Chariots of Fire

Bigger, faster, stronger. Just like people, cars come in all shapes and sizes, and some have more ability than others. To celebrate the peak of human achievement,we’ve assembled five classes of cars to see which would excel in an automotive Olympics.

In the same way you won’t see a shot-putter running the 100-metres sprint, you won’t get a Ferrari 458 Italia outlasting a Hyundai i30 diesel on a single tank of fuel, so we’ve split the cars according to their field of excellence.

The only rule is you have to be able to walk into a new-car showroom today and buy one.

The 0-100km/h Sprint
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It’s no surprise that all three cars making the podium here feature all paw traction that helps get all that power to the ground, rather than turning it into burning rubber. None of these should feel safe at the pinnacle, though, with Porsche yet to release its fastest-ever 911 Turbo S.

Gold: Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4

For your $754,600 you don’t get a car when you buy the Aventador. You get a work of art that also happens to go quite fast.

The Aventador has a carbon fibre skin stretched over an aluminium subframe, held together by an equally lightweight carbon fibre passenger cell in the middle. While it is a race-bred rocket – the springs, for example, use formula-one-style pushrods, its aerodynamics help it stick to the road, and the rear wheels are bigger than the front – it still does much the same as a road car.

But your runabout can’t boast a dry-sumped 6.5-litre V12 spitting out 515kW and 690Nm to all four wheels at once via a seven-speed automatic gearbox, with enough force to launch you from0-100km/h in a claimed 2.9 seconds. There are even six airbags, including a driver’s and passenger’s knee airbag, airconditioning, a reversing camera and automatic headlights.

Don’t expect to travel far, though. Officially, a gently driven Aventador will gulp fuel at the combined rate of 17.2 litres/ 100 kilometres, stretching the limits of the 90-litre fuel tank.

Silver Nissan GT-R
From $170,800.Nissan claims its cut price twin-turbo rocket will run from a standing start, via its six-speed dual-clutch auto, to 100km/h in 2.7 seconds. In our tests, though, we couldn’t get better than 3.3 seconds. Still, it is cheap horsepower.

Bronze McLaren MP4-12C
From $490,000. Its 3.3-second sprint time, thanks to its 3.8-litre twin-blown V8 and seven-speed dual-clutch auto, is super-quick by most measures, but looks glacial compared with the winner.

The Marathon
Diesel is king when it comes to distance. The surprise is, though, that you don’t need to spend a small fortune to minimise trips to the fuel pump.

Gold: Toyota Landcruiser Prado GXL Diesel

Its range is 1765 kilometres according to official figures, largely due to a pair of tanks that give it a huge 150-litre capacity. However, it is no road runner, displaying poor manners on the bitumen, such as wallowy suspension, wooden brakes and vague steering. Get it off-road, though, and its capacity to lope over the terrain has earned it legendary status.

Inside, it’s a basic car with plenty of hard plastics and cloth seats with manual adjust. But it does get Bluetooth, a power inverter that allows you to recharge a laptop, second-row seats that slide and recline, and third-row seats that offer extra capacity. The 3.0-litre diesel, six-speed manual version costs from $61,990.

Silver: Peugeot 508 1.6 Active eHDi
From $37,490. A conventional looking, six-speed auto, turbo diesel that can wring out 1636 kilometres from a single tank. Small ‘‘e’’ denotes extra fuel-saving technology, such as stop-start engine and low rolling-resistance tyres. Nice touches inside, such as an eight-speaker audio system.

Bronze: Mercedes-Benz E250 CDI Avantgarde
From $101,005. Another Benz, another long-legged performer. Same frugal but powerful stop-start twin turbo diesel engine as the smaller C-Class will take it 1569 kilometres. Luxury feel and high price marred only by manually adjustable seats.

The Decathalon
Well-rounded ability always rates highly in buyers’ minds. Few cars on the road, however, excel at everything, making this a tough competition to judge. Thankfully, though, our annual Drive Car of the Year awards give us a rough guide.

