The Racing Line - Performance Motoring Magazine SUB ISSUE ENTRIES CLOSED (Slots open for Potto to review quickly) - RIFT AND TAUGA REVIEW OUT

Visa is approved.

Gud…

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Is this magazine dead or just a wip? I can help of need be

wip wip wip

Please be patient. Perhaps we might make it a full fledged issue now. I’m considering adding Potto write quick reviews for the mag as filler so you guys won’t get bored. WDYT guys? He’ll write and post through me.

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Okay, as long as there’s work I’m fine. Thanks for the update and the whole thing!

fak the old Kunai was a 2019 model cos I fukt up and I desperately need to rerelease that halp ;-;

Thanks for the review :slight_smile: it’s the best we could do :joy:

That being said I’m surprised it didn’t rust through before the end of the test :smile:

Great review and very in depth, I enjoyed reading it even if the car didn’t do too great, I can’t remember what I tuned the suspension for, although I do think I just clicked ‘normal’ preset, just glad I didn’t go the rear engine route

You guys… Potto is accepting cars. If you want one just submit but one at a time.

News regarding the hot hatchbacks? Seems like you’ve got some spare time now, no?

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I do yes. The reviews should be all done by this monday.

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I’ve taken waay too long with these so I decided to release them as they come out so you guys don’t have to wait any longer


##ZAFIR LUNA VI Z SPORTIVO 4F - THE RACING LINE REVIEW

The resident quirky Italian compact by Zavir, a company well known for exotic designs even on budget price compacts and more trim levels per model than it has actual models in it lineup. But there’s none of the characteristic unreliability that plagues so many Italian cars in any of their cars, which would arguably make them the least Italian of them all. Nothing says quirky like smoking on the side of the highway and enjoying several weeks at the dealer because regular mechanics can’t service it.

The Luna debuted in 2016 to great acclaim, being one of the most radically styled compacts to hit the American market in contrast to most other manufacturer’s more derivative or plain ugly designs. Futuristic seems inseparable with being unpleasant to the eyes for most, going with bloated bubble cars with weird angles and vents, but leave it to the Italians to make anything pretty. This particular model the Z Sportivo is a 3 door variant and surprisingly subtle in way of appearance, being not to different than it’s cheaper brethren visually. The only particularly distinguishing trait is an admittedly poorly placed wing on the rear end, which in my opinion without widening the car, looks rather goofy, really the only complaint with the car’s aesthetic. Oh and the almost donk level 21 inch wheels too. The car doesn’t have taller bumpers either, so it looks somewhat goofy sitting on those massive rims. On the other hand, it makes for a sleeper for those not in the know, with 365 HP through the rear wheels (AWD optional), sure to give anything below a supercar a hell of a fight on the straights.

Powering the machine is Zavir’s signature V6 in its most powerful guise, a twin turbocharged 2.7 liter V6 producing 365 horsepower and 360 Nm of torque sending it’s power to the rear wheels via an advanced 7 speed dual clutch sequential transmission, in typical Zavir high tech fashion. Interior is remarkably spacious for a three door coupe, capable of 5 seat arrangement in total, with sufficient legroom in the rear to make long road trips on the backseat not a human rights violation, unlike many coupes. Cementing it’s status as a more premium manufacturer, the interior is fit for a middle-management mobile, a graceful mix of genuine leather, quality cloth and alcantara with very well made wooden trim for a more homely feel. Not exactly the first choice in a sportiness but it adds a touch of class to it, something sorely lacking in this segment. This particular model however was fitted with the “standard” infotainment pack, and thus the touchscreen stands out like an eyesore in comparison to the higher end dashboard fitted ones. It still accepts bluetooth so that’s a plus. Ah the wonders of not requiring a clunky aux cable to listen to something other than music paid by record companies to be played to oblivion.

