Get ready for Gordon Anderson, dashing jet-set journalist with more grease in his hair than a 3 speed column changer!
5 Likes
Will we get ābest in showā voting this time, as we did in Detroit?
Damn! I havenāt thought about that at all. Iāll do it if people want, though if Iām honest I donāt want to go through all the cars again to find best ones in each category, so what I might do instead is simply pick the best car from company (selected based on my opinion). How does that sound guys?
6 Likes
Perfect for me 
4 Likes
Great considering my company only released one car 
5 Likes
I have no quarrels over the idea. Iām curios which MAC car is most popular. 
3 Likes
Itās the most coveted .png file in the whole world!
probably
And itās up to you to decide it. One vote per person to decide who really stole the show at Geneva this year.
Rules of selection are simple: one new car per company* chosen by Gavin Anderson.
No limits on voting; vote for yourself if you want, though Iād encourage to vote for something else.
One thing to note: This has had to be split up into two poles. Such is the way with Discourseās poll feature, you can only have two options per poll. So, there will be two winners and then a final vote. I hope this is fair to you guys!
Vote away! You have until Thursday 23rd at 22:00 GMT to get your votes in!
- Cornaldie Solatia V12 BiTurbo
- Monolith M161 Turbo 30 Dakar
- WMD HSC-52
- Albury Centurion
- Emperor Emerald
- Galt Riviera
- OAM Traveller II
- EADC Corsair
- Zavir Espada
- Himmel E.O.
- Saminda C2000R
- Cavallera/Zenshi Seiryu
- Baltazar Kilimanjaro RS
- Betta Polaris Line
- Redhawk Barracuda Retro
- Ray Shibatron
- AL Classe XLE
0 voters
Yeah. Thatās a lot of cars. Then again, it was a big show this year, and we canāt have all that talent not being included in the vote!
As a side note, here are S.A.M.'s pick of the best cars from the show.
Kimura Auriga - A whole new definition of the compact. Smart, well presented and well equipped, and superbly well priced.
Maesima Devina/Evgenis Nemean/Znopresk Zap! - Three very good superminiās all in one show, each offering a different experience and all very competitive. Which one is best is going to become one of the big automotive debates of the year.
DSD Saratoga - Easily the most exciting thing that has been released this year so far, and so much better now that the final production version has been launched.
AMCC Comet - Weāre seriously looking forward to driving this later in the year. A stunning new mid-range GT coupe, which with any luck will drive as good as it looks.
Turin Exalt/Cavallea-Zenshi Seiryu - Exceptionally fun to drive, both aiming to offer roughly the same thing (a no-frills sports car experience), both very good at what they do.
OAM Traveller II - We have the saddest feeling that this car might flop in its market for simply being too powerful and inefficient, but itās such a unique and fun motor that such an outcome would be a huge shame.
3 Likes
Yes this is very late, so sorry about thatā¦and yes i know, there are no pictures, because I cannot photoshopā¦
# The Independent Review: Erin Berlose VS Zavir Espada Part 1
*phone rings*
Hello this is Matt speakingā¦ahh Gavin, how was Geneva?
Really? You lucky prick. Hanging out with Airborne in the S4 and Alpha Clubman, messing around in EADC rally cars all over the Alps, having a photoshoot and meeting your āfansā and youāre going to the Geneva after party! Yes, I know that Iāll probably get to review the S4 and Alpha Clubman later, and yes, I know used to drive for EADCās Rally Team, but Iām still bloody salty! Iām stuck here back in the UK since Iāve got a bloody cold! Anyways, it looks like youāve got something for me to do. Wait. Did you just say that Erin and Zavir have something for me to review? Oohh boy Iām excited! Alright, thanks for the heads up. Yes this doesnāt make up for anythingā¦okay maybe it doesā¦slightlyā¦
So here I am sitting on the sofa, drinking tea, eating scones and re-watching old Top Gear on Dave (its a TV channel in the UK) when a friend of mine, Gavin rings up. Apparently Iāve got a review to do. Turns out Erin and Zavir were kind enough to send me their latest luxury sedans. Well I guess Iāll have to review them then.
#Review:
#Erin VS Zavir
Erin and Zavir are names that are known throughout the world for making sporty and luxurious cars. The rivalry between both companies is fierce. Erin, a UK based company best known for the Erin Scarlet, possibly the best selling sports coupes in the world and Zavir, a company which combines Italian beauty and design, with mad, brutish American muscle, (something I like indeed) have both revealed their latest facelifted versions of their premium/luxury sedans, the Erin Berlose and the Zavir Espada. And Ive got the āluxuryā to review and compare the two.
