Latest news with #sportscars
Motor 1
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
In Defense of the Toyota GR Corolla Automatic
Some cars absolutely need a manual transmission. Buying an automatic Mazda Miata, for example, is an indefensible decision. The short-throw six-speed is a large part of what makes that sports car so iconic. I recently criticized the new Volkswagen Golf GTI for the same reason—it no longer offers a manual. The lone transmission is a seven-speed dual-clutch, and it's great, but it takes much of the charm away from a car so synonymous with rowing your own gears. Other sporty, affordable cars fall into a similar category; the Hyundai Elantra N, the Subaru WRX, and—as we've learned—the Toyota GR86 simply aren't as good with automatics. Or in Subaru's case, a CVT. The Toyota GR Corolla, though, is different. In fact, it might be just as good with an automatic—maybe even better. But before you reach for your pitchforks, hear me out. When Toyota originally launched the GR Corolla, the only transmission was a six-speed manual. It was an excellent gearbox—quick, responsive, and direct—but it limited the market to hardcore enthusiasts. While you can still buy the GR Corolla with a manual—and Toyota estimates that about 50 percent of its customers do—Toyota knew it needed to broaden the hot hatchback's appeal with an automatic option for 2025. And no, they didn't use some off-the-shelf ZF. Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 Instead, Toyota looked to its Gazoo Racing team. Through extensive motorsports testing—both on the rally stage and on the track—the GR Corolla's "Direct Automatic" eight-speed was born. It debuted first in the European GR Yaris before making its way to the US in the Corolla. Earlier this year, I spoke to Chief Engineer Naoyuki Sakamoto, who told me exactly what it took to bring the track-tested automatic transmission to a road car: "That automatic transmission was developed through motorsport activities. We took that transmission to the GR Yaris in Japan, and we joined the Japanese rally championship series… Then, we identified any problems in motorsport racing conditions. After that, we decided to apply that automatic transmission to the GR Yaris." Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 Sure, auto executives use phrases like "track-inspired" all the time, but in this case, Toyota engineers worked tirelessly to ensure that its automatic transmission actually felt like it was ripped from the track. And largely, it does. Testing it at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Texas, a few months back—a pretty nifty little club track tucked away deep in the hills of Texas—the Corolla auto instantly felt special. High-strung, eager to hang revs, and quick to shift through its short ratios, the eight-speed barely needed any of my help finding the right cog around the 2.7-mile track. In fact, Sakamoto encouraged me not to use the paddle shifters at first go as a way to really allow the gearbox to do its own thing. And flicking them the second time 'round didn't reveal any demonstrably better qualities. If anything, it only exposed my unfamiliarity with the track. But I digress… Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 'Toyota engineers worked tirelessly to ensure that its automatic transmission actually felt like it was ripped from the track.' Buyers should also be thrilled with the fact that the GR Corolla gets more torque from 2025, thanks largely to the new gearbox. Toyota upped the twist from 273 pound-feet last year to 295 pound-feet this year. The reality, though, is that only a small fraction of buyers will actually take their Corolla to the track. That's true of most sporty cars. Where you really want the Corolla to feel special is on the road—it should be just thrilling in a roundabout as it would be on Angeles Crest. In this respect, the GR Corolla succeeds better than most. The high-strung qualities that make this transmission such a darling on the track prove just as lovable on road. There's always torque when you need it, and a firm-enough press of the go pedal results in an immediate downshift followed by a wave of power. The buzzy three-cylinder doesn't sound half bad, either. Admittedly, the gearbox can feel a bit over-eager at times—like a golden retriever with too much energy. It doesn't necessarily need to be that on-edge for runs to the grocery store or trips to the doctor's office, but even in its most docile setting, there's really no turning it off. Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 But as opposed to something like the GTI's gearbox, which is mostly lifeless unless you're at the limit, the GR Corolla doesn't need a ridiculously twisty road or a super-fast piece of pavement to feel fun. Even when puttering around town, it's thoroughly enjoyable. That's what makes it so special. For some, there's no convincing them that an automatic—let alone a traditional torque-convertor, rather than a dual-clutch—is a better option than a manual. And I get that. But in a market where the manual is less desirable than ever, it's nice to have options—especially if those options could potentially open the door to a new generation of enthusiasts. Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Top Gear
