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Whether you're a seasoned enthusiast or a newcomer to the world of classic cars, this video promises an exhilarating journey through automotive history like no other.
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Enjoyed this video? Don't forget to LIKE and SHARE the video and get involved with our community by leaving a COMMENT below the video!
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----- Social Media -----
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© Men and Motors - One Media iP 2023
Category
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MotorTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:09 If you will, to categorize Honda as a car manufacturer,
00:13 what do they specialize in making?
00:14 Look around, and you might think it's small and rather
00:17 faceless family hatchbacks.
00:19 But then again, they do make the Integra and now the Accord
00:21 Type R, both full-on nutter machines.
00:24 But there is a common factor here.
00:26 Honda cars are discreet.
00:28 It's not until you drive the Integra Type R up do you
00:30 realize what it's all about.
00:31 Look at it, and it's just an ordinary hatch with a spoiler
00:33 stuck on the back.
00:35 And then there's the NSX, a car that takes being
00:37 understated to the point of being, well, not very funny at
00:40 all, really.
00:41 Who wants to have a supercar that can outgun a Ferrari but
00:43 looks like a Honda?
00:45 And now it looks as though Honda's new baby is about to
00:48 do to the two-seater roadster market what the NSX did to the
00:51 supercar market.
00:52 Nothing.
00:54 The Honda S2000 isn't about to set anyone's knees a
00:56 trembling on looks alone.
00:58 An MX-5 is cuter, a Porsche Boxster more beautiful, and a
01:01 BMW Z3 more sort of snarly.
01:04 But it does have something.
01:06 The metal looks like fabric stretched tautly over shapes
01:09 defined by this big boxy grill at the front, these slanty
01:12 headlights, and these big bulgy wheel arches.
01:14 It's distinctive but understated.
01:16 Honda, it seems, have taken the concept of the small
01:18 two-seater roadster, and they've got all
01:20 sensible about it.
01:21 They've tried to make it work as a car.
01:23 [MUSIC PLAYING]
01:39 They wanted to keep to a two-liter four-cylinder engine
01:42 because it's light and compact, and thanks to the
01:44 VTEC system, very high revving.
01:46 Also, being so compact, that means Honda could mount it a
01:49 long way back under that hood.
01:51 That means Honda could mount it a long way back under that
01:53 long bonnet at the front.
01:55 And that gives it the 50/50 weight distribution that fans
01:57 of mid-engine supercars will tell you is what driving
02:00 pleasure is all about.
02:02 So we have here a rear-wheel driven, two-seater, open-top
02:06 roadster with a 50/50 weight distribution and an engine
02:09 that will happily rev to 9,000.
02:11 Well, you just know it's got to be fun.
02:15 And then they get really clever by a combination of
02:18 technical virtuosity and, I suspect, voodoo, Honda have
02:21 managed to squeeze an incredible 240 brake
02:24 horsepower out of that two-liter four-cylinder
02:27 engine.
02:28 Come on, chaps.
02:29 That really isn't playing the game.
02:31 I mean, a chap could hurt himself.
02:35 Isn't that rather missing the point, though?
02:36 We should know.
02:37 We're British, and we've been blatting around in little
02:39 two-seaters for decades.
02:41 And we know that they should be cramped and reliable and
02:44 outpaced by large family cars, but always
02:46 beautiful and dashing.
02:48 So what's all this talk of reliability,
02:50 performance, handling?
02:51 Come on, chaps.
02:52 Play the game.
02:53 Mazda may have made their MX-5 indestructible, but it's
02:56 certainly not overpowerful.
02:58 And the Z3 in anything other than M-TEC form is just pure
03:01 pose value.
03:02 Honda then have decided to make their baby two-seater
03:04 work in all departments.
03:06 And then there's the price.
03:10 Well, like anything else, the two-seater roadster has gone
03:12 up in price over the years, from being just a thing for a
03:15 young gadabout to be seen spinning around town, it's
03:18 become a plaything for the fat 50-something corporate
03:20 gladiators to escape in at the weekend.
03:23 At a shade under 28 grand, the S2000 is about 6,000 cheaper
03:27 than your Porsche Boxster, but it outperforms it.
03:32 People regularly spec up their Z3s until they
03:34 cost around this.
03:35 And the only ones cheaper are the Mazda MX-5 and Fiat
03:38 Barchetta, neither of which are even in the same league
03:41 when it comes to performance.
03:43 Perhaps the only disappointment for the S2000 is
03:46 the interior, which, once you get past the racy red leather
03:49 sport seats and the extra deep transmission tunnel, which
03:52 does give the car extra stiffness, it's all a bit
03:54 bland, really.
03:55 Some of the switch gear, though very sturdy, is a little
03:58 on the flaky side, and I'm still not a big fan of the
04:00 digital dash.
04:02 And that exterior, I've come to like it.
04:04 It's taut, purposeful, and stylish, and I'm sorry for
04:06 saying that it wasn't.
04:08 It may take a while to realize it, but I
04:10 think it looks fantastic.
04:12 But it is very comfortable in here.
04:14 And like the rest of the car, it feels very substantial and
04:16 very well put together.
04:17 But it's not for sitting around and gawping at.
04:20 The idea is you're supposed to take it out, drive it, enjoy
04:23 it, drive it quite fast.
04:25 Now, hold on a minute.
04:35 I've found a fault.