##Erin Berlose Vox
This slick, beauty sitting on my driveway is the Erin Berlose Vox. The best trim that the Berlose has to offer. On the outside, the Berlose is visually stunning. The sleek profile and the smooth flowing curves really make this car look beautiful. The aluminium panels fit seamlessly with each other, with no panel gaps to see.
Under the hood, is a 3.5L Pureon i6. Running it on the Dyno, we can see that the turbocharged i6 provides the car with ample power, 265hp to be precise, and a relatively smooth power curve. The turbo lag, while almost nonexistent, is still slightly noticeable, but nothing to worry about. However, it should be noted that the exhaust and the intercooler are a tad restrictive, limiting the power on the car, not that it needs any more, it is after all a premium/luxury car.
Looking inside the Berlose Vox, you are greeted to a nice, comfortable interior. The Geckoā¢ voice control and 10" touch screen display make this car packed with technology, and the RoadSmart Safety Pack make the car very practical. What makes this car even more practical, is the 3 seats in the back, allowing a total of 5 people to fit snugly in the car. The rear boot space is also quite large and the overall running costs of the car is very low for a luxury car.
Now, as this is an Erin, I guess the next thing to do is take it to a nearby trackā¦oh how about Silverstone? Taking this car around the track is a dream. While this car clearly wasnāt designed solely for driving on a track, some of the ErinSport DNA is in this car. With a 6 speed Single Clutch Sequential (found in the Vox models only) and some semi-active suspension, the 1.8 ton car accelerates from 0-62 in under 6 seconds. Furthermore, the Berlose reaches a top speed of 170mph and can do a quarter mile in well under 15 seconds. Now time to do my lap of Silverstone thenā¦
ā¦So after an exhilarating drive around Silverstone, Iāve got the lap time here: 2:56:35. For a Luxury car, that time isnāt bad. Just for a comparison, the i6 Spec of the EADC Corsair, a sports car dedicated as a track car will do Silverstone in 2:49:60, making the Berlose very fast indeed. Weāll have to see how the Espada does in part 2 along with the conclusion and final verdict.
See you tomorrow then 
Matthew Sierra outā¦
4 Likes
A minor detail - both Berlose and Espada arenāt flagships for our companies, these are respectively Aventa for Erin and Squalo for Zavir 
But I like the review, and cannot wait to see the second part 
4 Likes
Woops i will change that now! EDIT: fixed!
3 Likes
Looking ahead to New York, I have plans to introduce yet another new model or two. Probably something I had previously submitted for CSR, albeit revisedā¦ Or it could be something else entirely.
Also, why isnāt there already a thread about the Automation SEMA Show, where aftermarket tuners get to show off their wares in Las Vegas? I feel like there should have been one on the forums months ago.
Thatās great to hear, but just a word of warning: New York isnāt until September
1 Like
I had a great idea for a show like SEMA and will likely host it in about two weeks
3 Likes
I guess then ill have to get the 1960s show started soon, so there isnt any overlap
1 Like
Yeah, in fact we should just get the classics show running for a month or so, and then Iāll host mine. That actually is an even better plan because Iāll have considerably more time around then
The 1960s show will be perfect for my company lore, given how long Iāve been slackingā¦
I guess i should start now then.
EDIT: Just posted it, starts on the 27th so i guess we can begin designing
3 Likes
Yes it is very late, but now itās time for the Espada and verdict!
# The Independent Review: Erin Berlose VS Zavir Espada Part 2
##Zavir Espada
Sitting in front of me is a āCoffee Brown Silkā Espada Veloce, what Zavir call a āmid-range trimā. This car looks amazing. The front headlights fit perfectly, thanks to the styling from Luceat Studio, and while the car may seem quite cluttered, everything is arranged neatly, just as you would expect from Zavir. The chrome on the car just fits. Everything fits. This is a car that can be placed in Slough on a rainy day and it would still looks good. The high quality aluminium panels and glued aluminium chassis make for a comfortable, and weather resistant ride.