12-08-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
11 great-handling used car heroes that are (reasonably) cheap to run
Advertisement Of course there's an MX-5. It's cheap to buy – particularly second-hand – with unrelenting reliability and frugal fuel economy. But beyond that, it's a fun car, regardless of how you drive it. If you just like to cruise, lovely. Want to enjoy the sensations of driving? Go right ahead. Want to go all-out and breach the limits of civility and traction? Easy: the front engine, rear-drive setup is made for such tomfoolery. Don't want an MX-5? Well, the Honda S2000, Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ still exist. Advertisement - Page continues below Hard as it might be to admit, the Clio suffers in comparison to the MX-5, GT86, S2000 and their ilk. Chiefly because those sports cars were made purely for driving enjoyment, while the Clio 182 started its life as a regular Clio. A simple city car, made for shopping runs, pensioners and learner drivers. And of course, this means the 182 will never be as responsive and alive, as entertaining to drive, or as much of a tail-out lunatic as a rear-drive sports car, right? Wrong. The little Clio capitalises on every upgrade in a way that shames anything bigger and ostensibly better. You might like For us, hot hatch perfection exists much closer to its roots – simple, practical, and with the ability to fit in any parking space as easily as any social situation. And, crucially, designed to extract the biggest fun at the smallest speeds. The MkV GTI is more than an enduring example of this hot hatch how-to list; it's real-world proof of the ingredients and recipe. Yes, you can alter it to taste, but the basic recipe still delivers the best results. And miles per gallon, now that we think of it. Advertisement - Page continues below A thorough reevaluation of the car itself – its size, shape, layout and mechanicals – in order to get more automobile from less material than anyone thought was possible. See also: Fiat 500. By now, the Mini's story is embedded in car-person canon. While practicality and parsimony defined its proportions, they also served another purpose: as a perfect platform for pure enjoyment. The i8's numbers alone make you feel like you're getting away with something you shouldn't. It has 370bhp and does 0-60mph in the four-second range, yet also manages 45mpg without any special effort on the driver's part. It's a proper two-door supercar with a cornucopia of carbon fibre, but it can also switch to EV mode and creep through town in the dead of night without disturbing a soul. And even though it packs a petrol engine, electric motor and battery pack under its overt flanks, it still only weighs 1,535kg in coupe form and 1,600kg for the gorgeous roadster. A lightweight by modern standards. Caterham... anything, really Polar opposites. It's the basis of any good buddy comedy, and about 300 bad ones. It also rather handily describes the BMW i8 and roughly anything in Caterham's line-up. When every layer of complexity risks insulating the driver from the experience of driving, Caterham solves the problem by avoiding it entirely. Build it small, build it light and include only what's truly necessary to have a good time. The Alpine A110 does things differently. Fundamentally it's a terrific car, a genuine exponent of light weight that makes you question the claims of almost every firm that says they build light cars. It tackles difficult roads with unflappable poise and agility. It's a non-threatening sports car that proves that you can reverse the trend towards bigger wheels, bigger brakes, more power and more weight and still have something capable and exciting. And there's not much that flows across country with so little effort and so little energy expended. Advertisement - Page continues below The final generation of MR2 stands alone as the perfect nexus of cheap, mid-engined and fun. Not easy to achieve, but easy to pick up for peanuts – at least in the UK. If you're an i20N driver, you might be wondering how a car we're touting as frugal manages to empty its tank so quickly. Helpfully that's a question we're actually qualified to answer... The