On the Track

The cheaper performance segment often prioritizes driving feel over absolute handling numbers or track times, and in typical Italian fashion, the Luna Z Sportivo is no disappointment in that regard. The car turns in beautifully with no drama, and exits corners gracefully with little complaint even with aggressive throttle management with predictable steering characteristics at any speed. Square 245 tires with a minor front camber bias and tightly set up rear suspension allows understeer to be mostly eliminated while ensuring the rear doesn’t want to step out of line as eagerly. At higher speeds however, the car feels rather nose heavy and somewhat lacking in traction up front, owing to its forward weight distribution and aerodynamic lift at speed. The double wishbone multilink combo gives stellar cornering feel at any speed, compounded with the intelligent active suspension system that constantly adjusts itself for maximum performance at any occasion.

Engine feels sufficiently powerful at any RPM, a larger displacement V6 with small low boost turbocharger units ensure smooth and fast boost build up with little inconvenience when the turbos come online. A wide powerband ensures the car is in useable rev range at any gear with spirited driving, with even power build up to peak output ensures trouble free corner exits even with a ham foot. To some the fact that turbo is barely noticeable is a good thing, a smooth power curve while not as gradual as a proper NA motor makes for easy fast driving, I however prefer the turbos to pack a bit of a punch. Just a matter of personal preference of course, the fact that the boost is barely noticeable is a testament to the quality of engineering and balancing that went into the forced induction system. Throttle response is fantastic, keeping in it with the NA feel of the motor. The all-wheel drive system makes regular driving a breeze and the car tears through the drag strip in the low 12s, however on higher speeds the car seriously struggles to accelerate thanks to parasitic loss from the drive train, a problem shared with virtually every all wheel driven car today. In fact, Zafir’s tests have shown that the RWD model is quicker than the all-wheel drive variant.

The brakes are massive 335mm vented discs up front and a relatively miniscule 235mm vented disc on the rear.The ABS system works well to prevent any lock, though any driver worth his chops shouldn’t be too bothered with it turned off, especially with the car being so easy to push hard.

The car posted a time of 1:44.09 on Laguna Seca

On the Road

Out of the race track, the Luna Sportivo as expected is no less civil than it’s more pedestrian siblings, although admittedly significantly more garish and attention seeking. The bright yellow paint and massive wheels are not exactly the best choices for being subtle. But then again if you wanted subtlety you wouldn’t buy a hot hatch, much less an Italian one.

To drive that is. Some problems become apparent only when you start driving it like a regular person. The audio was a serious down grade in sound quality and the touchscreen was significantly slower than in the regular car; it appears Zafir has opted to choose an inferior and cheaper system to lighten the vehicle for some reason. Which I found strange because this machine doesn’t seem to be very track oriented, why go all the way to lighten the car by cheapening out on the audio? Well, at least I hope when these hit the road buyers opt for the more advanced system found on the 2.4 models because quite frankly, it sucks. You’re paying top dollar for one of the finest performing hot hatchbacks ever made, and you get rental grade audio.

The suspension is thankfully adjustable on the fly because once you get out from the confines of the racetrack, with smooth well maintained asphalt into the city roads with more bumps and cracks than an acne riddled teenagers face, these ridiculously stiff dampers get annoying very very quickly, not helped by 21 inch wheels that are intent on making sure you feel every newton of shock from the potholes.

The car is also surprisingly thirsty too, 24 mpg while not bad for a car of this performance caliber, will catch you off guard the first few times the yellow light turns on. Also, it seems to be built with European sensibilities in mind, because this one’s a picky eater; preferring only 93 grade fuel or it throws a fit and makes significantly less power. Keep that in mind when planning to buy one here.

What We Liked:

Ample amounts of power from the twin turbo V6, plenty of technology crammed into such a price tag, stylish design, Italian charm, cool dashboard, sporty but not overly aggressive handling

What We Didn’t Liked: 21 inch wheels look ridiculous and ruins ride, lots of body roll, parasitic loss at higher speeds really slow the car down, surprisingly poor mileage, demands super grade fuel, poor audio quality

Stats

Zafir Luna VI Z Sportivo 4F

Engine: 2.7 liter V6 Twin Turbo
Power: 375 HP @ 7800 RPM
Torque: 360 NM @ 6600 RPM
Weight: 1500 KG
0-60: 3.8
Top Speed: 160 MPH
1/4 mile: 12.18 @ 113 MPH
Price as tested: $ 40,250

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Throw in another


##BALTAZAR QUASAR MKV RS325

A curious hot hatch from the well-known Brazilian automaker Baltazar, the R325 is the super tuned version of their Quasar compact with as the name implies, 325 horsepower and all-wheel drive. Standard hot hatch recipe no? But perhaps there may be something more to the car even with the old tried and true formula.