Unlike the Berlose which had an i6, the Espada comes with a nice, simple AS38EC 3.2L V6. Unlike the Berlose, the Espadaās engine is not turbocharged, and instead uses high quality performance parts and aggressive VVL timing. This however, makes the Espada have a much smoother power curve, and even with a smaller engine, the Espada makes more horsepower, 306hp compared to the 265hp in the Berlose. Along with the naturally aspirated engine, the V6 makes use of long tubular exhaust headers providing even more power.
Inside, much like the Berlose, the Espada is packed with technology. With a large touch screen in the middle of the dash and a surround sound system to listen to what ever music you want with studio like quality. In my case, how about some smooth jazzā¦Anyway, moving on, the Espada is also very spacious, with 5 seats and with a bootspace of 718L, its also very practical.
I guess the only thing left to do now is to take it round Silverstone. Driving it around the track, the Espada handled well. While equipped with Zavirās āHydraspeed Automatic transmissionā and weighing in at almost 1.9 tonnes, the powerful engine helped the Espada Veloce reach 178mph with relative ease and allowed the car to accelerate from 0-62 in well under 6 seconds. The Espadaās quarter mile time is also very impressive at 14 seconds. Now time for the timed lapā¦
ā¦After driving the Espada around Silverstone, I have to say, this car is quick. The extra 41hp and the active suspension, really does make a difference. The Espada Veloce made it round the track in 2:53:35. Exactly 3 seconds faster than the Berlose. However speed isnāt everything and thus here is the conclusion and verdict.
#Conclusion/Verdict
So after spending some more time with the Berlose and the Espada, I can say that the Espada is the better carā¦or is it? You see, the Mid range Espada with the V6 will set you back Ā£41,942 and that is without Zavirās QuattroForza AWD System, Z-Pack(More Sporty design and trim) or the luxury infotainment and glass roof. On the other hand, the Berlose Vox, the top level trim, will only set you back Ā£37,895 with the basic Vox setup. This is a rather large difference in price, and considering that economy wise, both cars are very similar, with decent fuel economies and relatively low running costs, it doesnāt get better for the Espada. The basic trim for the Berlose, the S 2.5, with a 2.5L Turbo i6, only costs Ā£29,100, and while it only has standard infotainment on board, is much faster than the Espadaās basic trim, the Stilo, which also has standard infotainment and costs almost as much as the Berlose Vox, at Ā£35,912! As much as I want to praise the Espada and tell you now to buy it immediately, the prices for it are very steep, compared with the Berlose (Iām not saying the Berlose is a bad car, but compared with the Espada, the Espada is superior), you get so much more.
Of course, at the end of the day, which car I recommend really depends on what your budget is. If you want a nice sporty premium sedan and youāre on a budget of about Ā£30,000-32,000, the Berlose is the only choice. The Berlose S 2.5 and the Lex are much better than the Espada Stilo, in terms of what you get for you money and performance. If, however, you want something slighly more premium, again, go with the Berlose. The Vox trim, while having slightly lower performance than the Espada Veloce, is just as good and for a lower price gives you better value for money. Now, if price doesnt matter, go ahead, buy the Espada. Itās a great car that does everything well. Heck, if you have large wads of cash, go for the Espadaās top range model, the Sportivo with the massive 4.2L V8! Sure it will cost you an arm and a leg at a whopping Ā£84,350, but what you do get is close to perfection.
##My Thoughts:
####Erin Berlose Vox:
Pros:
-Great Price!!
-Nice Handling
-Decent Performance
-Nice Styling
Cons:
-Engine Power limited due to small exhaust and intercooler(Pureon 3.5 i6)
-Torque curve not so smooth (not really that bad though)
####Zavir Espada Veloce:
Pros:
-Beautiful design
-Great Handling for such a heavy car
-Very good Performance from the V6, not so much from the 2.0L in the Stilo
-Very easy to drive
Cons:
-Expensive
-Espada Stilo with the 2.0L dissapointing for the price point.
Well hope youāve found this interesting! 
Matthew Sierra outā¦
5 Likes
Hmm, yeah, Iām not the best at optimising value for money. In other words, my cars are freaking expensive Thatās one of the reasons why Iām more or less waiting with actual Zavir releases (with all stats, options, prices and so on) for the Unreal update. Well, the result is more or less what I expected after seeing Berlose prices
3 Likes
Matthew Sierra
Yeah, I really liked the Espada Veloce, I am certainly thinking of buying one myself, but for the reviewās sake, itās just a shame that the car was just really expensive. I would certainly put it on my list of top cars revealed at Geneva this year!
2 Likes