answer is both simple and twofold. Firstly, the tank is so comically tiny, you'll be the only person at the petrol station who doesn't need to take out a new mortgage to brim their tank. Secondly – and perhaps more importantly – it's entertaining enough to forget how much this kind of fun costs these days. But even with the spirited driving that we indulged in on our road test, the i20N still managed 40mpg. It's an impossibly frugal, and nigh-on ineffably fun machine. Advertisement - Page continues below After years of practice and experience, humanity has pretty much figured out how to get good fuel economy. Light weight, slippery bodywork and small engines are pretty much the ABC of getting from A to B without too many Fs at the petrol pump. And the Elise couldn't nail this formula any better, so of course it earns its place here. But, as you may have been able to discern already, the Elise is a sports car. So what happens when you start driving in the manner a car like this practically begs for? Well, if you've picked up a Series 1 Elise you'll likely be hitting somewhere around the 40mpg mark. And, thanks to a mostly waterproof roof, it's not entirely outside the bounds of reality to consider using one as your only car. Half the job of a hot hatchback is to be, well, a hatchback. ST-ing a Fiesta doesn't impact on how good it is as standard: big boot, full complement of five seats, plenty of room, cheap running costs. You can choose three or five doors, too. Alright, you'll live under the 30mpg mark if you like to drive briskly (and you're making all those gratuitous gearchanges). But Ford quotes mid-40s in regular use. For a car with a sub-7.0sec 0-60mph time, that's damn good. See more on Hot Hatch
Auto Car
11-08-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Ready for a new lap time war? Porsche and AMG are readying their next track weapons
German pair's new turbo-powered track weapons are set to fight it out for the Nürburgring crown Close News Porsche and Mercedes-AMG are going to battle it out for the Nürburgring crown with a pair of track-honed, turbo-powered sports cars both created with one thing in mind: to claim lap records. From Stuttgart comes the third iteration of the GT2 RS, the model that has always marked the outer edge of the 911's performance capabilities – and insiders have told Autocar that the new one looks like it will raise the bar once again. Affalterbach's fighter comes in the form of a successor to the GT Black Series of 2022. Based on the current AMG GT that was launched in 2023, the newest variant will be previewed by the Concept AMG GT Track Sport that is expected to be revealed at September's Munich motor show. PORSCHE TO PUSH 911 EVEN FURTHER The most extreme road-going Porsche 911 yet is edging closer to production. Due to be unveiled this year before production starts in 2026, this is the third iteration of the nameplate since the first GT2 RS arrived in 2010. Prototypes feature aggressive new bodywork, including a drastically widened rear wing that gives it a race car-like stance that is more dramatic than that of earlier incarnations. Power for the GT2 RS will come from a new hybrid drivetrain derived from Porsche's Le Mans cars. Compared with the 691bhp Mk2 version, this will give the new GT2 RS a performance lift that will be vital for setting a lap record on the Nordschleife. The drivetrain will be centred around the 3.6-litre flat-six engine of the GTS T-Hybrid, the most powerful 911 on sale today, but it will be pushed further. In that car, the engine is supplemented by a single electronic turbo and a gearbox-mounted motor to deliver 534bhp and 450lb ft. The GT2 RS will add a second electronic turbo and a more powerful electric motor to target a combined output of at least 750bhp. One insider has suggested to Autocar that more than 800bhp is possible. Power will be sent exclusively to the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Torque is expected to exceed comfortably the 590lb ft of today's 911 Turbo S. Given the new architecture, it will be heavier than the previous 1470kg GT2 RS. Sources suggest a gain of around 60kg is likely, even with extensive use of carbonfibre, a reduction in sound insulation, the fitment of Perspex windows and the use of other lightweight trim elements. The aerodynamic package is set to be even more dramatic than that of today's 911 GT3 RS. At the centre of that is a more aggressive active rear wing that will build on the naturally aspirated sibling's 860kg of downforce at 177mph. It will also offer DRS-style rear wing stalling. To increase downforce further, the new GT2 RS will also sport a lower front diffuser and a host of air channels, the latter for improved stability at high speeds and