MERCEDES-AMG SL55 4MATIC+
8th We went on a hunch with the new SL55, based on AMG's track record and the fact this is the first SL to be designed and developed wholly by Mercedes' go-faster division. We were hoping for the dynamism and engagement that marked out the old AMG GT, with perhaps just a little more polish. But the SL isn't that car.
'It can't seem to decide if it's an SL cruiser or the fired-up supercar replacement for the AMG GT,' said Gallagher, 'and as a result it fails at being either. Its damping impresses, so too the four-wheel-drive system, but you feel distant from everything that's going on and it lacks the punch and spark of a pure-bred AMG and the sophisticated confidence SLs have always delivered.'
David Vivian praised the way its chassis actively contained body roll and always seemed a step ahead of sudden compressions 'which it rides with almost spooky equanimity', while its all-drive grip and fairly neutral balance allowed the SL55 to comfortably keep up on most roads, albeit feeling oddly numb and remote.
Somewhere in the new SL there's a good car - but it has to decide what it wants to be. 'When I finally fathomed the dynamic modes, it came to life a bit more, but it still felt cumbersome and somewhat flat-footed,' said Meaden. 'Too much emphasis on brute force, with dynamics honed to try and contain the performance and mass.' When the scores were in, all of the judges put it a resounding last and, as a result, it's the first to fall.
7th BMW M4 CSL
Great things were expected of the M4 CSL, particularly after the brilliance of the M2 CS and M5 CS on the two previous eCotys, and most of us could recall memorable drives when it all came together, but as Gallagher said, those moments were too fleeting to make it a contender.
Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Evo UK.
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Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Evo UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
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One man’s dream to build the perfect Porsche 911 has resulted inthis aaticMously restored and enhanced classic. We delve into the details and take it for a drive
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The new Continental GT is the most powerful Bentley ever, and the beginning of anew plug-in hybrid era for Crewe. But is it still a benchmark grand tourer?
