INSIDE LANE
“The Car of the Decade is...”
Car of the Decade Issue 22 Hello and welcome to a rather late Issue 22 of the magazine. We are sorry for the delay in producing this issue, however it is arguably the most important magazine we have ever put together. For in this issue we present the biggest award Inside Lane can offer, an award that won’t be presented for another 10 years after this. It is of course the “Car of the Decade” and not only have we sifted through nearly every car that has been produced over the past 10 years, we have also been fighting amongst ourselves as to what will get the top spot. As always we have the latest from the automotive front line including The death of the Murcielago, Audi’s latest little brute and more.
Enjoy! HEAD HUNTER...
Audiʼs Baby Nuclear Weapon Audi’s A3 is a very popular, tediously reliable little 2.5 litre engine. It gets better still as the RS3 hatch. These days economical engines in the car receives Audi’s new 7 speed dual-clutch make it a viable choice for the family or even a well transmission that will make the most out of those to do business man perhaps in its 3 door variation? impressive figures. Remembering that this is still as But the best A3’s have always been the S-line practical as the standard car, it does manage models giving that bit of extra spice to what could be 0-62MPH in 4.6 seconds! The cost of this argued to be a dull car. Today Audi has gone that performance is a rather steep £39,900 but think of it step further by announcing the RS3 Sportback! more as a wolf in sheep’s clothing and it all becomes much more viable. This 340BHP clenched fist also supplies the driver with 331lb-ft of torque, more than enough from its Stunning Subaru Impreza Concept Shows Future
The Subaru Impreza is a car that has earned Unveiled at the LA motor show this week, the its right to be amongst motoring legends. The Subaru Impreza concept hints towards future car has battled on some of the harshest terrain styling directions for the Japanese company. on Earth, gone head to head with immortal We like it’s aggressive, manly, almost brutal machinery and won. When the latest Impreza stance that evokes thoughts of this cars power. came along we all thought that in hatch form it To us this is what Impreza styling is all about… looked rather like a Daewoo, luckily the STi Making a statement of intent. The car also variant changed that but the styling will always debuts the next-gen Boxer engine, this on in be a little on the conservative side. What particular is the 2.0 litre, and CVT happened to the days of bonnet scoops, huge transmission. Subaru won’t produce this car rear wings and artillery scale exhaust pipes? but have no doubt that the next Impreza will Well Subaru have answered these questions look much meaner thanks to this concept. with their new Impreza concept. A LANDMARK Occasion
The Land Rover Discovery is by far and away the most capable 4X4 on the The idea behind this car was to make market today. Years of innovation, the off-road master a bit more of a technological advancement and British premium product by adding new grills ingenuity have crafted the Disco’ not and 20” 5 spoke alloys. The interior also only into a force to be reckoned with but benefits from a few modifications to the definitive mud-plugger. You may make it a little more pleasing to the have seen in Episode 2 of our YouTube more urban folk. Coluor availability is show we compared the original to one of either Santorini black or Fuji white, both the latest models and discovered that of which are exclusive to this model. It is the core principle of the car remains all powered by the 3.0 litre SDV6 turbo- these years on when many competitors diesel engine that boasts 9% better fuel have softened theirs. Now Land Rover economy than the 2.7 litre it replaces. are offering what they call the The LANDMARK edition goes on sale LANDMARK edition of their 7 seat from January 2011 starting from terrain tamer. £46,945. R.I.P 2001-2010 Lamborghini Murcielago
Lamborghini, the raging bull… The became encapsulated. Today that only manufacturer to take on Ferrari cars legacy has come to an end. at there own game out of spite and win. Its existence justified when a The Lamborghini Murcielago over tractor manufacturer had an the past 9 years has become one of argument with Enzo Ferrari over the ultimate machines money can supercars and deciding that he buy. Spawning several variants could do a better job. Stooped in including the astonishing SV! The history and draped in iconic design car though a heavy weight has so work Lamborghini has gained much grip that very few have passage to motoring fame. When experienced the it “loose” even with VW took the helm of the Italian traction control off. Its V12 howl will company the world waited with be missed and iconic scissor doors baited breath as the first of their remembered. But 4099 Murcielago’s new cars was announced. Would it later it will always be remembered be a sensible supercar and as the car that this generation of undermine the badge? Gladly, the kids had pinned to their wall. car was every bit as bonkers at its predecessor and the world instantly CAR OF THE DECADE
It is finally that time... Over the past 10 years the automotive industry has been overwhelmed with the vast quantity of fantastic products being masterfully sculpted. This decade has arguable been the best in terms of engineering achievements, seductive styling and exciting evolutions. It has taken literally moths of arguing, fighting, voting, fighting some more, to produce this list and though we know some of you may disagree we feel that it is a true representation of just how good these machines have been. Obviously not everyone can be a winner but there was such vast amounts of “good stuff” we only felt it right to share some cars that only very narrowly missed out on the top 10... Hatchback Of The Decade:
Ford Focus RS We shall have no debates here... A hot-hatch is something we at Inside Lane greatly appreciate. The principle of a car that can give you that same tingling sensation as a Lamborghini packed into a neat, practical and affordable family car is something to be admired. Over the past 10 years there has been many contenders all with their own merits, some that nearly took this award, but only one that has been used as the yardstick of this segment since itʼs launch.
