[USA] Alfa Romeo 4C 2015

[nubironaSW]

Sui commenti della pagina di Motor Authority si ripetono con una certa (e preoccupante) frequenza le parole "ugly" e "shit"... :S (eppure ha 2 portabicchieri e il cambio automatico, che altro vogliono?)

La vogliono più tamarra, 8v, almeno 500 cv e che costi la metà...

sono parecchiopreoccupata che in America sarà un flop totale anche se ne dovranno vendere non più di 1000/anno, suppongo.

[pennellotref]

Video-recensione del New York Times:

http://nyti.ms/1uHnWpp

[pennellotref]

2014 Motor Trend's Best Driver's Car - Motor Trend All Pages

2014 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car

Best Of Times: This Year's Competitor's Are Better Than Ever

By Motor Trend Editors | Photos By William Walker, Michael Shaffer, Julia LaPalme, Robert Guio | From the November 2014 issue of Motor Trend |

It was the best of times, it was the worst … Oh, who am I kidding? Best Driver's Car is always the best of times. It's that special time of year when we gather all of the hottest, best-handling, performance-first new vehicles on sale in the USA and do impossibly cool things with them. Like having our pals at the California Highway Patrol shut down a 4-mile stretch of one of the Golden State's great roads as we run up and down it. We also invade Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca -- this year for three days with 62 people! -- where pro shoe Randy Pobst whips all the contenders around the 2.2-mile track. Finally, we line 'em all up and drag race 'em because -- to quote Angus MacKenzie -- we can. More on Motortrend.com:

TOTD: Which Sporty Runabout Would You Choose?

To wit, and in alphabetical order, here's this year's cohort: Alfa Romeo 4C, BMW i8, BMW M4, Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Ford Fiesta ST, Jaguar F-Type R Coupe, Nissan GT-R Nismo, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Subaru STI, and Volkswagen GTI. Something for everyone in every possible configuration, no? And for every budgetØ -- $25K up to $190K. How can a hopped-up, tuner-friendly hatchback like the Fiesta ST compete with a plug-in hybrid supercar like the i8? Quite easily, as it turns out. Because Best Driver's Car isn't simply about numbers. If it were, we'd bring in a $1,000,000 ringer like the Porsche 918 Spyder and call it a day. Instead, Best Driver's Car is, and always has been, all about determining which new car is the best to drive on both a canyon road and a racetrack. Sadly, older cars are ineligible; otherwise the first-gen Mazda Miata would have embarrassed quite a few of the newbies.

Where's my favorite car? Reasons it might not be here.

How we test

Now, your particular favorite sports car probably isn't in this test. Why not? First of all, we limit each year's BDC to performance machines that are either new or significantly updated for 2014. The cars also have to be available, either currently on sale or in a manufacturer's fleet. That's why there's no 2015 Mustang, Corvette Z06, Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, or Porsche GT3. Worst of all, sometimes we ask and the carmakers say no. We want a Ferrari 458 Speciale to compete more than you do. But even with a few absentees, this year's event was Christmas in July. Any guesses as to the winner? Keep reading. -- Jonny Lieberman

We take many precautions during BDC. We hire California Highway Patrol officers to shut down Highway 198 during our road looping, and order EMTs for our days at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Before we even leave our garage, we try to make sure every car is protected as well. We ask each manufacturer to supply a clear plastic protector for the vehicles they send, to guard against stone chips and road debris. If they can't, we supply it for them, with help from our friends at Southern California-based Service Group Distribution, distributors of Nano-Fusion Paint Protection Film. It's not easy getting this stuff on—even an expert technician needs up to two hours to wrap a hood, fender, and bumper package—but it's worth it. Our visuals crew loved that the clear bras did not alter the paint color of the vehicles and made cleaning up road grime and bug splatters a breeze. For added protection, we asked Service Group Distribution (SGD : Welcome) to apply a similar film to the windshields of our contenders to guard against stones kicked up during the shooting of our notorious "World's Greatest Drag Race." The end result? Not one cracked windshield or sandblasted bumper.

Randy Pobst, donning a GoPro helmet cam, entered the MRLS record books -- again.

10th Place: Volkswagen Golf GTI

Saving the Best (Pocket Rocket) for Last

By: Ron Kiino Let's start by answering the first question on your mind: Why didn't we include the 290-hp, all-wheel-drive, 4.9-seconds-to-60 Golf R? Trust us, we begged and pleaded with the powers that be at VW, but, alas, they couldn't get us one in time. (The R doesn't go on sale until the first quarter of 2015.) We were left with the next best thing: the 220-hp, front-drive, 5.9-seconds-to-60 Golf GTI. Not a shabby consolation prize, especially considering it was hot off the heels of winning our most recent performance-compact shootout. But around such legendary nameplates as STI, GT-R, 911, and Z/28, the latest iteration of the original pocket-rocket could muster only last place. It's important to keep proper perspective here. Dead last here simply equates to the 10th most remarkable performance machine, which is to say a damn fine driver's car. No doubt, this new Mk VII is the best GTI ever, and the following objective stats back up that claim: 0.92g lateral acceleration, 25.4-second figure eight, and 103 feet from 60 to 0.