From the outside, there’s no questioning it, the Quasar looks very handsome and well styled. Nothing too outrageous or edgy like most of its contemporaries. See when the styling wars devolve into who can out edge the others in looking like the newest science fiction alien villain, simplicity and handsomeness are always welcome. The high-profile tires seem to betray the sporty look provided by the aggressive front bumper, even the 18 inch wheels look miniscule wrapped around those thick threads, not helped by the cars high ride height. It’s also painted in a weird shade of light yellow that would be more fitting for a cheerful classic car, not a 325-horsepower sports compact.

Underneath the hood, the familiar 2 liters inline 4 that powered the rest of the Quasar line up appears again, only this time with a modest turbo charger and intercooler to boost output up to 325 horsepower. Not exactly mind blowing and this stage considering some of its competitors today are pushing above 400, but if you don’t think 325 horses is plenty it’s a clear sign that you’re just a benchracer. The horsepower wars these days have desensitized most people to how fast even small amounts of horsepower can be, except to those, who you know, actually drive and not just argue on some message board online.

The interior at first glance appears well equipped and sensibly styled, with some aesthetic enhancements for the RS325 model in form of trims and sports seats. The infotainment system tucks in well with the dashboard, with modern functionalities such as Bluetooth capability and the obligatory aux cable. This particular model was fitted with a 6 speed manual transmission, we are told buyers can opt for a 7 speed twin clutch automatic instead should they prefer not rowing their own gears.

On the Track

While being probably one of the least true sporting models on display today, the Quasar shows lots of promise on the track. While clearly out of its element here due to an emphasis on staying road friendly, with soft suspension, rather high curb weight and an open differential of all things, the car still remains fun to drive with an excellent mix of ample power, a light clutch and short throw shifter and maintaining overall balance even when pushed. 4-wheel drive allows the car a sub 5 second 0-60 and low 13 second quarter mile passes even with its girth and lack of oomph, which is still mighty fast in its own right.

That said, it’s road friendliness works against its favor on the road course. For one, the Macpherson strut multilink combo might be excellent for regular commuting and sufficient for the odd highway pull here or there, at its limits the car just feels less sharp and direct as it’s double wishbone equipped competitors. The progressive springs again while great for the road in nullifying bumps, falls short in terms of turn in response to the other cars fitted with either standard springs or active suspension; the car feels rather sluggish when changing directions or entering a corner at speed. Ultra-high performance sports tires help mitigate that problem somewhat, with 245mm front and rears ensuring the car won’t let go even under hard cornering.

The open differential is also not doing it any favors; however, it is mostly counteracted by the superb four-wheel drive system in a 40-60 split. Due to this the car still feels poised and stable even on hard corners with very little wheel spin at any time. The superb gearbox is a joy to shift at any moment, with short and direct throws and quick clutch operation.

Braking is dealt with swiftly with large 335mm 3 piston vented discs up front and the relatively miniscule 225mm vented rears. Even with the car’s 1600 kg curb weight, they get it swiftly stopped in about 96 ft. A well set up ABS system keeps the stopping lock and scare free, though this car is so well balanced and tamely tuned I doubt it’s going to do any scaring acceleration aside.

The car posted a lap time of 1:49.85 on Laguna Seca

On the Road

See when the marketing team tells you, this hot hatch is just as civil as the econobox version seriously, isn’t that great? Sports car performance with the civility of your daily driver? Let me tell you first hand, they’re lying. See that Dimension Rift? The SSP version is one mean son of a gun with constant tramlining, loud engine and rough suspension. It sure is just as easy to drive as the regular, I mean it won’t kill you or anything, but it’s significantly less comfortable and user friendly.