We attended the 2008 London International motor show and saw the beginnings of the 2nd generation Focus RS for ourselves. From beneath the dust sheet came a storm of blazing green, ASBO induced spoilers and the angriest pairs of grills you ever did see. It took only a year to jump from concept to reality and when it hit the roads in ʼ09 it went down a storm.
The 2.5 litre turbocharged engine growled and snorted to its artillery sized exhausts and despite being heavier that many of itʼs competitors the pure grunt of the RS always kept it ahead. This car is a real joy and it is a true testament to the phrase “there is nothing quite like a fast Ford!” Off-Roader Of The Decade:
Land Rover Discovery For decades there has only been one king of the rough stuff. The pretenders from BMW and the likes are banished with ease in the face of a nameplate that is instantly associated with climbing mountains. Discovery...
Over the past 10 years we have seen the introduction of the Discovery 3, a modern and well equipped 7 seater that is so comfortable that you could take your Nan on a trip to climb the Alps. With a range of petrol and diesel engines on offer the Discovery is quite simply the most capable off-roader on sale today. Performance Car Of The Decade Pagani Zonda
In late 1999 at the Geneva motor show a previously alike have been blown away by its mere existence! li le known Italian company called Pagani announced Over the last decade many different track and road that they had produced their own hyper car for the variants have been produced from the original 1999 new decade to rival those of their more esteemed C12 , engineered by 5 mes Formula 1 world compatriots at Lamborghini and Ferrari. Naturally, the champion and legend Juan Manuel Fangio, to the ears of the motoring industry pricked up at this bold 2005 Zonda F, with its fabled 602BHP V12 engine but and brash newcomer who could obviously talk the essen ally they all retain those me culous talk, but it wasn’t un l they actually started to walk characteris cs that make them all so special. the walk when eyes opened and jaws dropped. The end of this unforge able range of hyper cars is, For the masterful crea on that was unveiled that with great regret, drawing ever closer with Zonda fateful day would go on to rewrite the dic onary of produc on scheduled to finish at the end of the year. ul mate supercars and ensure that the Z sec on The final bow from a revolu onary range that has would never be simply an underwhelming an climax succeeded in becoming as famous and as well known a er S for Scudaria and V for Veyron; the Pagani as the other major performance brands by sheer force Zonda. of personality. A er all, when you look over your shoulder at the blur of light that’s just sped past you In the ten years that this crazy super car has graced and see those jet fighter-like quadruple exhaust pipes, our hearts and minds, with its dynamic styling and you know it’s a Zonda. unique theatrics, motor enthusiasts and petrol-heads Overall Car Of The Decade
Bugatti Veyron “New yard-stick “Amazing” Required Here...”
“Breath-taking” “What A Machine!!!”
“The Jesus Christ of Automobiles”
“THE WORLDS FASTEST CAR!” “Today you only have to “King of the Automotive say Bugatti and people World” know what you are talking about...” Many will say that crowning the Bugatti Veyron car of the decade was the obvious choice. A car that in itʼs latest form can achieve speeds of 268MPH yet be as refined as a Rolls-Royce all the way. The Bugatti Veyron is a technological masterpiece as much like a glacier that burns with the heat of the sun, it is a collection of impossible things... Extreme performance and luxury, comfort and world records, the ability to turn heads with the mere mention of itʼs name but not being branded an arse for driving it. According to the laws of physics this car should not exist! It defies every natural force on Earth and for that we must not just look at it as the ultimate expression of motoring, but one of mans ultimate victories in his challenge to rewrite the world around him.
This is so much more than just a car, it is one of humanities biggest achievements...