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To boot, Motor Trend pro racer Randy Pobst admired its capabilities at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, though he noted it's still some percentage points shy of being a true track tool. "The Mk VII engine is a clear step forward -- smoother, with better high-rev breathing. The chassis has been improved, now happy at about 90 percent of race pace, where it used to be 80. It's better than the Mk VI in just about every measurable way. The steering in the VW is really good. I like the feel. I like the weight of it. It's just enough heft and real communicative. And I did not get any brake fade, which I recall was pretty common in the GTI before. Another thing I noticed was on power the car's understeer is minimal for a front-wheel-drive car. Where the GTI suffers on track is from a lack of front-strut travel, exacerbated by a rather comfort-oriented soft suspension setup." Similar to the demanding twists and turns of MRLS, on our closed section of squiggly California Route 198 awesomeness, that softer suspension had its pros and cons. Per tech editor Frank Markus, "Compared with the Fiesta, this is a relaxed-fit driver's car. The suspension is WAY more compliant; much more of a GT hot hatch. But the big bumps near the top sent this baby pogo-ing badly at 92 mph -- just way more body motion than anything else I've driven here yet." Lago echoed those thoughts: "The GTI maintained impressive speed on 198 and behaved nicely mid-corner. Steering felt accurate, and I quite enjoyed hustling it up the road. I didn't run into much obvious stability control intervention. I was disappointed in how soft it was over the 'yumps,' but appreciated that ride quality on the drive back to Los Angeles. This is an excellent, grown-up daily driver. I keep calling it a front-drive grand tourer, if such a thing could exist." Our $31,410 dual-clutch GTI SE, whose only option was the $1495 Performance Pack (10 extra hp, larger brakes, and a limited slip), represented strong value, trailing only the $24,985 Fiesta ST in this year's steal department. Regardless of price, the Ford, much more so than the VW, proved to epitomize the cliché: Drive it like you stole it.

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Facial Analysis

"Randy is so calm while driving it, suggesting that it's easy to drive. He's visibly pleased when he realizes he likes the GTI; upset when debating its cons on the track." What is the Map of Emotions? Click here to find out. 9th Place: Jaguar F-Type R Coupe

Like Carl Lewis in Stilettos

By: Frank Markus

Remember that 1994 Pirelli ad campaign featuring Carl Lewis (then the fastest man on Earth) poised in the starting block wearing stiletto heels, with the tag line: "Power is nothing without control"? A week spent driving this F-Type R coupe had that Annie Leibovitz image flashing in my mind, as this is one car that needs a whole lot more inherent, engineered-in control. Sure, the electronic chaperone can douse the 550-hp fire-breather's wheelspin, but a better-engineered tire and chassis setup wouldn't lean quite so heavily on the electronics to maintain control -- nor would it allow the body to bound around so much on lumpy pavement. Please note that our test car DOES wear Pirelli P Zeros. Logbook entries from the first day of ardent driving on our closed section of California Route 198 echoed this theme repeatedly. Said Lago: "Best Drift Car of the group, that's for sure, edging out the M4." Detroit editor Scott Burgess added: "Straight lines: This car is fantastic. Add a turn or two and it's not." Associate editor Christian Seabaugh: "Wickedly quick and fun to drive, but ultimately I wish it were a bit sharper. Why doesn't Jag have a Formula Drift program?" Those who wisely kept the stability control engaged saw lots of warning lamps, and those who dared switch it off typically ended up like associate editor Scott Evans: "I'm constantly worried the rear end may try to step out. It didn't, but it threatens to. I braked for corners where I would've just lifted in the other cars."

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A race car driver with Randy Pobst's chops and experience should be able to achieve a car's best performance with stability systems off, but the first thing out of Randy's mouth when he climbed out of the Jag was, "You know, I probably should have tried a lap with the stability control on." It took him three laps to get one without a big hairy (and time-consuming) slide, and by then the tires were pretty hot. "It has so much oversteer. It has entry oversteer. It has mid-corner oversteer. It has insane power oversteer, which we've seen in virtually every Jaguar I've driven except the XKR-S GT. It's a lot of fun and it makes for great video, but it's insane," he said, adding, "The steering is fantastic … you have to use it a lot." Randy's suggestion for the engineers or privateers thinking of tracking their F-Type Rs: "Soften the rear springs, add front anti-sway bar, go to a bigger rear tire, and add toe-in to the rear alignment." Or how about just don't expect it to chase down 911 Turbos? Leave all the nannies on, relax, and bask in the "it's good to be bad" exhaust note. It's almost more of a rattle than a thrum, all tenor, no bass. It'll never be confused for a Camaro. Oh, and save the $12 grand on the carbon-ceramic brakes. They work great, never fading during lapping, but the rest of the car is so ill-suited to racetrack work that the brakes make no sense. And because we mortal drivers felt no more comfortable pushing it on the road than Randy did on the track, it was consigned to ninth.

