Monday 29th December 2014

PH 2014 - The biggest disappointments

Wouldn't be an end of year round-up without calling out the stuff that's wound us up in the last 12 months

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Not everything in 2014 lived up to the hype. And here are the things that, varyingly, left us unexpectedly cold, disappointed, confused or just downright miserable. Don't be too disheartened though - chance to stick the knife in or not it's a cathartic exercise to get our biggest disappointments off our chests. And hope for better things in the year ahead!

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BMW M4
I'd be the first to admit that, when you introduce empirical data, the M4 is better than the E92 M3 across the board. It's faster, grippier and less punishingly expensive to run. But as an experience, something has gone missing. It's become inert, slightly aloof. It's sold its soul for a quicker Nordschliefe lap. And it sounds like a vacuum cleaner at high revs. (Mike Duff)

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Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde
This arguably shouldn't be a disappointment given I wasn't expecting it to be very good anyway. Sounds harsh, doesn't it? But not only was the MiTo more underwhelming than expected, it was also more expensive than predicted too at £20K. Given the rivals it faces in that segment it is way off the pace. That I want Alfa to do well, that everyone does, makes its mediocrity all the more frustrating. Salvation could (and should) arrive with another Alfa Spider based on the next MX-5. (Matt Bird)

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Nurburgring sales fiasco
The drama of the Nurburgring’s privatisation and sale is an ongoing farce that long since passed the boundaries of believability. Each time I’m forced to report on another twist or turn in this typically German scandal, it breaks another piece of my heart. To some people the Nordschleife is just a big, old, racetrack. To others, myself included, it’s a symbol. Like A Christmas Carol it represents motorsport past, present and future. It’s possibly the last place on Earth where you can take your brand new performance car on any given Sunday and push it to the limit without it ending in a police escort or a room without a view. This freedom of choice, the very epitome of personal responsibility, results in dozens of broken cars and fences every public day. But it doesn’t deserve to be demonised, restricted or (even) closed. And yet that’s what might happen if the farce continues any longer. When I learnt that the shadow behind the curtain of the stage was a Russian oligarch, my heart fell into my boots. Now ‘local boy’ Robertino Wild and Capricorn are officially ‘out’ of the Nurburgring, leaving only Adam Osieka of Getspeed to partner the rich Russian. (Dale Lomas)

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Lamborghini Huracan's steering
There are two steering systems available for the Lamborghini Huracan; a standard passive system or the optional variable ratio active alternative. At the pre-launch tech event I asked Lamborghini's chief test driver which he'd choose. Without pause he said the passive one. And when I later got to drive it I understood why. The Huracan is a fabulous modern supercar. Completely let down by the one bit of Audi influence it could have done without. With a rack that constantly varies its gearing between hyperactive 9:1 and a lazy 17:1 at the whim of the black boxes every corner is a guessing game of how much steering angle you'll get for a given input, destroying your faith in the front end for the sake of easier driving around town. Both a symbolic and very real demonstration of how pointless tech can ruin an otherwise lovely car. (Dan Trent)

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Ferrari in F1
Having three team principals in one year isn't exactly a good way to inspire confidence in your employees, is it? This one point perfectly sums up a turbulent season for Ferrari - without question the Modena squad takes the Christmas biscuit for the biggest disappointment in motorsport 2014. Stefano Domenicali was followed by the internal promotion of Marco Mattiacci, who was pushed in favour of fag man Maurizio Arrivabene - how long will he last in 2015? Not even money could solve a problem like the F14 T. With a 44m euros wage bill between Alonso and Raikkonen, the car was so poor this year marked the first in 21 that Ferrari didn't take a win all season long. With the Godfather, Don Montezemolo no longer there to watch over the Ferrari family, and volume-crazed money man Sergio Marchionne now in charge, the future's not much brighter for 2015, even with Vettel in the hot seat. (Sean Carson)

Photo: LAT Photo

 

 

   

[ratty6464]

What is the Lamborghini like with the passive steering?

[Liquid Knight]

Porsche 911 electric power steering. It's like a mid-90's Vauxhall Corsa on or off no progressive feel or feedback.

911 GT3 being a flappy paddling four wheel steering drivers aid on wheels. We want a drivers car that we can drive not feel like ballast after a blast.

The M3 has been a disappointment since 1999

I hope the Mazda/Alfa deal falls through as the 4C Spider and Cloverleaf are on their way and if the standard car is anything to go by they will be incredible. Just like the 90's GTV the Spiders and Cloverleaf models hold their money and the standard ones bottom out. So this time next year a decent second hand 4C launch edition could be around the £25,000-£35,000 mark. If you want an MX5 with an Alfa body buy a Tribute kit car.

