching an independent rear suspension for a torsion beam to save money does make for less-polished handling on bumpy surfaces
2) higher kerbweigth and a high-rpm screamer of an engine don't make for easy or particularly fast progress

They both agree that the car is more comfortable and refined then before, though, and looks way better.

Reading these two tests reminds me a lot of the comments the new RenaultSport Clio got - somehow, with a higher kerbweigth, the new model does not set the enthusiast's world alight like the old one did. With the advent of small engine turbocharging, I wander if a naturally-aspirated engine is still adequate for new-gen, heavier hot hatches