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Facial Analysis

"While predominately stressed and tense, Randy isn't alarmed or alert. He's thoroughly enjoying himself drifting in the first turns, overriding the normal stress." What is the Map of Emotions? Click here to find out.

8th Place: BMW i8

BMW’s Carbon-Fiber Future Has Wings

By: Scott Burgees Dramatic, lightweight, and arriving with a futuristic plug-in hybrid powertrain, the BMW i8 garners more gawkers than Justin Bieber at a Dave & Buster's. Everyone wants to look at it, touch it, and coo over the winged doors, which you can open as you pull into any parking lot to add to the drama. The i8 deserves every bit of attention it gets. Its sumptuous exterior closely resembles the concept vehicle we've been seeing for the past four years. It also surprised a lot of editors with its mettle on the road. "It felt extremely light, very small, with immediate reactions," said Nate Martinez. Christian Seabaugh opined,"The i8 is the first of the current-gen BMWs to actually feel like a Bimmer should to me -- "I love the sculpture of it and the extreme styling," said Randy Pobst. "I think that's a wonderful thing, and the world needs more of it." Indeed, BMW's i Division has dialed up a great mix of power, technology, and gritty handling with the i8. The copious use of carbon fiber all around the vehicle, including in the passenger compartment, plays a key role in creating such a stiff body. The aluminum subframe adds to the car's lightness. (It weighs 3378 pounds.)

All this helps the i8 glide over most bumps and provides great handling through most corners. It's fun. However, many editors noted the car's very light electric power steering and awkward regenerative braking. Those idiosyncrasies mean it might take some time to really learn how to wring it out. The gas-electric powertrain takes even more time to understand. There is the three-cylinder turbocharged engine that creates 228 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque for the rear axle. Then the front gets 129 hp and 184 lb-ft from an electric motor, and a tiny rear motor adds 8 more hp. Combined, 357 hp and 420 lb-ft stand at the ready. However, not all of that power is always available. The i8 carries a lithium-ion battery pack with a usable capacity of 5 kW-hrs that when fully charged provides roughly 18 miles of gas-free driving. But we had difficulty keeping that charge very long. The i8, when driven hard, has a tendency to drain the batteries quickly. In Sport mode, the engine always stays on and will send a charge to the batteries, but it's a small charge at best. On the track, the i8's batteries drained quickly, causing it to have a 6-second time difference between its first and third lap. Simply put: It ran out of juice. But most people will never push this nearly $140,000 car that hard and should, therefore, have more than enough battery to keep those front wheels spinning. Civilians need only mash the accelerator and enjoy the slightly stereo-amplified exhaust note that sounds superb for a three-banger in the trunk. (That's why the trunk is barely big enough to fit a single carry-on bag.) The i8 points to a bold and distinctive future for BMW and sports cars in general in terms of powertrains and materials. It's just not quite good enough to rank as the Best Driver's Car of the present.

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Facial Analysis

"Randy is tense and alert rather than alarmed and stressed, which may suggest it's easier to drive. He begins to critique it while driving. It's the most exciting hot lap for him." What is the Map of Emotions? Click here to find out.

7th Place: Subaru WRX STI

We Like Continual Improvement

By: Scott Mortara Past STIs have a driving characteristic I always loved: As you go into a corner, the car rolls a little and then takes a set. You steer with the wheel and throttle so you can set up the corner exit, where you can just flat-foot it out. The car has always been more capable than it felt. But this new STI eliminated that body roll -- which I initially missed --making it one of the most composed vehicles we tested. "So buttoned down," said Frank Markus. "It feels like a proper supercar disguised as an econosedan." Driving the STI around town doesn't do it any justice. It doesn't beat you up, but this car's home is on a twisty road, and California Route 198 is the perfect winding road to play on for a day. All most editors could say about the STI was how much better it feels than the last generation. The car feels much more stable, more in control at higher speeds. Another talking point on the STI was the shifter -- very short throws, but also very notchy. The gearing is also too short for 198. You're doing a lot of shifting, and you're either too high in the revs in third or too low in fourth. A few people expressed disappointment that Subaru has yet to give any power increase to its potent turbo flat-four. We know this engine can put out a lot more power, as we have seen in non-U.S.-bound versions of the STI. Unfortunately, for some reason, Subaru wants to keep the STI reined in for us in the States. With a tad more power, this would be an even more enjoyable driver's car.