The Baltazar on the other hand, translates 100% of the regular model’s comfort, civility and usability onto its RS325 model. It’s calm enough to ferry people back and forth, suspension is forgiving and it rides high enough to shrug off potholes, it’s doesn’t let any of its sporting character show unless persuaded to by a heavy foot.

The interior is smartly appointed, the new sports seats for the RS325 model aren’t excessively stiff like most other cars in its category while providing firm support and an excellent driving position. The audio isn’t downgraded like a certain other car and still delivers proper crisp sound quality from any device you have. A proper upper class compact interior really, not much else noteworthy. When driving, the sound proofing is top notch; the engine barely makes a peep when noise is unwelcome and it filters out unwanted external noises very well too.

Managing a respectable 28 mpg, the Quasar is rather economical for such a high power 4-wheel drive machine. Needs 90 grade fuel for maximum performance, one thing to note for potential owners.

What We Liked
Subtle and handsome looks, powerful and efficient powerplant, comfortable ride and interior, excellent sound proofing, wonderful gearbox, very safe vehicle

What We Didn’t Like
Open Diff, blunt steering, really unsporting handling characteristics, rather high curb weight

Baltazar Quasar MKV RS325

Engine: 2 liter Inline 4 Turbo
Power: 325 HP @ 7400 RPM
Torque: 375 NM @ 5000 RPM
Weight: 1600 KG
0-60: 4.9
Top Speed: 165 MPH
1/4 mile: 13.14 @ 107 MPH
Price as tested: $ 28,080

11 Likes

Yay, great :smile:

…with so much minor things wrong :stuck_out_tongue:
Luna has only 3 trim levels, not so much. And 6 available engines. And 3 body styles. And 2 special variants, with their own engines. And 2 drivetrain options. And combinations of these aren’t very limited, so this gives a lot of them in effect. But I get what you are referring there, and sorry for that :grin:
Oh, and this has 5 seats? It should have 4, my mistake :blush:
About the infotainment - as in most trims this is just the most basic one, and a better one is available too - and it’s independent of the engine (and 2.3 not 2.4 BTW), IIRC the only dependency is that it’s unavailable in Stilo trim.
4F in the name stands for 4Forza, the AWD system. Don’t change it, it’s just for some clarification :slight_smile:

And whyyyy you replace “v” with “f” in “Zavir” so often?

Ok, enough grumbling :smiley: I had to, sorry :stuck_out_tongue:

3 Likes

2 more for the books


##Dimension RIFT SSP TURBO 4WD (GRB94)

Look at this mean son of a gun. Just looking at it gives, you get the impression as if the car is already flipping the bird at you. It’s pudgy, angry face offends every other car on the road. Choosing to go all out for this generation of the SSP Rift, Dimension claims it pushes every single aspect of the hot hatch to its extremes, in performance, ease of driving, and utter crassness.

The aggressive front bumper, huge side vents just underneath the doors, a hood with no less than four big vents, vertically stacked quad exhausts, 19 inch wheels, the car looks like what some 12-year-old would cook up in Need For Speed, only this comes that way from the factory. And you better believe it’s all functional. If you tried to touch the car’s belly, you’ll quickly realize it was equipped with an undertray. That diffuser you see on the back? That isn’t just for show. Of course, they could have toned it down several notches and remain just as functional, but what’s the fun in that?

So, what makes the car not another all show no go affair you ask? Well underneath that admittedly tiny engine bay is a transversely mounted turbo charged 2.1 liter inline 4 that produces a whopping 407 horsepower and has a redline of 9000 RPM. That stratospheric redline with a high stroke of 93mm makes it the current record holder of the highest mean piston speed out of any production car at 27.9 m/s. Curiously it also shares the same 100,000-mile warranty that regular Dimension Rifts get, so clearly they’ve done something to ensure it doesn’t blow up on your face often.

The interior is much less of a luxurious affair than the Zafir or even the Baltazar, with cloth sport seats up front and standard style rear seats with some tacky orange stitching, but there is a neat digital dash with a completely different display than the ones seen on the regular version. A small boost gauge is present, adding to the impression of having bought a project tuned car from the factory.