inspired by Porsche's racing efforts. The ball-jointed suspension will build on the current GT3 RS's adjustable architecture and is likely to retain the eight-way adjustability of bump, rebound, diff lock and traction settings. Expect reworked calibration, broader track widths, stiffer anti-roll bars and a recalibrated rear-wheel steering system. Braking will be via carbon-ceramic discs as standard. While we've yet to see the cabin of the new GT2 RS, it will likely shift to the digital cockpit introduced in other newly facelifted 911 models, with options for roll cages, racing harnesses and CFRP-backed bucket seats. Porsche is also expected to continue to offer the Weissach package as part of its track-focused configuration options. Historically, the GT2 RS has served as the final evolution of each of 911's model generations and the pinnacle of the nameplate's performance. To hit the feats required by Porsche, the new GT2 RS will need to beat the Mercedes-AMG One's 6min 29.09sec Nordschleife record. That means shaving almost 10 seconds off the previous GT2 RS's best time. That's a massive leap in performance, requiring not only substantial gains in power and traction but also aerodynamics and chassis refinement. It also underscores just how serious Porsche's engineers are about extracting the full potential out of its longest-running production model. While pricing has yet to be confirmed, the new 911 GT2 RS is expected to exceed the £200,000 base of its predecessor. Porsche has already committed to continuing 'low-volume, high-emotion' models as part of the 911 line-up, with production set to be very limited. Before it arrives, however, Porsche plans to roll out hybrid versions of the 911 Turbo and Turbo S, which will serve as the technical forerunners for the 911 GT2 RS. BLACK SERIES TO RETURN? Up against the new Porsche 911 GT2 RS will be Mercedes-AMG's own track-honed lap-time chaser, which will be powered by a potent turbocharged V8. The new challenger will be previewed by the Concept AMG GT Track Sport. Also likely to be revealed at the Munich motor show in September, the concept is based on the second-generation AMG GT coupé that was launched in 2023. In its brief announcement, AMG didn't provide any technical details of the new concept but confirmed it previewed an 'expansion of the GT series' that would be powered by a V8. The production version of the concept will serve as the new flagship GT model and is likely to be seen as the successor to the AMG GT Black Series of 2022. AMG has said the new car will be designed to achieve lap records. The 2022 GT Black Series produced 730bhp from a highly modified version of AMG's twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8. That car's engine is the most powerful series-production V8 the German firm has made, but the showroom version of the new concept is expected to push beyond that output with its own V8. The most powerful variant of the second-generation GT range at present is the 603bhp track-focused Pro. The preview images of the new concept reveal its track-bred pedigree. It has a huge, GT3 racing-inspired rear wing, a chunky front diffuser and wide front and rear tracks. The news that it will be powered by a V8 also confirms AMG isn't yet done with combustion power, despite work being well under way on the creation of the first electric AMG GT, due for launch in 2027 and previewed by the recent 1341bhp Concept GT. Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. 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Auto Express
04-08-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Alpine had to go electric, but refuses to be boring
Alpine's decision to devote itself to electric cars hasn't pleased some of its most passionate fans or lovers of the phenomenal, petrol-powered A110 sports cars. However bosses tell us it was really the only way forward for the performance brand, which is working on ways to twist the laws of physics and drivers' emotions. Advertisement - Article continues below Speaking to Auto Express, Alpine design director Antony Villain explained: 'If we want to stay on ICE engine, to get the right engine with the right performance compared with super famous competitors, it will take years to catch up and will be super expensive. And at the same time, sports cars with an ICE engine in France, for instance, there's a €60,000 malus (government tax). 'With the price of the car plus malus, basically Porsche today doesn't sell any [sports cars] in France anymore. So we are doing the market; I think we have 98 percent of [the two-door coupe] market [in France].' Villain acknowledges that EV demand has been slowing, which has resulted in rivals Lotus having to shoehorn a new 'hyper-hybrid' powertrains into its cars. Porsche is also working on a new SUV featuring combustion and hybrid engines, to sit alongside the Macan Electric. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below But Alpine is showing no signs of wavering from its commitment to launch a pure-electric line-up of seven diverse models by the end of the decade. The only outlier will be the road-going version of the Alpenglow hypercar, which is getting a hybrid V6 powertrain. One key benefit of going electric, Villain points out, is: 'it's like a reset of know-how and everybody's coming back on the same basis, so we have much more opportunities to be competitive and to stay true [what Alpine is]. Advertisement - Article continues below 'Since the beginning, Alpine has not been an engine provider. Its sports cars made out of the best combination of existing engine and existing components, but cooked in a very different way, and I think we're staying true to this philosophy, and we think we can deliver an even better experience than the [current] A110.' A bold promise, but remember the boss of Alpine is Philippe Krief, who before taking the reigns in 2023 was responsible for the chassis of the astonishing Ferrari 458 Speciale, and was head of R&D at Maranello when Ferrari SF90 and 296 GTB plug-in hybrid supercars were born. In between all that, he also led the development of the Alfa Romeo Guilia and Stelvio. The new Alpine A390 offers proof that the company is trying to preserve its core principles. Despite being a spacious, five-seat 'Sport Fastback', based on the same platform as the Renault Scenic family SUV, underneath is a bespoke triple-motor set-up that delivers up to 464bhp and 808Nm of torque, plus 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds. But while it accelerates as hard as an A110 R, VP of product performance Sovany Ang knows that's 'not enough to make this car feel like an Alpine. It's really the agility, the lightness, that we're looking for.' Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Alpine is using lots of trickery to try and deliver this, but the most significant development is an active torque vectoring system that takes full advantage of the A390 having two e-motors on the rear axle and the one up front. The SF90 and 296 Krief masterminded use similar technology, and Ang promises it allows the 2.1-tonne head-turner to 'pivot around curves and be very stable in straight lines,' while also making it feel much lighter than it actually is. The next-generation A110, which will be electric and is going to be unveiled in October 2026, will also employ torque vectoring. But Alpine has gone several steps further than that, creating its own bonded-aluminium platform and developing innovative in-wheel electric motors that will drive the rear wheels. But perhaps most importantly, we've been promised the car is going to weigh less than 1,500kg – not a featherweight by traditional standards, about the same hefty as the Lotus Emira or a Porsche Cayman GT4 RS. The same architecture, technology and presumably the same in-wheel motors, will be used by the Alpine A310 coming later. Another model pulled from the brand's back catalogue, the new A310 will be a four-seat sports coupe, making it a direct rival, and zero-emissions alternative, to the almighty Porsche 911. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Of course, if you don't fancy an electric sports car, the current petrol-powered A110 is still available through our Find a Car service from around £55,000, with a dozen new models in stock around the UK, plus some used models too. Alternatively, there's the Alpine A290 hot hatch which is available to lease from just £315 per month . Ang tell us Alpine had a simple choice to make: 'we could have decided 'okay the [sports car/two-door coupe] segment is dead and we're not doing an A110 anymore, but we don't want that! We want the A110 to be durable and to continue to be the next icon in 70 years, and for that we have to play with what the technology on hand is today and the best way to achieve this kind of performance is the electric playground.' But once again, Alpine's focus with the electric A110 is not heartstopping acceleration. 'We're bringing soul and sensuality,' says Villain, 'it's not a cold machine.' Ang elaborated, 'from a performance point of view, there's no doubt electric is better. But from a sensuality point of view or your senses, we need to work so that we deliver probably not exactly the same [experience] as ICE cars, but new [experiences] that trigger those emotions that make us love sports cars.' As well as technology, this is a new era for Alpine design. Villain explained, while today's A110 that was relaunched the brand in 2017 was 'a bridge to the past', now 'we are entering in a new era and we have to project the brand in the future.' The Alpenglow hypercar concept established Alpine's new form language, which maintains the DNA of the brand's past models and still features some styling elements – like the four lights on the front, seen on both the concept, the A110 and A390 – but 'the way we sculpt the surface is much more modern, sharper.' 