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We picked Route 198 for numerous reasons, one of which is how the surface is constantly changing; this is definitely not a smooth, clean track like MRLS. This road tells you a lot about the vehicle you're driving. Casual city driving gives you the impression that the STI is a stiff vehicle. But once out on 198, that stiffness turns into road-hugging, bump-absorbing, sure-footed awesomeness. The STI instills confidence; you find yourself driving quickly without even trying. It wasn't until Pobst hit the track that we discovered that the adjustable center differential actually does make the car act differently. Through a little trial and error, he clicked the diff all the way plus, but not to full lock. "The car freed up tremendously; it started drifting on the way into corners," Pobst said. Once the brakes cooled, I went out to do a few laps of my own. The first lap was in the default center-diff setting. Then I put it in Randy mode, and what a difference it made. Going into the corners, the front end didn't push anymore. I could feel the rear get light, but not squirrelly, and then it rotated going through the corner without me having to manipulate it with the throttle or wheel. Subaru has reinvented the STI multiple times, but this is, by far, the best version yet. It's the same, but different, in a very good way. What we lost in character with the loss of body roll, the STI more than made up for in improved overall driving enjoyment. Now just give us more power.

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Facial Analysis

"Randy is tense but not stressed, suggesting it's easy to drive. He visits both poles of emotion—happy exiting the Corkscrew, but subtly sad heading for the finish." What is the Map of Emotions? Click here to find out.

6th Place: Ford Fiesta ST

Driver's Party Piece

By: Carlos Lago The Fiesta isn’t the smallest Best Driver’s Car contender, but it is the least powerful. It has the smallest overall tire footprint and the best non-hybrid fuel economy rating. It costs the least. It seats five. And it looks like a rental car. It’s also the highest-placing front-drive entrant in Best Driver’s Car history. Its greatest strength is its effect on the driver. “How can you not love this little scamp?” said Christian Seabaugh. Senior features editor Jonny Lieberman agrees: ”I bought one!” The Fiesta represents not only the best fun-per-dollar ratio of this group, but perhaps in the entire new car market. Few cars inspire such giggling and reckless behavior. How fast can we take that off-ramp? How long can I stand on the throttle through these corners? Is that a jump? Let’s find out. With modest grip and power, not to mention the second-lowest weight of the group, the Fiesta offers easily approachable limits. Combined with aggressively bolstered seats, a great shifter, and good induction noise, the car’s eagerness makes you want to play hard. And on the outside? Stealth styling and a muted exhaust mean the Fiesta flies -- very quickly -- under the radar. The Fiesta requires no fussing around with electronic adjustments or settings. Just turn off stability control and go for it. In a great example of how front-drive street cars can handle, the rear just hints at rotation when you press hard, but it doesn’t do big slides unless provoked. And it’s tremendous fun when it does. “It simultaneously feels like it’s driving right on the edge of the tires, but always has plenty more grip,” said Scott Evans. Randy Pobst called it an “overachiever.” Head honcho Edward Loh said, “It’s one of those cars that you find yourself shifting repeatedly and changing lanes in for no reason.”

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Considering the price and equipment, it isn’t surprising that the Fiesta lapped Mazda Raceway slower than the rest of the field. At 1:51.25, it matches the pace set by the Subaru BRZ from Best Driver’s Car 2012 and falls 1.95 seconds slower than the more powerful Focus ST from last year. Despite the lap time, Pobst said the Fiesta reminded him of the cars he started racing in, especially the Rabbit GTI, but that “the Fiesta has far less body roll and far more power than those old things did. The Fiesta ST was a joy. I could stick it in there and know where the car was going to go. I can drive it right to within an inch of the edge of the track. It drifts the tail entering corners the way the GTi should. The shocks control properly, resulting in a tossable playtoy on and off the competition surface.” The Fiesta survived hot lapping with its brakes intact, something the Focus didn’t do last year. (It left on a flatbed.) Ford attributes this to a combination of the Fiesta’s lower weight and torque output, which means its brake-actuated torque-vectoring system has less work to do. A car this inexpensive placing this high in Best Driver’s Car is remarkable, and some wondered why it didn’t place even higher. When it comes to fun, the Fiesta ST is a giant-killer. Its ranking is a testament to the sheer quality of the competition this year.

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Facial Analysis

"Randy's most tense lap, but this doesn't mean it's the most difficult; he's not alarmed or stressed, which are more negative emotions." What is the Map of Emotions? Click here to find out.