On the Track

By far the raciest and sportiest of the lot, the Rift SSP is in its element here. Everything on the car is set up to be capable on the track, from the aero to the suspension tuning. Despite its power advantage however, the Dimension was slower than the Luna in the quarter mile by 3 tenths of a second, attributed due the Luna’s dual clutch transmission. But it pulls significantly harder on the top end, reaching a trap speed of 116 miles per hour as opposed to the Luna’s 113, and on the full KM it begins to reel its opponents back while they’re struggling to accelerate due to all wheel drive loss.

Not to say it pulls hard at speed, although this car has one of the higher power figures of all the cars, it feels especially slow on the mid-range due to a very annoying flat point on the torque curve. Just as the turbos begin going on full boost dyno charts shows the torque drops until past 5000 RPM, and this especially jarring when accelerating from speed. The car feels gutless right after the acceleration push from the turbo, as if the engine takes a brief break from making more power. Not that it really matters on the track as the shift points are well above 6000 RPM if you’re trying to wring out every bit of performance the car has to offer. And you’d want to keep it in the high rpms, because the engine makes a glorious scream only when pushed. The car comes with a bypass valve so you can hear the motor in all its ear-piercing glory.

The transmission is also rather clunky; they’ve made a decent effort into ensuring the clutch is still light for standard driving, but the shifts feel rubbery and somewhat slow. The drivetrain is a whole different story however. Fitted with the admittedly old technology of Active Yaw Control, the car can use it’s all wheel drive systems to increase cornering speeds by sending power to the wheels that have the most traction. This helps rectify the understeer problem often seen on transverse all-wheel drive cars and ensures maximum acceleration out of the corners.

But perhaps the biggest factor for the car’s sheer excitement when driving on the track is the way the suspension, wheels and aero are set up. Massive 285 threads allow lightning fast turn ins that you can stabilize with a hefty amount of throttle, while not fearing spinning out or understeering into the embankment due to the traction control system. The suspension features a double wishbone, multilink set up with a lite version of Dimensions Intelligent Ride Control with limited adjustments on the dampers and sway bars. Not nearly as good as the real thing but still a lot of tech crammed into such a small package. The tacky aero also contributes to the cars sheer ease of handling on high speeds, unlike the others which have noticeable lift at high speed, and allows the car to post 1.33 Gs on the 250m skid pad. Braking is fantastic due to the sheer contact patch from the 4 285mm tires; the car comes to a complete halt in just under 90 ft from 60 mph.

The car posted a lap time of 1:42.54 on Laguna Seca

On the Road

Earlier I used this car as an example of those cars that claim they’re just as civil on the road but really they’re about as well behaved as a frat boy on Saturday night. It’s significantly louder than the standard one, it’s so low you fear speed bumps are going to ruin that front lip, and the springs, while not as stiff as the Zafir, is still no fun on hard bumps. The transmission is clunky and the car likes to jump ahead on stop and go due to the light flywheel. And its tacky looks pretty much ensure you’re the center of attention, either gazes of admiration from the Monster Energy flat brim crowd or disgust from virtually everybody else.

The massive tires have a nasty habit of tramlining over the grooves on the interstate, which is thankfully mostly curbed by the electronic stability system but still rather jarring when your car comes too close to comfort with the next lane. Visibility is excellent on the front but nonexistent on the back due to the massive C pillar so some caution is advised as the car does not have blind spot sensors.

The car is surprisingly fuel efficient, at 27 mpg despite the insane specific output and all-wheel drive system. It demands 90 grade fuel but it should be no problem if you can afford a performance machine. Which brings us to the price, the car sits right smack dab in the middle at 36,000 to buy new. A reasonable price for a car with this caliber of performance and technology no?

Back road shenanigans are what this car excels the most in however, the drivetrain and power allows you to rocket in and out of corners with little worry of wheel spin, and the car’s traction and somewhat more compliant suspension keeps the car glued to ground regardless of road conditions. The howl of the inline 4 at 9000 RPM through the woods is another experience altogether.