[Dan Trent]

ratty6464 said:

What is the Lamborghini like with the passive steering?

All the press cars so far have had the optional set-up - soon as we get a go in one with the passive we'll let you know, unless there are any owners around willing/able to pitch in...

Cheers,

Dan

[myhandle]

Liquid Knight said:

The M3 has been a disappointment since 1999

I am also in the minority that prefers the E36 Evo to the E46.

[Liquid Knight]

myhandle said:

Liquid Knight said:

The M3 has been a disappointment since 1999

I am also in the minority that prefers the E36 Evo to the E46.

Even the manual 46 didn't feel like an M3 I guess someone at BMW decided the M3 had to compete with the likes of the RS4 and such so the M3 stopped being a car and became a statement. The M3 CSL felt like it was trying too hard. A bit like wearing a Pierre Cardin leather jacket to go to a biker bar.

[errek72]

Liquid Knight said:

Porsche 911 electric power steering. It's like a mid-90's Vauxhall Corsa on or off no progressive feel or feedback.

911 GT3 being a flappy paddling four wheel steering drivers aid on wheels. We want a drivers car that we can drive not feel like ballast after a blast.

The M3 has been a disappointment since 1999

I hope the Mazda/Alfa deal falls through as the 4C Spider and Cloverleaf are on their way and if the standard car is anything to go by they will be incredible. Just like the 90's GTV the Spiders and Cloverleaf models hold their money and the standard ones bottom out. So this time next year a decent second hand 4C launch edition could be around the £25,000-£35,000 mark. If you want an MX5 with an Alfa body buy a Tribute kit car.

Mazda/Alfa deal fell trough about a year ago. No new Alfa's of any volume were launched since 2004.
Since then promises each month of an ever growing fantasy line-up.
2015 may be the year Alfa dies.

[trashbat]

errek72 said:

Mazda/Alfa deal fell trough about a year ago. No new Alfa's of any volume were launched since 2004.
Since then promises each month of an ever growing fantasy line-up.
2015 may be the year Alfa dies.

The Mazda deal didn't fall through, but the Spider will almost certainly be Fiat & Abarth. Too cheap for the new idea of what Alfa is.

2015 should see the car that's been referred to as Giulia, but probably not called that, possibly the 4C QV, possibly an SUV.

Also, it seems that on average they've sold more Giuliettas per year than they did the 156, so your volume complaint isn't quite on the money.

Edited by trashbat on Monday 29th December 15:30

[Leins]

Liquid Knight said:

The M3 CSL felt like it was trying too hard. A bit like wearing a Pierre Cardin leather jacket to go to a biker bar.

Of course, everyone knows you should wear Hugo Boss

[sunsurfer]

Considering a Ferrari led by Luca De Montezemolo has not won the driver's championship since 2007 with 5 years of reputably the best driver in F1, then I would expect it is time for a change.

Let's see what the new management can do.

[DMC2]

Liquid Knight said:

Porsche 911 electric power steering. It's like a mid-90's Vauxhall Corsa on or off no progressive feel or feedback.

911 GT3 being a flappy paddling four wheel steering drivers aid on wheels. We want a drivers car that we can drive not feel like ballast after a blast.

The M3 has been a disappointment since 1999

I hope the Mazda/Alfa deal falls through as the 4C Spider and Cloverleaf are on their way and if the standard car is anything to go by they will be incredible. Just like the 90's GTV the Spiders and Cloverleaf models hold their money and the standard ones bottom out. So this time next year a decent second hand 4C launch edition could be around the £25,000-£35,000 mark. If you want an MX5 with an Alfa body buy a Tribute kit car.

Have you driven a 991 GT3? I would hardly call it a disappointment that it has paddles, the engine is so incredible it quite frankly would be substantially less of a car without PDKs (the best box on the planet).

[Liquid Knight]

DMC2 said:

Liquid Knight said:

Porsche 911 electric power steering. It's like a mid-90's Vauxhall Corsa on or off no progressive feel or feedback.

911 GT3 being a flappy paddling four wheel steering drivers aid on wheels. We want a drivers car that we can drive not feel like ballast after a blast.

The M3 has been a disappointment since 1999

I hope the Mazda/Alfa deal falls through as the 4C Spider and Cloverleaf are on their way and if the standard car is anything to go by they will be incredible. Just like the 90's GTV the Spiders and Cloverleaf models hold their money and the standard ones bottom out. So this time next year a decent second hand 4C launch edition could be around the £25,000-£35,000 mark. If you want an MX5 with an Alfa body buy a Tribute kit car.