5th Place: BMW M4

Monstrous Motor Meets Magnificent Manners

By: Jonny Lieberman “This thing’s gotta make 500 horsepower.” That thought kept echoing around my brain every time I floored the pedal in the shiny new (and oddly colored) BMW M4. The acceleration feels like a Corvette Stingray, but on paper the C7 Corvette makes 40 more ponies (than the M4’s new 425-hp 3.0-liter, twin-turbo inline-six) and weighs about 150 pounds less. Still, the bigger, heavier, Bavarian feels just as fleet. But is it? Close, but not quite. The Stingray hits 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, while the M4 requires 4.0. However, look at the quarter-mile numbers. The Chevy needs 12.0 seconds flat at 118.4. The BMW takes 12.2 seconds at 117.8 mph. Power-wise, the new BMW M4 is a monster. Here’s what Carlos Lago had to say: “It’s just so fast! Holy torque! In M Dynamic Mode, I saw the stability control light flashing constantly. Even in third and fourth gears! Intervention wasn’t pronounced, but it was amusing to see that light blinking endlessly.” Agreed. Now, that’s in a straight line. How about everywhere else? The most important thing you need to know before purchasing an M4 is that you absolutely have to check the Adaptive M Suspension option box. While the standard suspension is supposed to be equivalent to the active dampers in Sport, it ain’t. Moreover, the base suspension feels floaty and bouncy. The adjustable suspension is better all around, no matter the mode. Says bossman Edward Loh, “Adaptive dampers make this thing feel so much better than [stock]. M redemption comes in coupe form.”

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The M4 is the best-driving M Division product in years, easily eclipsing even the pretty dang great M6 Gran Coupe. This becomes especially true when it’s time to make the snot yellow coupe’s rear end dance. “Love how this car rotates mid-turn,” says Kiino. “Get on the gas, and the rear end just shoots you around -- minimal understeer, no drama.” BMW did an admirable job of allowing the chassis to slip just enough before the rear tires regain their purchase. Totally sweet, and more so on the track than on the street. Randy Pobst explains, “I have renewed respect for the capability of this latest M coupe, and it is a giant step forward from the peaky and pushy E92 M3. The shocks in Sport Plus are track-firm and effective, and the fat, flexible, and generous torque curve makes for delicious, all-natural managed oversteer as it powers out of corners. That’s a driver’s car right there. Usable power-oversteer. And they even made it rumble a little.” Why didn’t the M4 finish even higher, then? The steering’s a little odd, for one. “I couldn’t get used to the adjustable steering,” says Nate Martinez. “I found it to be too much on either end of the spectrum -- too light or too heavy.” As much as we all dig the adaptive suspension compared to stock, on imperfect, non-track surfaces, the M4 is still squirmy. “While it’s not nearly as wild over the bumps,” says Scott Evans, “the M4 still moves around more than I’d like. Needs to be a little more buttoned-down.” True, true. The quibbles are small, however. The BMW M4 is one hell of a great driver’s car. Trouble is, this year’s field is especially gifted.

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What is the Map of Emotions? Click here to find out. Facial Analysis

"Randy is predominately tense and alarmed. He's upset after many of the turns, in much the same way as he was in the GT-R."

4th Place: Nissan GT-R Nismo

The Sharpest Knife in Nissan's Block

By: Nate Martinez We've admired the GT-R for years. Back in 2008, it was an alien in a segment replete with similar-looking, equal-performing, pricier choices. It was, and always has been, a beast. Each year, Nissan refined its sound recipe, but this year Nismo did the tinkering. And, amazingly, it successfully dialed up the feel. "This is the first GT-R since the original that's left me in awe," noted Carlos Lago. "This is also the first special edition where I've noticed a difference from other GT-Rs." Its thin Alcantara-wrapped helm is connected to a revised hydraulically assisted setup that communicated California Route 198's nuances clearly. "The steering feels the most pronounced," continued Lago. "It offers good feedback and accuracy, making this large heavy car easy to point around."

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It wowed us with its distinctly sharper foothold. Nismo replaced the Bilstein DampTronic dampers and springs with versions of its own, upped the front caster-trail, and installed a thicker 17.3mm hollow rear stabilizer bar. Half-inch wider front wheels, Nismo-spec Dunlops, larger diameter hub bolts, and Super GT-inspired body boosted stability and grip. Frank Markus added: "This is a physics-defying magic machine. It feels like I'm going 10 to 15 mph faster everywhere on 198 than I am in anything else. Its brakes are phenomenal. Grip is otherworldly. I saw the cornering g-force meter reading somewhere between 1.0 to 1.5 g." GT3-derived turbos give it a meatier mid-range. Its 600 horses and 481 lb-ft were always at the ready, yet the higher output didn't shove us as tenaciously into the Recaros as we expected. The lackluster straight-line gravitas was most likely because of the 91 octane fuel we were forced to use; the Nismo is tuned for 93 and above. "Perhaps my expectations were too high, but, to me, the new Nismo felt like … a GT-R," wrote Lieberman. "Faster? Not really, as evidenced by our testing." On MRLS, Randy noted it was "very stable" and called it "the strongest GT-R ever on power." He was able to "run the corkscrew harder than I did in any other car" but he did notice corner entry understeer. He felt the brakes and tires needed further attention, too. "It puts down power well," he said. "It does not push on the exits, which I love, but it was pushing on the entry. Like, a lot. Something about the car doesn't like deceleration, and I think it's in the differentials, because when you go to the power, it's a different car. It frees right up and it just feels like it's going a lot faster through the corner." Even so, he clocked 1:35.51 -- the quickest car this year. That also makes it the speediest GT-R we've ever had at Madzda Raceway Laguna Seca, beating last year's Track Edition by more than a second. "I think it would be faster, but it needs thicker tires," Randy continued. "They're not extreme enough … I didn't get (brake) fade. I just didn't have enough bite." Although the Nismo's comfort, drivability, sharpness, and feel have been honed exceptionally well, it lacked the high caliber of effortless finesse BDC victors have always possessed. Yet we'll be the first to confirm that the Nismo is without a doubt the most fun and most impressive road-going GT-R ever.