What We Liked

Ample amounts of power, great drive train, excellent balance and set up, lots of traction, reasonably adequate interior, wonderful sound, surprisingly great economy

What We Didn’t Like

Torque curve dip, clunky transmission, overly tacky looks, undertray can cause problems with rough terrain, relatively poor crash rating

Dimension Rift SSP Turbo 4WD

Engine: 2.1 liter Inline 4 Turbo
Power: 407 HP @ 8400 RPM
Torque: 366 NM @ 7400 RPM
Weight: 1470 KG
0-60: 4.0
Top Speed: 170 MPH
1/4 mile: 12.42 @ 116 MPH
Price as tested: $ 36,000


##ERIN TAUGA X 3.3

The performance compact for those with a lot more money and a penchant for premium badge worship, the Erin Tauga X 3.3 is by far the most expensive of the lot at $ 50,000 for one brand new, 10,000 more than next priciest car, the Zavir Luna. The X model makes a return after 2 years of absence, packed with a new 7 speed dual clutch transmission with an electric differential, not something you see often on anything below a supercar.

It looks relatively dignified compared to the other cars, with very little in the way of angry body kits and vents or big wings that would make the local chav blush in admiration. Enough aggressiveness to draw wanted attention on car meets and on the streets, but not obvious enough scream “PULL ME OVER” to the local traffic police. The odd headlights grow on you over time, and tails are very well styled. Those wide flares indicate it means business though, and the audible V6 rumble gives zero impressions of being a sleeper.

Powering the car is an incredibly high revving 3.3 liter V6 producing 417 horsepower at 8700 RPM, the highest output out of any car in today’s comparison. And while being naturally aspirated too! Who doesn’t love a proper naturally aspirated screaming V6 in the right place sending power to the right wheels? Well uh, me since I tend to prefer inline 6s, but there is nothing wrong with 6 cylinders either way. This motor also appears to be ridiculously wide with a 97.8 bore, you could almost mistake it for a flat 6. Done out of necessity of course, to ensure the motor can rev to its stratospheric redline without blowing itself up.

Inside, the Erin appears very well appointed, as per the course for its price point, with a very modern swooping interior with front sport bucket seats and an incredibly responsive infotainment and navigation system. The swoopiness and flash comes with the drawback of being rather cramped and uncomfortable to move about in the car, but the seats provide excellent support and driving position.

On the Track

Being rear wheel drive, it is expected for the Erin to take abit longer on the quarter mile sprint, despite this, it matches the Dimension Rift with 12.4 second quarter with a slightly higher trap speed of 117 mph, and beats both the Luna and Rift on the kilometer sprint with a time of 22.35s, an impressive feat due to its significantly higher curb weight than the two cars. The dual clutch transmission and electric differential helped the car rocket to 60 in just 4.3 seconds with very little drama, and having no annoying drivetrain losses to overcome, the Erin pulls hard once it hooks the road.

Approaching the corners, the Erin feels confident on entry due to the intelligent sport tuned suspension, however the lack of traction becomes especially apparent in the middle of the corner, the car begins understeering despite the efforts of the suspension and traction control. Of all the places Erin chose to cheap out on, it happened to be the tires, which appeared to be basic grade performance tires. The aerodynamics were apparently set up for top speed, while the car could do 190 mph, there was noticeable amounts of lift which hurt its high-speed cornering abilities. It appears the car was more tuned to being controllable than being quick on the course, as the rear end felt composed regardless of situation, at the cost of having an incredibly hard suspension and dampers. Adjustable on the fly of course due to the active suspension, but on track mode it is almost race car levels of stiff. Despite this there is still huge amounts of body roll. Which is especially jarring in a luxury oriented vehicle such as this one. The heavy weight of the car also did not help, contributing to the lack of a sharp feel in the corners.

Transmission is fantastic, offering lightning quick shifts through all 7 gears and seamless acceleration in between. The gears are set perfectly to take advantage of the cars powerband; the car pulls hard in every gear smoothly with none of the lag or sudden burst of power from a pesky turbocharger. It is also incredibly loud, especially since they equipped the thing with a bypass valve, the car’s distinctive V6 scream is ingrained in your head after a hard driving session, and probably for a few days after.