Have you driven a 991 GT3? I would hardly call it a disappointment that it has paddles, the engine is so incredible it quite frankly would be substantially less of a car without PDKs (the best box on the planet).

The engine is superb and that hypnotic redline practically begs to driven. I like the adaptive engine mounts. They are soft on the road so engine doesn't get damaged by potholes and tight on track so the engine becomes an integral part of the chassis making the rear end stiffer and transmitting the engine vibration back into the cabin.

But; the term "drivers aids" is derogatory and places you in a certain mindset. For example hearing aids are for people who are deaf, marital aids are for couples who are having issues and drivers aids must therefore be for people who can not drive.

The new GT3 has taken the mantle of the Nissan GTR. In many ways "the ultimate drivers car"; for people who can't drive.

[Wills2]

Can I nominate the fact that Liquid Knight is still spouting crap about cars he's never owned or driven as one of the disappointments of 2014.

[pewe]

Re the Ferrari comments.
Will Maurizio Arrivabene be known as Maurizio Andatomale when, as is inevitable, he gets the boot?
Cheers, Pewe

[zeduffman]

Liquid Knight said:

The M3 CSL felt like it was trying too hard. A bit like wearing a Pierre Cardin leather jacket to go to a biker bar.

And then you hear one and don't care.

[Liquid Knight]

Wills2 said:

Can I nominate the fact that Liquid Knight is still spouting crap about cars he's never owned or driven as one of the disappointments of 2014.

Hopefully I'll get the win this year but I didn't say I had driven the new GT3. I just found it disappointing that the once raw driver orientated model from the 911 line up has so many drivers aids now that Sir Bob Geldof has been asked to release a charity single for it.

I'll be sure to disappoint just as much in 2015 just for you.

[toppstuff]

Liquid Knight said:

Hopefully I'll get the win this year but I didn't say I had driven the new GT3. I just found it disappointing that the once raw driver orientated model from the 911 line up has so many drivers aids now that Sir Bob Geldof has been asked to release a charity single for it.

I'll be sure to disappoint just as much in 2015 just for you.

If you have never driven a GT3 then why make statements about it that only a driver can make? It makes you come across as a bit of billy plonker.

You may as well say that the International Space Station is rubbish because the door to the space toilet is badly designed. You aren't in a position to have an opinion on either.

[Baryonyx]

Liquid Knight said:

911 GT3 being a flappy paddling four wheel steering drivers aid on wheels. We want a drivers car that we can drive not feel like ballast after a blast.

In spite of the scorn you pour on it, it's been very well received as a driver's car, has it not? Indeed, the argument which was presented, which seemed fair to me, was that the GT3 should represent the pinnacle of Porsche technology and of course, share DNA with the actual competition cars.

That isn't to say there isn't room for a 'Club Sport' GT3 model with a manual transmission etc etc for those who don't mind a slower car for the sake of involvement. In favour of the GT3, I must say that the PDK transmission is a marvellous thing - easily the best automatic on the market for a 'drivers' car, and I am very much a manual enthusiast when it comes to sports cars and driving for enjoyment.

[P4ROT]

myhandle said:

Liquid Knight said:

The M3 has been a disappointment since 1999

I am also in the minority that prefers the E36 Evo to the E46.

I'd be really interested to know why you both prefer the E36? Cheers, P4ROT

[juansolo]

Baryonyx said:

Liquid Knight said:

911 GT3 being a flappy paddling four wheel steering drivers aid on wheels. We want a drivers car that we can drive not feel like ballast after a blast.

In spite of the scorn you pour on it, it's been very well received as a driver's car, has it not? Indeed, the argument which was presented, which seemed fair to me, was that the GT3 should represent the pinnacle of Porsche technology and of course, share DNA with the actual competition cars.

Though the last time that was actually true was with the 996 GT3 which was very close in relation to it's track cousin. As the models have gone on they've gone further and further away from the track cars in many areas. Surely Porsches halo drivers car should be about the driver and not about making everything easier for the driver to go fast. That's what the Turbo is for isn't it?

[theplumber]

Dan Trent said:

All the press cars so far have had the optional set-up - soon as we get a go in one with the passive we'll let you know, unless there are any owners around willing/able to pitch in...

Cheers,

Dan

I speced the passive set up, it's early days as I've only done a couple of hundred miles but it can feel a little artificial, it's not awful but then again it's not as good as a 458 (I wasn't expecting it to be either)