New Section! Announcement

Since university got a little hectic, I've had to have a shake-up in the dates when the different columns went up this week, and I've barely been able to do any news, so sorry if MotorWire has been a little MIA lately, but it's back now and better than ever!

As well as being back, there are a few announcements to make. After much consideration, a new section is going to have to go in; meaning I need to change a few days around in the MotorWire schedule. The new section is called 'MotorWire MotorSwipe', where in contrast to MotorWire Classics, a car is chosen each week which represents something terrible, loathsome or generally dislikable from the past or present in the motoring industry.

So this column will now be posted every Saturday, the general opinion column will keep its Monday slot, as will the Motorwire Classics, which will continue to be posted on Thursdays. This system will start this Thursday, as due to these timetable shifts it is now too late to produce a new opinion column, but next week's will discuss an issue which is becoming more and more prevalent in modern motoring; design unoriginality.

Think of it as the motoring equivalent of Crimewatch. Only these criminals' only crime is to be so downright loathsome.

(Picture is an example of the shape of things to come, text will be ruthless but honest.)

(Photo courtesy of MSVG on Flickr)

MotorWire Classics 2 - BMW 6-Series (E63)

From its launch, the first 21st Century 6-Series was slated. Deemed ugly by most, predicted to be a sales flop by everybody else, it didn't seem to have many fans at all. Granted, the looks are divisive, perhaps even challenging, but ugly? No.  For his efforts at BMW, Chris Bangle was heavily criticised; the forums were ablaze with derision, and Bangle's name was burning.

So let's start on the 6-Series' so-called 'ugliness', starting at the nose. It looked like nothing else, but in a good way; look at cars nowadays, styling is converging into a world of homogeny, and the 6-Series was so radically different that people simply weren't ready for something as creative and left-field. The headlights and grille were aggressively styled, but in a subtle, non-cliche way as per the cheesily-aggressive, cartoon tackiness of the SSC Ultimate Aero. It had a sinister look about it, in an incredibly classy yet simple way, and without a doubt looked unlike anything else on the road.

The rear end is what really caused all the fuss though; the concaveness of the rear end gave the 6-Series a particularly futuristic appeal, but again in such a left-field way that people quickly dismissed it as ungainly, however, the 'Bangle Butt' quickly gained infamy and adoration in equal measure. Balancing the Bangle Butt were the wedge-shaped rear lights, matching the front's ferocious look with the same mixture of menace and elegance.

So what was the 6-Series? One of the first of BMW's efforts to fill every single niche ever imaginable, the large coupé filled segments currently occupied by the Jaguar XK, and in most cases, trounced the competition; seemingly, its only downfall was BMW's then infamous iDrive system. And the 6-Series sold in droves, although it was thought by Jeremy Clarkson himself to be "The next 8-Series", in that it was a stunning car, but didn't have enough mass-market appeal.

Like all other critics though, he was wrong. BMW is even now expanding the successfully exploited 6-Series niche after the third incarnation of the 6, with a rival to the Mercedes CLS filling another place in BMW's line-up in the 6-Series Gran Turismo. Albeit less striking-looking than the previous generation, something of a Bangle Butt remains. Bangle's heritage lives on.

So why is this car featuring in MotorWire's Classics section? Simply because it dared to be different in an age when it's becoming more and more difficult to differentiate cars from one another (more of this in a later post, there's a new section coming, so expect an announcement very soon) It used simple yet daring aesthetics and design to create something completely different from everything else. Among the swathes of increasingly samey-looking cars in the market, was a beacon of individuality.

Couple this left-field design with BMW's solid reputation and a nearly faultless driving experience, range of engines in both diesel and petrol, 6-cylinder and rumbling V8 powerhouses and a refinement and market gap which only BMW could attempt and succeed in; the 6-Series was and still is a head-turning sight on roads, and the 6-Series E63 was a formidable competitor in its segment.

(Images courtesy of Alexandre Pracvot on Flickr)

Ooh La LaFerrari! - Ferrari unveils the LaFerrari

Ferrari has revealed its newest hypercar, the LaFerrari, at the Geneva Motor Show.

The exciting successor to the firm's legendary Enzo of 2002 will be Ferrari's fastest ever car, however the top speed has not yet been officially released, other than the claim of "over 350kmh", equating to at least 217mph. Other performance stats are supremely impressive though, with 0-62 happening in around 3.0 seconds, and 0-186mph coming in just 15.5 seconds.

The LaFerrari, of which only 499 will be built, is set to cost around £1.1million when released, a substancial sum more than its recently revealed rival, the McLaren P1, and Porsche's upcoming 918, however one thing the cars have in common is the use of a hybrid engine. The Ferrari's 6.3-litre V12 will be coupled to a 160bhp electric motor, boosting both performance and economy.

Styling is typically dramatic; its hypercar status ensuring that only the most impressive styling was used on the car. At the front the car features a split front grille, aggressive headlights with LED strips and large air intakes on the bonnet. At the side of the car, deep-sculpted scoops immediately catch the eye, along with the black roof which tapers off into the rear hood, and the back sports Ferrari's trademark circular lights, with t-shaped bodywork over the rear grille, quad-exhaust pipes and an F1-inspired central rear light.