The low grip tires hurt its braking distance rather significantly, the car took 95 feet to come to a full stop from 60 miles per hour, but the brakes have a great amount of bite and feel, while stopping with zero scares thanks to the ABS system.

The car posted a lap time of 1:44.45 on the Laguna Seca track.

On the Road

The Erin carries itself around town with a perfect blend of exclusivity and sportiness, giving the impression that person driving is not only a chav, but he has taste and money. And like many other cars it’s not particularly terrible to drive on the road. It’s well poised and balanced and doesn’t try to do anything funny until you tell it to. The car makes just enough noise to anger neighbors and be featured on some kids Instagram page without buying a straight pipe, which all adds to its premium sports car bruiser image.

But again, as with the case of most of these cars, it’s a great car to drive around, but it’s not that great of a car to be in. For what it is, it is very very very loud. I’ve been in hypercars that are not much noisier than this car is on full chat, and even on regular rpms, the drone of the engine on low RPMs is still very audible. Soundproofing from other sources seem excellent however, so very little other external noise gets in the cabin.

Flashy and cramped interiors may look good in pictures, but here it can be rather uncomfortable. While the driving position is excellent and there is good visibility, it is difficult moving around due to the deep inset seats and tall center console. Despite this, the infotainment system is top notch, delivering crisp sound quality and had very little trouble connecting with my phone.

The incredibly stiff standard spring and damper settings get old quickly too, thankfully the suspension is adjustable, but otherwise it almost as stiff as some track oriented machines, eager to give road feedback sure, but perhaps some damping is welcome when trying to wind down.

Like the Zavir, the car is surprisingly thirsty, posting identical mileage figures of 24 mpg, and just like the Zavir, it annoyingly requires 93 grade fuel, or it’ll act up and make less power. Eh high running costs are par the norm for European offerings no?

What We Liked
Immense power, wonderful engine, great acceleration at the top end, dignified styling, very easy to drive, intelligent suspension, smooth dual clutch transmission

What We Didn’t
Immense cost of ownership, requires 93 grade fuel, poor quality standard tires, excessively loud engine, very stiff standard suspension settings but still lots of body roll

Erin Tauga X 3.3

Engine: 3.3 liter V6 NA
Power: 417 HP @ 8600 RPM
Torque: 371 NM @ 7100 RPM
Weight: 1690 kg
0-60: 4.3
Top Speed: 190 MPH
1/4 mile: 12.42 @ 117 MPH
Price as tested: $ 50,000

8 Likes

What is it with European makes’ obsession with 98RON (93 AKI) super unleaded? I suspect that 91 RON regular unleaded was phased out over there many years ago… though in real life, I wouldn’t mind paying extra for super unleaded if my car requires it.

They say in yurop 93 octane comes very cheap.

IDK about you but that extra 50 cents a gallon is going to creep up very very quickly. Especially since those two aren’t the most economical of cars.

@Deskyx Superb review, so well written and detailed. The comments you made on the Tauga were brilliant, so thank you very much for the feedback :smiley:

Quick note about this:

Where I live in the UK, we call this ‘Super Unleaded’ and it’s the standard type of Petrol available (95 RON). You can get 91 RON unleaded in some places but its rare to see that these days. And seeing as we’re a slightly arrogant British company, we wouldn’t dare consider that 95 RON petrol isn’t as available everywhere as it is in Great Britain :wink:

2 Likes

Same for Poland with the fuel. Although I have no idea where I could get 91 RON.

Edit: here was something wrong, so I deleted it. I didn’t notice that Deskyx meant price per gallon, not per litre :slight_smile:

Austalia qld per litre AUD
91 oct…$1.66
91oct e10…$1.60
95 premium…$1.78
98oct ultimate…$1.92
98oct e10…$1.84

1 Like

You mostly get ethanol free fuel? Its quite rare to see a gas station here in the US that offers that.

Holy crap your prices are about 25c/L worse than ours in Vic. That being said it jumped about 20c two weeks ago, why was that?