'There is a little weakness in the A110 styling-wise, which is that people appreciate it because it's cute. But some people don't buy it because it's cute. And that's a problem. So especially in the UK and Germany, we are missing a bit of assertiveness, aggressiveness, and sometimes the froggy aspect of the A110. We saw that and so we're trying to make a sharper design, but still keeping the sensuality.' Buy a car with Auto Express. Our nationwide dealer network has some fantastic cars on offer right now with new, used and leasing deals to choose from... Find a car with the experts Electric cars driven until they die: the truth about EV range Electric cars driven until they die: the truth about EV range Five EVs under £24k have joined Dacia's Spring on the UK market. How far can you go on a budget? We find out Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra slash electric car prices Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra slash electric car prices Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra aren't waiting around for the government grant by cutting £1,500 from their EV prices New MINI Cooper and MINI Aceman get the monochrome treatment New MINI Cooper and MINI Aceman get the monochrome treatment It's as simple as black and white for new MINI Cooper and MINI Aceman Monochrome
Motor Trend
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
There Will Be Blood: 2008 BMW M3 vs. Lexus IS F vs. Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
Life was Hard. Money was scarce. Competition was fierce, if not ruthless. Figure in a pinch of greed and an ounce of scandal. We're talking about the birth of the oil business in California, circa 1920. And, strangely enough, the car business, circa 2008. The BMW M3, Lexus IS F, and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG are compared as high-performance sport sedans. The M3 scores with balance and agility, C63 excels in speed and emotion, and the IS F is praised for its performance but lacks detail refinement. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article. Read Next Although the film that gave this story its name was nominated for Best Picture at the 80th Academy Awards, its literary inspiration was penned more than 90 years prior. Author (and later, California gubernatorial candidate) Upton Sinclair was born in Baltimore in 1878 and, at age 15, began writing dime novels to pay for his education. His breakthrough effort came in 1906, with the publication of "The Jungle," which portrayed the miserable health and working conditions in the meat-packing industry. But it was Sinclair's "Oil!" published in 1926 that paved the road for last year's smash flick, "There Will Be Blood." In the spirit of Sinclair's seminal novel, we gathered three fast, new-to-market, bloodthirsty sport sedans and set out for CenCal's oil country-although nobody died, was scammed out of his land, or amassed vast fortunes in the making of this road test. We also traveled east of the oil patch for a few laps around Reno-Fernley Raceway The members of our wildcatting trio are remarkably alike. Each wears its maker's performance brand: BMW's M, Mercedes-Benz's AMG, and the new F label from Lexus. All are four-doors with hopped-up V-8 engines. All have aggressive front and rear fascias, unique hood stampings, big cross-drilled disc brakes, flared fenders, aggressive rolling stock, lowered ride heights, HID lighting, and stiffer springs and shocks than their standard counterparts. Their racier cabins contain leather sport seats, power nearly everything, and buttons that give you varying levels of control over shock damping, throttle tip-in, automatic trans shift points (where applicable), and how much-or little-traction or stability management you wish. In the name of exclusivity, they're built in limited quantity, and all test out at around $63,000. BMW launched its M3 last fall in two-door form and unveiled the four-door variant shortly thereafter. It packs the same M-spec, 4.0-liter, 414-horsepower V-8 as the coupe. The sedan is about three inches shorter overall than the coupe but weighs about the same. A six-speed manual is the only transmission offered so far, but a dual-clutch automated manual joins the lineup later this year. The M3 has the least horsepower of the group, but carries the least weight per horsepower and