Gold: Mercedes-Benz C250 CDI Avantgarde

It pulls like a tractor, sips fuel like a tiny hatchback and, priced from $67,900, has just enough luxury to make you feel special. Under the bonnet, there’s a 2.1-litre twin turbo diesel engine mated to a conventional seven-speed automatic gearbox. Inside, expect leather and wood trim, dual climate control and seven airbags, as well as auto wipers and headlights.

However, our overall winner from last year’s awards is facing competition from Audi and BMW in the form of the A4 and 3-Series.

Silver Skoda Yeti 103TDI
From $35,690. Australians love small soft-roaders, and the pick of them at the moment is the diesel version of the all-paw Yeti. Its boxy shape, elevated seating position and clever interior storage options are complemented by a diesel engine. Small boot is a vice, though.

Bronze: Volkswagen Polo 77TSI Comfortline
From $18,990. Small is big as fuel budgets shrink and the tiniest VW with the turbo 1.2 takes advantage. Sharp handling, refined and a bit of fun, the Polo is compact but useful, although it is a bit plain inside.

Weightlifting
Workhorses have always been about shouldering a heavy load, but buyers are now expecting more from them – car-like safety and a degree of civility. Therefore,we’re not just looking at
heavy lifting, but the ability to do so comfortably and safely .

Gold: Holden Colorado

From $26,990 to $49,990. The larger 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine available on more expensive models produces 132kW of power and 440Nm of torque. While those numbers are not remarkable, the class-leading 3500-kilogram towing capacity – and payloads of up to 1400 kilograms – are. Even though the airbag count is shy of the leaders with four, the Colorado still earns a five-star crash rating.

Equipment levels that include a Bluetooth phone connection and clever use of storage spaces meet the latest benchmarks, but a lack of leather and reversing sensors makes it look expensive compared with rivals. Isuzu’s version of the Colorado is rated to a smaller 3000-kilogram towing capacity.

Silver: Mazda BT-50 XT/Ford Ranger XL
From $25,490 to $44,160 (Mazda), $19,740 to $46,390 (Ford).With a payload of up to 1430 kilograms and a towing capacity of 3350 kilograms, it’s not far shy of the Holden. And in 3.2-litre diesel guise, it puts out a healthy 147kW and 470Nm, as well as five-star crash rating – that’s tough to beat.

Bronze: Nissan Navara ST-X 550
From $62,990. The top-of-the range Navara is ageing a bit and that price tag is bang into sportscar money, but the Navara holds its own with a 3000-kilogram tow capacity. Its monster 170kW/ 550Nm 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 also means it will lug a load quicker than most. Payload is a paltry 910 kilograms, though, and safety is only ranked at four stars.

Gymnastics
This trio may not be the fastest in a drag race but when the going gets twisty (and let’s face it, that’s where all the fun is), they have ample agility and responsiveness.

Gold: Porsche Boxster

It was only a decade ago that Porsche launched the soft-top, mid-engine two-seater on the Australian market. Today’s entry level Boxster is cheaper and more powerful than the more
performance-honed Boxster S launched all those years ago. For $107,000 (six-speed manual version, add $5300 for the seven speed dual-clutch auto), you get a car that is close to the pinnacle of handling.

What you won’t get is much in the way of standard equipment. There are leather seats, rear parking sensors, satnav and Bluetooth, but if you want front parking sensors, floor mats, or
even a six-stack CD changer, prepare to dig deep.The 2.7-litre six-cylinder engine is good for 195kW and 280Nm, and delivers it in spades thanks to a lighter body than its predecessor.

Fuel use, too, is respectable, given the Boxster’s pedigree, officially pegged at 8.2 litres per 100 kilometres.

Silver: Renault Megane RS250
From $41,990. A dull, dreary hatchback transforms under the hands of Renault’s hot-tuning division to one of the most exciting, athletic and dramatic-looking drives on the market. Warmed 2.0-litre turbo four-pot is as happy to tool along as it is to attack a corner. Hard to see out of, though, and interior fit-out of switchgear is a mental challenge.

Bronze: BMW 1-Series M Coupe
From $99,900. The cheapest M car yet delivers razor-sharp handling that rewards skilled drivers, but the harsh ride is difficult to live with in day-to-day use. The cracking 250kW twin-turbo 3.0-litre in-line six is a pearler.

Source: http://theage.drive.com.au