Evo_June 2015

911 OUTLAWS
POWER TOWN
Meet the US-based Brits
improving on perfection
The untold story of Britain’s
improbable supercar city
NEW CATERHAMS
Driving the ultimate anti-bull**** cars.
Which one are we going to build ourselves?
NO MORE
EXCUSES
After three generations, has Audi finally
made a drivers’ car of the TT?
PEUGEO T
RC Z R
N ISSA N
370Z N ISMO
P OR SC H E
C AY M A N
EVERY RIVAL
COMPARED
June 2015 www.evo.co.uk £4.50
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ISSUE 209
JUNE
2015
EdSpeak
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE CONFRONTED WITH
yet another ‘amazing supercar crash that you must see!’ post on
FaceTuberGram? Me? I ask myself three questions.
Firstly, shall I watch it? Secondly, who thinks it’s a good idea to post a
video of a supercar crashing into a crowd of people? And thirdly, what
aspect of the driver’s personality or past has led them into this lifechanging situation? It’s the third point I’ll tackle here.
I guess we all like to think that we’re pretty good drivers. The staff here take pleasure in
producing content for evo knowing that you understand – and perhaps more significantly
enjoy – not only the thrill but also the science and responsibility of driving. I’d wager the
majority of supercar crashers don’t give two hoots about responsibility and culpability, but
enjoy the status and attention afforded by owning the vehicle. At the core of the reason
why they don’t give two hoots is what adds napalm to the horrible cocktail of inevitability:
they already think they can drive.
Driving a performance car is mostly about skill and judgement. Skill you can be born with,
but you can also develop it, and judgement comes from self-awareness and experience.
Losing control of a car in a parade and crashing into a line of people simply would not
happen if the driver exercised good judgement. ‘Dick got no skillz,’ says the internet. Sorry
internet, but skill doesn’t come into it. Dick got no judgement.
Crucially, age doesn’t come into it either. Speak to any circuit instructor and generally
they’ll tell you that the most malleable and receptive students are youngsters. They don’t
have bad habits and they’re used to being told what to do. They also want to improve.
Age is only a factor in that we don’t educate our kids about motoring matters soon
enough. The Institute of Advanced Motorists suggests that traffic education should be part
of the national curriculum, and a recent study by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de
l’Automobile) found that only seven of 15 European countries surveyed had mandatory
traffic education in schools (it’s voluntary in the UK). That’s all very interesting, but it’s also
slightly missing the point – children should be learning to actually drive at a very young
age, and ideally in a school environment.
Why? Let’s look at F1 driver Nico Rosberg. I interviewed him when he was 17, just after
he became the youngest driver to test an F1 car. ‘Can you handle the performance?’ I asked.
‘I’ve been driving since I was six,’ he replied. ‘Do you have control over your emotions?’ I
queried. ‘Experience has given me that,’ he responded.
Sure, Nico’s genes arguably helped, but I’d wager that the forging of his skill and
judgement was a direct result of driving from a young age, and
learning not just about car control, but consequence and discipline.
Speaking to his dad, 1982 world champion Keke, confirmed it. ‘Oh,
he’s been driving my 427 Cobra up in the hills of Monaco for a while
now. I have no concerns.’ Why? Because education and experience
resulted in Nico not thinking that he could drive, but knowing it. And
crucially, knowing when to exercise restraint and control.
W
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005
ISSUE 209 JUNE 2015
CONTENTS
108
DR I V E N
WEST COAST 911s
F E AT U R E S
068
068
AUDI TTS v RIVALS
Now in its third generation, the
Audi TT is making new attempts
to gain the attention of driving
enthusiasts. But does it deserve
to? evo assembles six rivals to
ascertain whether the latest TTS
is worth consideration against
the likes of Porsche’s fabulous
Cayman and the Nissan 370Z
Nismo. Game on
040
RANGE ROVER SPORT SVR
044
RADICAL RXC TURBO 500
046
LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN
049
COSWORTH TOYOTA GT86
050
MERCEDES-AMG C63
086
AUDI SPORT TT CUP
052
ROMEO FERRARIS
RACE CINQUONE
056
MERCEDES-AMG S65 COUPÉ
© Copyright Evo Publications
Ltd which is a subsidiary of
Dennis Publishing Limited.
Evo is a trademark of Evo
Publications Ltd.
006
www.evo.co.uk
086
Meaden gets to grips with a
machine tasked with identifying
Audi’s next batch of super-fast
factory drivers and altering the
public perception of its junior
coupe. Time to discover what
kind of excitement Audi’s lowest
racing echelon promises
Photographic repro by Evo Magazine. Printed in the UK by
BGP, Bicester, Oxfordshire OX26 4QZ Printed in China by
C&C Offset Printing Distributed by Seymour, 2nd Floor, 2
East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT Tel: 020 7429 4000.
Fax: 020 7429 3625. Web: seymour.co.uk
ISSN 1464-2786 USPS 024-183
090
McLAREN HQ
In industrial terms, the romance
of the automotive world doesn’t
often get too far away from
the countryside surrounding
Modena in Italy. That’s hardly
surprising, but we bet you
haven’t considered the history
and significance of Woking…
R E GU L A R S
F E AT U R E S
098
090
116
122
Porsche culture has never been
stronger on the other side of the
Atlantic. Expat Magnus Walker
and tuning outfit Sharkwerks
show us what we’re missing
evo goes back to basics with
three new Caterham Seven
models. Our quest? To cherrypick the best parts and assemble
our own from scratch…
116
CRASH HELMETS
Catchpole delves into the world
of helmet design and, with the
help of some legendary names,
demonstrates why new FIA rules
are misjudged
130
LONG-TERM TESTS
059
COLUMNS
145
EVO KNOWLEDGE
065
LETTERS
178
ART OF SPEED
McLaren turns up the heat on the
opposition with its new ‘entrylevel’ 570S, while Porsche revives
the Boxster Spyder (911 engine
included). Plus highlights from
the 2015 New York motor show
108
WEST COAST 911s
098
CATERHAM TRIO
011
NEWS
122
FERRARI 456 GT
Gallagher climbs aboard the first
Ferrari of the Montezemolo era
to discover whether this V12engined, four-seater super GT
car deserves more credit
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Meaden addresses deep-set
problems at the Nürburgring,
Porter talks Aston Martin, and
Franchitti highlights the major
catch of owning special cars
This month’s mail focuses on the
joys of using special cars (see
above) and the choices we make
despite perhaps knowing better…
Lane’s new Mk1 Focus RS adds
a dose of controversy to the evo
Fast Fleet, while Bovingdon’s 996
Porsche is back to its best after a
respray. Meanwhile our Ferrari F40
prepares for summer on the road
Heavy and thirsty, the Mk4 Golf
R32 is nevertheless this month’s
Next Big Thing. There’s also a
buying guide for the brilliant,
buttock-clenching Noble M12 GTO
The Ferrari F50. The muchmaligned supercar of the ’90s.
But don’t forget the magnificence
of its open-worked engine bay
Remember, if your local newsagent doesn’t stock
evo, just ask them to order it for you
The Editors and Publishers of this magazine give no warranties,
guarantees or assurances and make no representations
regarding any goods or services advertised in this edition.
www.evo.co.uk
007