the only one available with an honest-to-clutch stickshift. For some time, Lexus has threatened to launch a performance sub-brand, and it's signified by the letter F. Beneath the IS F's bulbous hood panel is a 5.0-liter V-8 rated at 416 horsepower. This engine-the largest offered in a Lexus passenger car-is backed by the same eight-speed automatic transmission as in the LS 460, but it's reworked for high-power duty, including a manual mode and paddle shifters on the steering wheel. All four fenders are flared, although the side vents in the front appear to be only for style. The IS F is this fight's middleweight contender in power and poundage. Mercedes-Benz has built several generations of super C, but none has put the right body together with the right engine at thesame time. Until now. The new-for-2008 C-Class is larger, wider, and more aggressive looking than before. And no more smallish V-8s or supercharged sixes for the AMG version; it gets the same purpose-built, 6.2-liter V-8 you'll find in an E, S, or R-Class AMG model, although detuned to "just" 451 horsepower. Behind it sits a seven-speed automatic trans-SpeedShift in AMG speak-which offers Comfort, Sport, and Manual modes. The C63 has a 1.4-inch-wider track than standard C-Classes and an exhaust note that'll vibrate your sternum in a good way. At 4004 pounds (with a full tank), the Mercedes is the heaviest, but most powerful, gas-burner here. Hurtling the C63 down the quarter mile is like firing a Government Model Colt 45. The result is rewarding in an explosive sense. Mercedes-Benz quotes 0-to-60 in 4.3, but just the right launch technique yielded a best time of 4.1 seconds. That's on par with 8.0-liter Dodge Vipers of just a decade ago. Set in Sport mode, the transmission shifts quickly, right at redline, with no slop between gears. The four oval exhaust outlets bellow like a polished Pro Stocker. There's torque all over the C63's tach, and although there are seven ideally spaced ratios from which to choose, the AMG V-8 could get by with two. The Lexus V-8 also sounds and feels like a thoroughbred. It's the lowest revver of the bunch, with a 6800-rpm redline versus the Mercedes' 7200 and the BMW's sonorous 8300-rpm rev limit. It's quiet at part throttle, but sharpens and deepens as your foot flattens, especially above 3800 revs. The eight-speeder makes more gear changes than do the others, but seldom feels like it's hunting. Put this one in Sport mode and the shifts come with a firm wallop. Downshifts include an electronic rev blip to avoid shocking the chassis. With displacement and horsepower in between those of the Germans, the IS F's midrange punch feels about midway as powerful, too. With less torque, a wider rpm band, and a manual tranny, you'd expect the M3's driving experience to be somewhat distinct from the others. And it is. You don't have to rev it like you stole it, but that's where the joy is found. The engine, derived from the M5's V-10, still has enough grunt for low-speed, around-town work. The intake and exhaust noises are as much V-12 as V-8 and blend at higher rpm to make one beautiful noise. The clutch is light, and take-up is linear. Today's BMW shifters are what they are: not mushy, but with a disconnected feel about them, as if the stick were the size of a straw. We'd wish for something more like what you'd find in a Porsche Carrera, Mitsu Evo, or MX-5. But you always hit the right gear, the ratio spacing is spot on, and there is a certain portion of the enthusiast driving public that still prefers stirring their own transmission. It's just as quick to 60 as the larger-displacement IS F. Steering feedback and response are everything in a car like this. Mercedes steering used to feel as if it were plugged into curing cement, but no more. The C63's turn-in is crisp, with plenty of honest feedback and a meaty feel. Lexus equips the IS F with electric power steering, which isn't as organic as a good hydraulic system. It's fine for normal to moderate driving, but loses sensitivity when you're really honking it. The IS F's cornering abilities are impressive, but the car understeers heavily at the limit, and the wheel feels disconnected at that point. The BMW's tiller is about as quick as the others but a bit lighter. Its communication is even clearer than the C63's, with plenty of true road feel. Constant grip levels range between 0.95 g (Lexus and Mercedes) to 0.97 for the BMW, so call this area a tie. Braking is much the same, with just a five-foot spread covering the three cars. Real-world driving reveals the differences. The C63 is a good overall handler, with a stiffish, performance-oriented ride. It corners well, lets you know where it's going, and will happily stick its tail out if provoked. It's