What is happening at EVO magazine?

[trackdemon]

At the risk of being controversial, has anyone considered that perhaps Porsche just make better sportscars than most? EVO are hardly alone in their findings, Porsche dominate tests in Car/Autocar/TG/etc etc.... Should they neither report the fact, or use the best in class as a barometer?

[CABC]

Evo regularly praise Lotus (Evora, Exige and Elise) for doing all the things that are important for, mmm, what's that phrase.... the thrill of driving. they've even gone as far to say in a recent test that the others had forgotten these aspects. in the final analysis they consider the whole package, cupholders, infotainment and ease of living with to conclude that Porsche/McClaren/R8 wins. So for the thrill of driving i've chosen my cars, and they don't figure highly on ease of getting in & out or infotainment! (2 Lotus, Morgan & GT86)

[Patrick Bateman]

DMZ said:

I'm very much liking evo of late. There's some proper hard hitting commentary on cars. Which is nice to see instead of the usual isn't the big screen very nice or whatever.

This one is a recent favourite of mine: https://www.evo.co.uk/bmw/x3/202087/bmw-x3-m-2020-...

How can a company who can nail damping so perfectly in something like an e39 M5 make such a cock up?

[anonymous-user]

trackdemon said:

At the risk of being controversial, has anyone considered that perhaps Porsche just make better sportscars than most? EVO are hardly alone in their findings, Porsche dominate tests in Car/Autocar/TG/etc etc.... Should they neither report the fact, or use the best in class as a barometer?

I've got to like the look of a car too and I'm afraid Porsche haven't got the knack of styling imho. Just not special enough for me, lots of people like them though especially Evo.

[epom]

100 said:

Magazines are dead

Nope, I bought one today. Maybe try a different store.

[Leins]

ruggedscotty said:

Modern Classics feels like a revamp of Performance car from the ninties, its a damn good read and enjoy it.

Has Modern Classics improved recently? I gave up on it, as despite covering a great selection of cars, I found the writing in every article tedious, cliche laden and inevitably signed off with a “buy it now while you still can” summary. If anything it was like an updated Autotrader for me, with just lots of pictures of cars to look at and dream of owning

I feel Performance Car has never been truly replaced (in spirit), although Evo did get very close for a few years

[greenarrow]

acme said:

Rarely have I seen Evo be quite so harsh of it. It does seem a massive error when few seem
to criticise the Alpine’s engine. Especially when seemingly the 981’s engine was its USP.

It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out in the 718, will the remainder go six too before they apparently make it all electric.

I don't think its an error being so harsh. The difference is that Porsche chose to remove one of the car's USPs, its n/a flat 6 and replace it with an inferior item. The Alpine was built ground up with its turbo four so its not being compared against a (better from a purists perspective) earlier version of itself.

That said, I do think the 718 is a pretty looking thing. For me the best looking Cayman yet.

[greenarrow]

Leins said:

ruggedscotty said:

Modern Classics feels like a revamp of Performance car from the ninties, its a damn good read and enjoy it.

Has Modern Classics improved recently? I gave up on it, as despite covering a great selection of cars, I found the writing in every article tedious, cliche laden and inevitably signed off with a “buy it now while you still can” summary. If anything it was like an updated Autotrader for me, with just lots of pictures of cars to look at and dream of owning

I feel Performance Car has never been truly replaced (in spirit), although Evo did get very close for a few years

I sort of know what you mean but I don't find Modern Classics anything like Autotrader. What is quite refreshing is that their tests often have a different verdict to the original road tests. For example, they've championed the relatively unloved FN2 Civic Type R and various Alfa Romeos which were considered average when new. I particularly enjoyed their test of the hot hatches (Golf GTI MK6 v Focus MK2 RS V Megane R26-R) where they were impressed at the MK6 Golf GTis ground covering abilities in the wet and preferred it on the day to the Megane R26R. Again, a car which got very little positive coverage in the likes of EVO when new, but makes a shrewd second hand buy now...

[acme]

greenarrow said:

I don't think its an error being so harsh. The difference is that Porsche chose to remove one of the car's USPs, its n/a flat 6 and replace it with an inferior item. The Alpine was built ground up with its turbo four so its not being compared against a (better from a purists perspective) earlier version of itself.

That said, I do think the 718 is a pretty looking thing. For me the best looking Cayman yet.

It was actually quite refreshing to read an article that was so critical, sometimes it feels as though there are no bad cars anymore. And whilst I'm no journo even I know that's not the case!

I guess it was a decision made for a combination of emissions and probably to suit the Chinese markets tax rules. I'd be intrigued to know UK sales of both Cayman and Boxster for the 981 vs 718 - I'd guess far more people who buy these are concerned at the loss of the 6 as compared to say the M140 vs new M135 scenario.

[DSC OFF]

Leins said:

Has Modern Classics improved recently? I gave up on it, as despite covering a great selection of cars, I found the writing in every article tedious, cliche laden and inevitably signed off with a “buy it now while you still can” summary. If anything it was like an updated Autotrader for me, with just lots of pictures of cars to look at and dream of owning

I feel Performance Car has never been truly replaced (in spirit), although Evo did get very close for a few years

I’m not sure if MC writing has improved. I’ve not bought it for a while and picked up the latest M3 special. Will Beaumont’s words on the CSL manual were appalling. Matt Prior did a much better review for autocar.