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Facial Analysis

"Randy exhibits the full battery of attentive emotions (alert, tense, and stressed) though he's less alarmed. Exiting later turns, these expressions last longer." What is the Map of Emotions? Click here to find out.

3rd Place: Porsche 911 Turbo S

The King is Dead Third

By: Edward Loh Let me get this straight, you're probably saying. The car with the best weight-to-power ratio (6.4 pounds per hp), the one quickest to 60 mph (2.7 seconds) and through the quarter mile (10.9 seconds) does not win Best Driver's Car? The very same car that laps Mazda Raceway a stunning 3.6 seconds faster than last year's winner does not even place second? Even though it has a Porsche badge on its nose and 911 on its butt, like the last two winners? Say what? Says who? Well, just about everyone. Every driver who spanked the Turbo S ranked it third, save Scott Burgess and Frank Markus, whose fourth- and second-place votes canceled each other out. All heaped praise upon the $193,000, 560-hp slot car for its flat-out speed, confidence-inspiring demeanor, and refinement. "The speed, the smoothness, the composure, the torque, the looks, the comfort—nearly everything about the Turbo S is effortless," said Nate Martinez. Scott Evans concurred: "What a sublime machine. It just begs you sweetly to drive faster and faster. It doesn't quite have the raw sense of acceleration like the GT-R, but it's so much more graceful." Grace is not pace, however, and the Turbo S was the fastest thing around Mazda Raceway, until the heavier but more powerful GT-R Nismo edition nicked it by a tenth of a second. Still, speed is not everything.

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"After getting out of the GT-R I didn't think there was any possible way the 911 could be better than Godzilla," said Seabaugh. "I was wrong … it's undoubtedly a better all-around package. Whereas the GT-R is a machete, the 911 is a scalpel." Several editors credited this sharpness to the racing shoes the Turbo S was wearing. "There is always an intimate awareness of where this car's feet are and what they're doing. Inspires a lot of confidence on these racing tires," said Markus. Racing tires indeed—while not a factory option, Dunlop Sport Maxx Race tires are factory spec on the 911 GT3 and available through any Porsche dealer. So are they cheaters? Not really, said Pobst, who noted that grip "fell off" as tire pressures rose from the hot laps. Instead, he credited his blistering pace to the "mind-reading" PDK transmission, "world-class" steering feel, and ceramic composite brakes. "Brake pedal feel, brake power, and braking grip are as good as anybody's, if not better. It's an extremely well-balanced car that likes to go fast lap after lap. Actually in some ways it out-handles the 918. It does not have the entry oversteer that the 918 has." Pobst also called out the most significant knock on the Turbo S, aside from a turbo-muffled exhaust note. "It's a terrific car to drive on the street. But it needs to be driven really hard to be really appreciated. And the harder it's driven the more its capabilities show and the more rewarding it is. It's just so easy at lower speeds." How is that a strike against it? Burgess explains: "There was something clinical and soulless about this car. It's classic 911 in looks, it has a superior interior, and high-tech driving features. But those also sap some of the fun out of the car." One other ding: Several editors noted that the Big Daddy 911's body control wasn't world-class, especially as it bounced up and down over the dicier sections of 198. Yes, I'm picking at nits." Continues Burgess, "Maybe the Turbo S' mistake-free performance makes it feel less like driving and more like riding." As this is not Best Rider's Car, two rougher, more raw-edged and fun-to-drive vehicles finish ahead of the Turbo S.

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Facial Analysis

"Randy is tense, alarmed, and more stressed than in most of the other cars. Only during Turn 10 does he emote when he verbally compliments the car." What is the Map of Emotions? Click here to find out.

2nd Place: Alfa Romeo 4C

Best Track Car? Maybe. Best Driver's Car? Not Quite.