Speculated to be released in the autumn of this year to coincide with Porsche's 918, the LaFerrari features parts which are custom-made for the driver; an even more personal approach than the Enzo's 'invite only' availability.

MotorWire Classics 1 - Porsche 911 Turbo (993)

Legendary Porsche 911s are somewhat common. Not in number; let's face it, some of the most amazing 911 legends were produced in just tens, if that. But the number of Porsche 911 models throughout the model's illustrious now-50-year history (more of that later in the year, when the motoring world celebrates the golden jubilee of the king of sports cars) are too numerous to list.

For MotorWire, however, there is one exception. One which stands out from the crowd, not because of its scarcity, not because of its value, not even because of its performance and speed. The 993 911 represented a major turning point in the 911's history; an overhaul in Porsche's design like never before, bringing the 911 up to date with contemporary rivals, and nothing did this better than the 993 911 Turbo.

The 993 Turbo had something about it which just worked. The classic 911 shape, mixed with modernised design and performance, and a sound to match. Mixing heritage and modernity together is something which often fails; only a few examples of such concepts ever make it successfully, and the 993 did this.

The 911's characteristic shape, coupled with the styling and performance alterations which come with the Turbo, is the key to the 993 Turbo's place in my heart; as is their relative rarity compared to the less exciting 996 and 997 models, and as I am sure will be the case with the 991. These incarnations of Turbo are exciting, but don't have that 'je ne sais quoi' which the 993 radiates. See one of the newer models on the street and they're worth a look. See a 993 Turbo on the street, and it will draw a crowd.

So what about it is so special? It's so hard to say. Perhaps nostalgia, as not everyone is old enough to remember when 964s were commonplace. Perhaps its unlevelled beauty and freshness of its design; subsequent 911 incarnations were shortlived, being replaced within short years; perhaps it's because of its status - heralded as the last 'pure' 911 Turbo by enthusiasts as it was the last to use the air-cooled engine of previous 911 evolutions.

Whatever the reason may be, the 993 Porsche 911 Turbo is extremely deserving of its place in the MotorWire Classics list.

(Photographs courtesy of I.Jimeno and AhmadHashim on Flickr)

Citigone sporty - Skoda's new Citigo Sport

The tiniest member of Skoda's lineup, the Citigo city car has a new sporty specification for those who want the zippy, tiny-car appeal of the Citigo, but the sporting prowess of, say, the Fabia VRS.

Although not quite the warm hatch which the Fabia VRS is, the Citigo Sport makes the most of its dinky dimensions and zippy handling with a range of sporting accessories, such as dynamic styling and bodywork tweaks, foglights, spec-specific paint jobs in red, black or white with a choice of colour stripes, large, arch-filling alloy wheels and a bespoke interior for the Sport. Lots of kit also comes as standard with the Sport too.

A hole in... seven? - New VW Golf GTI Pictures

It's a car which has set the standard for hot-hatches across the industry, and with the possible exception of the lukewarm 4th generation, the ubiquitous Volkswagen Golf GTI has now reached its seventh incarnation; and officially released pictures and details from Volkswagen prove that once again, it's no wallflower.

Outside, the Golf 7 boasts the GTI's trademark red-highlighted grille, twin chrome exhaust pipes and GTI badging. The differences this time lie in the body kit; an arguably more aggressive styling, with a deep front bumper with striking air intake slashes, integrated fog lights and dramatic 18-inch 'Austin' alloys. A rear diffuser features on the back of the seventh GTI, ensuring its sporting appeal remains undiluted, yet typically understated.

Inside styling sticks to tradition too, with tartan seats (another GTI trademark) stout, sporty, flat-bottomed steering wheel and Volkswagen's rock-solid build quality. Economy figures stand at 47.0mpg on a combined cycle, with CO2 dropping to 139g/km, marking solid improvements in environmental areas of performance.

The 2.0-litre TSI engine kicks out 217bhp, with a 'GTI Performance' option bringing this up to 227bhp, a small increase on the outgoing model, as is its 0-62mph time of 6.5 seconds, 6.4 for the GTI Performance. The GTI and GTI Performance are faster outright than the outgoing models too, maxing out at 152 and 155mph respectively.

Prices were also posted; the standard Golf GTI will cost around £24,500 when sales start later this year. As with most releases at this time, the Golf is to be officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

Roll on the Wraith - Rolls Royce releases final teaser of new coupé

Rolls-Royce are set to expand its line-up even further with the upcoming Wraith; a fastback coupe based on the Ghost saloon.

This latest teaser image, a number of which have been released by RR, shows the shape and lines of the swoopy new coupé as a fastback, with the unusual glass-backed form. A statement from Rolls summed up its visual intentions for the Ghost; "Inherent in the graceful line that sweeps from the top of the screen to the very rear edge is the promise of fast, yet effortless touring." The image is also said to be the last teaser before its official unveiling at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

This statement, along with speculation and industry analysis suggests that the Ghost's natural rival will be the hugely Bentley Continental GT. In contrast to the Continental, and in particular the Continental GT Speed, however, Rolls-Royce have made it clear that their intention towards motoring is not performance, but comfort and refinement.

Bentley's recent forays into motorsport and sporting production models have gained it the somewhat dubious label of being the first choice of car for Premiership footballers. Nevertheless, Rolls-Royce and Bentley both remain unrivalled in the luxury car segment.