The selection of cars in MC is right up my street. What’s needed is early Evo writing with MC cars, and longer, more in-depth geekery in the articles

[trackdemon]

Raygun said:

trackdemon said:

At the risk of being controversial, has anyone considered that perhaps Porsche just make better sportscars than most? EVO are hardly alone in their findings, Porsche dominate tests in Car/Autocar/TG/etc etc.... Should they neither report the fact, or use the best in class as a barometer?

I've got to like the look of a car too and I'm afraid Porsche haven't got the knack of styling imho. Just not special enough for me, lots of people like them though especially Evo.

Styling is very subjective though, hence the reason magazines rarely put that front and centre of a reason to place a car top of a group test. Naturally, styling will be acknowledged, but under the caveat that other opinions may differ - what they can do though, is give empirical opinion of the driving dynamics of the cars they test. I guess if you don't like the look of a car, you're not going to buy it regardless of how well it drives - this works in the inverse too.

[trackdemon]

greenarrow said:

acme said:

Rarely have I seen Evo be quite so harsh of it. It does seem a massive error when few seem
to criticise the Alpine’s engine. Especially when seemingly the 981’s engine was its USP.

It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out in the 718, will the remainder go six too before they apparently make it all electric.

I don't think its an error being so harsh. The difference is that Porsche chose to remove one of the car's USPs, its n/a flat 6 and replace it with an inferior item. The Alpine was built ground up with its turbo four so its not being compared against a (better from a purists perspective) earlier version of itself.

That said, I do think the 718 is a pretty looking thing. For me the best looking Cayman yet.

I'd add another reason for the Alpine's positive reception: the engine quite simply performs better than the Porsche motor - not in terms of bald figures, but driveability. It's less laggy, sounds better, has a nicer power curve which does an reasonable impression of a strong n/a motor. The fact the Alpine carries 300kgs less makes better use of it too.

[Leins]

DSC OFF said:

Leins said:

Has Modern Classics improved recently? I gave up on it, as despite covering a great selection of cars, I found the writing in every article tedious, cliche laden and inevitably signed off with a “buy it now while you still can” summary. If anything it was like an updated Autotrader for me, with just lots of pictures of cars to look at and dream of owning

I feel Performance Car has never been truly replaced (in spirit), although Evo did get very close for a few years

I’m not sure if MC writing has improved. I’ve not bought it for a while and picked up the latest M3 special. Will Beaumont’s words on the CSL manual were appalling. Matt Prior did a much better review for autocar.

The selection of cars in MC is right up my street. What’s needed is early Evo writing with MC cars, and longer, more in-depth geekery in the articles

100%. If they drafted in Tomalin, Barker, Laban, et al then I’d be signing up for two subscriptions, just in case one got lost in the post!

[renmure]

I've bought Modern Classics from the first edition. I like the writing style and the almost enthusiastic nature of it.

[jl4069]

CABC said:

the driver's car blueprint piece was very lightweight for such a weighty issue.
worthy of a lot more depth. there was a similar (though better) piece on what makes a good handling car last year.
this could have been a deeper and more researched, maybe even a little contentious to stir debate.

I'm just glad barker wrote anything whatsoever about this topic. I used to bother him to write very similar articles many years ago, and he never did. For sure he is very late to write such an article in 2020. One thing for certain it is a lot more than anyone at autocar, car or that any of these "yourtubers" have the ability or vocabulary to conceptualize, let alone the ability to write about. Barker is one of the rare few who actually knows deeply about the topic of identifying explicitly, and designing/conceptualizing, ever more optimal road car dynamics. Compared to what I read on here or in most other motoring publications, he might as well be the head of Porsche Motorsport.

It of course would have been better if Evo would actually made a few blueprints for how such sweet-spot cars could legitimately be designed and built. With the advent of 3D printing, designing such structures begins to be a very real possibility. Last, it is quite staggering that they did not so much as mention the words carbon fiber once in that article; as without this material most new cars trying to replicate golden oldies, are simply not possible. Of course Toyota have finally got that with their new Yaris GR.

Glad to see forward looking and rational ideas coming from somewhere, as we witness the majority demise of the large maker, enthusiast, gas powered (Cayman gt/4 and Alpine excluded) motor car.

[Sport220]

Was going to subscribe, turns out there is no digital subscription... What year is this?

Surely it could be more profitable for them? (I'm not UK based)

[thegreenhell]

Sport220 said:

Was going to subscribe, turns out there is no digital subscription... What year is this?

Surely it could be more profitable for them? (I'm not UK based)

https://pt.readly.com/products/magazine/evo?q=evo

[Sport220]

thegreenhell said:

https://pt.readly.com/products/magazine/evo?q=evo

Thanks! Turns out it you can get a digital subscription on their app, which lets you read all of their digital edition numbers. Success

Very pleased to notice they seem to have left their old system of dating their numbers almost two months in advance. It really triggered my OCD!

Edited by Sport220 on Friday 14th February 21:52

[K50 DEL]

Brilliant 20 page article on roadgoing rally heroes in the latest edition.
Been a while since an Evo article as good as that one.

In fact there are a few good ones in this issue, something of a return to form recently means I'm keeping my subscription for a while longer!

[epom]

Got the Group A one on Thursday and the next one Friday (my car of the year never arrived) I’ve had a busy weekend