By: Christian Seabaugh The Alfa Romeo 4C was an easy favorite going into this year's competition—and why shouldn't it have been? A look at past winners such as the Porsche 911, Ferrari 458 Italia, and Audi R8 reveals they all have much in common with the Alfa: mid-/rear-engine, automated-manual transmission, and a European origin. So why didn't it win? That was a pretty hotly debated question, since there was no car more polarizing than the Alfa in this competition. Some loved it, while one guy plain hated it. Despite two votes, the Alfa has plenty to like. It drives exceptionally well on the right roads. Its 237-hp turbo-four combined with its six-speed dual-clutch is more than enough to get the flyweight rocking and rolling down the road. The pricey carbon-fiber tub helps to keep pounds off; couple that with the completely manual steering rack and you wind up with comments like Lieberman's: "They should have called this car the Dino. Ultra-light, ultra-stiff carbon-fiber tub, no power steering, no mufflers, turbocharged four-banger sitting right behind your head, and looks that don't quite kill, but that do make you feel awfully tingly." Speaking of, more than a few were left with the strange tingly sensation known as love after driving the 4C. "Is there a purer sports car here? I don't think so," gushed Carlos Lago. "It's a stunning rebirth of the Italian sports car," said Randy Pobst. Indeed it is, with sharp throttle response, a howling engine that snaps and crackles as it surges forward, and a pretty good gearbox at speed.

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So what's to argue about? Ride and handling, for starters. Driving the Alfa fast is hard work. The manual rack is light on-center before rapidly firming up, which proved difficult for some to get used to. Combine that with a busy ride, and you wind up with a car that could be unenjoyable on any road that isn't glass-smooth. Says Markus, who loved the steering: "Everyone knows Italians talk with their hands, and so does this one. Its hands are the steering wheel. Some will say it's too talkative and needs to know when to keep some secrets." Lieberman dissented: "You really have to wrestle the car when you hit bad pavement. Some on staff think that's just good steering feel. Could be, but it's also a bit much." Others wanted more from the 4C's engine. "The engine doesn't really want to rev real high," said Pobst. "I don't find it terribly satisfying." While far from the best street car, the Alfa makes sense on track. The taut ride, communicative steering, and upright seating position make it feel like a race car. The Alfa flows gracefully from corner to corner, putting the power down well and rocketing out of corners. It's astonishing how fun to drive the Alfa is on track, considering how much of a handful it is on the road. "Super-enjoyable car, really satisfying to drive because it's kind of like a race car," said Pobst. "It's fun to just keep pushing it and trying to be better." But the 4C feels more like a weekend toy—driving it every day would border on masochistic. Said Burgess, "It is a great driver's car, but I cannot get over all of the flaws." Flaws aside, we're ready to welcome Alfa Romeo back with open arms and greedy hands. The 4C is wonderful.

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Facial Analysis

"Very serious car for Randy. He exhibits no positive emotions. He's predominately alarmed and tense. He lets up only once—in Turn 9—where he's just as alert." What is the Map of Emotions? Click here to find out.

1st Place: Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

Zero to Hero

By: Scott Evans If you'd asked us five years ago whether the then-all-new Chevrolet Camaro would be invited to Best Driver's Car, we would have scoffed. Had you suggested that a Camaro would win Best Driver's Car, we'd have all had a good belly laugh at the very notion. Who's laughing now? The transformation of the fifth-generation Camaro from "musclecar that handles pretty well" to Best Driver's Car winner is astounding. Few other cars we can think of have made such an advance in a single generation. Says Lieberman, "Perhaps the Corvair, but even by 1965 it wasn't anywhere near this good." Nowhere is this more evident than in driver confidence. Many a judge remarked on the ease and speed with which they became comfortable pushing the car hard on our closed canyon road. Mortara was especially smitten: "This was the only car here I could drive as hard down 198 as I could up it." We also were impressed with how incredibly high the car's limits are and how much fun we could have behind the wheel without coming anywhere near them. With the computers engaged or sidelined, the Z/28's world-class handling highlights the hard work Al Oppenheiser's Camaro team did to the chassis and suspension on the meanest track of them all, the Nüburgring Nordschleife.