well pinned down during mid-corner bumps and, as is typical of AMG-spec Mercedes-Benzes, its high-speed stability is faultless. This model is speed limited to 155 mph, but next year's will get an option that banishes the electro-speed nanny: 185 should be easy. The IS F feels aggressive yet poised unless you're pushing it. It stays neutral right until its cornering limits and then plows hard. High-speed mid-corner bumps will unsettle it a bit, but again only when really on it. As you'd expect of any Lexus, it has a polished ride, but it's not dumbed down or mushy, either. Wind noise is minimal, and it's the quietest of the pack. Balance is again the word that describes the M3. It was the quickest through our figure-eight test, which combines acceleration, braking, transition cornering, and grip. The BMW is the most agile and athletic of the bunch. It tells you everything you want to know and has high limits. It's the most fun on a road course, yet is never rough-edged or jarring. The M3 shucks off mid-corner bumps, has great stability at speed, and is the most neutral handler among this group. While this is no cupholder comparo, it's worth talking about a few important driver touch points. Two areas stand out here: seats and steering wheels. In keeping with its ballsy nature, the C63 has firm, thickly bolstered front buckets. A few said they're too hard, too aggressive for the street, yet they were everyone's favorite when on the racetrack. The BMW's seating is comfy for street work, but doesn't have enough support to keep you planted during really hard cornering. Rookie Lexus's chairs are a reasonable compromise between the two. Everyone loves the Mercedes' steering wheel. It's squared off at the bottom, like a DTM racer's, is thickly padded with dimpled leather at the handgrip areas, and has easy-to-reach shifter paddles. The IS F's isn't as thick or stylish, but works well. The M3's wheel looks good, too, but is wrapped in smoothly finished leather that lacks grip. The BMW's cabin is somber, or businesslike, depending on how you view it, but we liked the carbon-fiber patterned leather that adorned the I.P. and armrests. Lexus fell a few steps short inside. The console and other areas are splashed with an aluminized carbon-fiber-looking stuff that won't be to everyone's taste. And the nav screen and buttons come right out of the Prius, although the setup works well enough. The Mercedes features a foldaway screen that's out there when you want it, hidden when you don't. Its all-business cabin is splashed up by racy-looking pedal trim. Besides the track testing and numbers grinding, it's comments made by two staffers that rendered the ranking. Kim Reynolds says, "The Lexus and the Mercedes feel like performance versions created out of something else. The M3 feels like it was born this way." Ed Loh's summary is even more succinct: "The Lexus and Mercedes are great hot-rod sedans. The M3 is a race car with four doors." Lexus is new to this game, yet has delivered a fast, edgy, credible piece from a company most known for quiet and beautifully crafted, if uninvolving, luxury sedans. A couple of clunky design elements let it down, and its steering and suspension calibrations aren't as well synthesized at the limit as the others. As the IS F costs no less than the German duo, there's no value card to be thrown. But we're picking nits, and we know the brand's next effort will be fully class-competitive. The Bad Benz won a lot of hearts. It's the quickest in a straight line, second fastest in road-course work, and stops the shortest, too. The C63's fierce accel and Howitzer exhaust note are reason enough to own it. This sophisticated, four-wheeled pit-bull spews emotion, knows what it is, and won't care if everyone likes its edgy nature or not. BMW's magnificent M3 is the newest in a 20-plus-year line and is the best one yet. A performer by any measure, and its best-in-test times on the racetrack and through our figure-eight test demonstrate that its various aspects work together better than the others. The BMW is lithe and athletic yet never punishing, and it comes in a package you can use and enjoy every day. The fact that it's also offered in a coupe and upcoming convertible, and soon with a choice of two enthusiast-minded transmissions, means "M3" is a driving philosophy, not just a single model. Good enough to draw first blood. 1st Place: BMW M3 Speed, balance, and athleticism converge in today's best compact, high-performance sport sedan. 2nd Place: MERCEDES-BENZ C63 AMG A solid, emotive machine that works as everyday transport-and accelerates like a first-gen Viper. 3rd Place: LEXUS IS F Lexus's first effort in this category is a good one, lacking in only the finest of details.