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You don't have to kill the nannies to appreciate the ground-up approach to this car. You can feel it in the steering, which is light and razor-sharp but still provides meaningful feedback from the massive front tires and weights up appropriately as g-loads increase. You can feel it in the arrow-straight power curve that builds and builds and builds as the screaming, free-revving, naturally aspirated 7.0-liter V-8 races to redline faster than any pushrod engine has a right to. You can feel it in the monstrous, fadeless carbon-ceramic brakes that always returned a firm pedal and usable feel. You can feel it in the light, crisp shifter that easily outclassed any other manual present with short, precise throws. You can feel it in the Recaro seats, which hold you firmly in place but are still comfortable at the end of a 400-mile drive. Most important, you feel the superior engineering in how the car responds to inputs both internal and external. From within, the car reacts immediately and precisely to your commands but doesn't punish you for minor mistakes. From the outside, the Z/28's suspension attacks bumps and dips with an unbridled passion for keeping the tires on the pavement. Yes, the ride is very stiff and you feel every one of those bumps, but they don't unsettle the car and they don't test your nerve. Says Lieberman vis-à-vis bumps, "One and done." In fact, it feels as though the car is bowling right through the bumps and actively flattening the road as it goes, as if the car is punishing the road for punishing you. On the track, every impression above is simply elevated. With the first turn of the wheel you become confident in the Z/28. With the second, you're ready to set a hot lap. There is no learning curve. Per Randy: "There's kind of not a bad corner for this car. I've never felt a car grip up so much halfway through Turn 9. Turn 9 is downhill and when it levels out I could corner harder. Cars are kind of floaty here. This one, not so bad, but it feels like with the speed it's carrying it's not going to grip up. And it did. It would land and grip up and I could roar, just go for it." Yes, it's a Camaro and still hard to see out of, and, yes, more than one editor complained about keeping such a big, wide car between the lines, but these issues become easy to forgive at the first turn of a great road. The Camaro Z/28 is the revered, old-school formula for speed writ large: big motor, bigger brakes, manual transmission, and a chassis tuned to race without any digital help. Greater than the sum of its parts, though, the Z/28 is a car in which how hard you smile is directly correlated to how hard you're driving it, and for that, it's Motor Trend's 2014 Best Driver's Car.

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Facial Analysis

"While he's mostly tense and somewhat stressed, Randy is also the most alarmed during this lap than when in any other car. Very alarming to drive." What is the Map of Emotions? Click here to find out.

Buona lettura !

Video integrale della prova (lunnnnnngggggooooooooooooo!)

6MzXqCB9_ Modificato 25 Settembre 2014 da pennellotref

[TonyH]

Una volta sola però...a forza di scrollare il mio mouse a momento squirtava

Secondo posto. Eccellente.

Però l'articolo mi ha fatto venir voglia di comprare la Fiesta ST

Edit. CAZZO se viaggia la Camaro.

[pennellotref]

Una volta sola però...a forza di scrollare il mio mouse a momento squirtava

Secondo posto. Eccellente.

Però l'articolo mi ha fatto venir voglia di comprare la Fiesta ST

Edit. CAZZO se viaggia la Camaro.

Corressi prontamente (si fa per dire.............il browser - ed io con lui - ha rischiato l'impazzimento:lol:).

EHHHHH...la Camaro in effetti fa veramente paura .

[RVC]

La Camaro viaggia, ma vederla davanti alla 911 mi fa un po' così.

Sulla 4 C alla fine una conferma delle solite cose da affinare per portarla al top: combo sospensione+sterzo troppo nervosi e motore non esaltante in alto. Più o meno quello che hanno detto quasi tutte le recensioni.

Un secondo posto comunque è più che dignitoso e farà bene al marchio negli USA.

[Guglielmi]

Ottimo secondo posto soprattutto (come già detto sopra da altri) in ottica usa... Le cose da affinare (non vorrei sembrare un alfista fiattista italiano medio e bla bla bla) sono normali per questo modello totalmente inedito nella gamma soprattutto nato un po al buio (della serie vediamo come va) già il fatto di aver arricchito i fari, gli interni ecc sono un ottimo segnale forse neppure sperato... Non so se in occasione della qv o quando esordirà l'erede ma sono sicuro che apportaranno anche queste ultime modifiche

[pennellotref]

La Camaro viaggia, ma vederla davanti alla 911 mi fa un po' così.

Sulla 4 C alla fine una conferma delle solite cose da affinare per portarla al top: combo sospensione+sterzo troppo nervosi e motore non esaltante in alto. Più o meno quello che hanno detto quasi tutte le recensioni.

Un secondo posto comunque è più che dignitoso e farà bene al marchio negli USA.

Dalla curva di coppia, si vede abbastanza chiaramente che il problema non è tanto il motore quanto il cambio che non permette al primo di esprimere tutta la coppia di cui sarebbe capace. Spero che per la Quadrifoglio intervengano al riguardo .

[RiRino]

Ottimo secondo posto,con una nuova messa a punto e con la prossima QV può ancora migliorare parecchio....notevole la Camaro,in Chevrolet stanno tirando fuori dei gran mezzi che non fanno affatto rimpiangere le europee alla guida.Peccato per l'estetica,questo Camaro restyling la trovo peggiorata e la Corvette non mi piace proprio esteticamente.

[weidman]

Beh, le appendici aerodinamiche della camaro evidentemente fanno il loro lavoro. Spero che le future versioni della 4C siano più curate sotto questo aspetto...