04:36 Everything is not rosy after all, and it's this.
04:38 You pull the throttle, and it's all rosy.
04:40 And after all, and it's this.
04:41 You've pulled up to some beauty spot with a lady in
04:43 your life.
04:44 Look out at the view, and the moment arrives, and you lean
04:46 across, darling, I wonder if I might steal a kiss.
04:48 And is it me, or is it raining?
04:50 Oh!
04:51 It's the headlamp washer, the buttons, and you--
04:55 it's not cool.
04:56 Not cool at all.
04:57 Quite embarrassing.
04:59 [MUSIC PLAYING]
05:28 [CAR ENGINE]
05:34 There is passion in the S2000, and it starts here with this
05:37 button.
05:38 It's big, it's red, and as it says, it starts the engine.
05:41 And it's absolute proof that Honda are just a little bit
05:44 proud of what they've done with this car.
05:46 And justifiably so.
05:51 They've taken the concept of the small two-seater roadster
05:53 by the scruff of the neck and shaken it till it's gone.
05:55 They've produced a car that is tauter, stronger, and faster
05:59 than anything else in the class.
06:00 And it does it all for less than anything else in the
06:03 class.
06:03 It still may not be a cheap toy, but it's a damn good one.
06:07 There's no point in denying it.
06:08 The coupe sector is the fashion end of the car
06:11 industry.
06:11 It's the shiny, plastic, handbag sector.
06:14 It's the place where beauty is more than skin deep.
06:17 It's an entire reason for being.
06:18 And it's a place where we buy cars not for their
06:21 performance or their ability.
06:22 But we buy them because we want to.
06:24 We want to buy them because we want to show them that we
06:26 care about their ability.
06:28 But for the way they look, it's a beauty parade.
06:31 It's a complicated business.
06:33 If you've got around 20,000 to 25,000 pounds burning a hole
06:36 in the pocket of your jeans and you're looking for a car.
06:38 If it's outright performance you want, then you're likely
06:41 to be looking at something like Subaru's Impreza or the
06:44 Mitsubishi Evo.
06:45 If you want sports car thrills, then there are loads
06:48 of little rear-wheel drive roadsters like the Mazda MX5
06:51 or, for a little more, Honda's new S2000.
06:54 This is perhaps a more sensible choice, but still
06:56 stands out in the company car park.
06:58 Though not too much, because it doesn't want
07:00 to upset the bosses.
07:01 In fact, what you want is a car that your fleet manager is
07:03 going to let you have.
07:04 Enter the BMW 3 Series Coupe.
07:23 The two six-cylinder versions are first to be available.
07:25 The 323 and the 328.
07:26 The 318 with four cylinders is available in the autumn.
07:29 The 323 confusingly has a 2.5-liter straight-six.
07:33 This, the 328, has a 2.8-liter straight-six.
07:36 Classic BMW engine, huge bucket loads of torque, and a
07:39 glorious straight-six bellow to accompany it.
07:42 The driving position is neutral.
07:44 You feel very much in command with all the controls exactly
07:46 where they should be.
07:48 A couple of criticisms, both to do with the steering,
07:50 though, it's very precise and very direct and quite
07:53 communicative, as you'd expect from a BMW.
07:55 But it could do, I think, with a quicker rack.
07:58 You do have to put in an awful lot to get a response.
08:01 And this wheel is enormous.
08:03 It's like driving a tractor.
08:05 It could do with something a little bit smaller, just to
08:07 make it feel like it's a little more eager to turn in.
08:09 At the moment, it just follows the corners round, rather than
08:12 turns into the bends with vigor.
08:15 And then it has a whole barrage of technological wizardry to
08:18 help you avoid throwing the thing at the scenery.
08:20 There's ASC plus T, ABS, SSC, the list goes on and on.
08:24 Basically, we're talking traction control, and probably
08:26 one of the most advanced traction control systems on
08:29 the market today.
08:30 Bearing in mind, this is a rear-wheel drive car with
08:32 quite a lot of power.
08:33 You could get into a little bit of trouble.
08:35 And to illustrate the point of just how effective that
08:38 traction control system is, try turning it off.
08:40 And then being a little over-enthusiastic with the
08:43 right boot, and you soon find things get a
08:45 little bit naughty.
08:47 [CAR ENGINE]
08:49 [CAR DOOR SLAMMING]
08:51 There is a certain irony to this.
08:53 The BMW 3 Series Coupe is, in its own right, a very good
08:56 car, and it doesn't share a single body panel with its
08:59 sister, the 3 Series Saloon version.
09:01 And yet, despite the enormous expense and amount of
09:04 engineering involved in achieving that, it's been
09:06 designed to look, well, pretty much like the 3 Series
09:09 Saloon, really.
09:10 In fact, it's longer, lower, and wider than the Saloon,
09:12 and than the previous generation.
09:14 And it does have the same steeply raked front and rear
09:16 windscreens that kind of define it as a coupe shape.
09:19 But it is all very elegant and very understated.
09:23 And the same can be said for the interior, where it's
09:25 equally elegant and understated.
09:27 And it's equally ironic that a car so often bought by the
09:30 terminally brash should boast one of the most understated
09:33 interiors on the market.
09:35 Slide into the cockpit of any modern BMW, in fact, and you
09:38 enter an environment designed to make you comfortable with
09:41 maximum efficiency, everything in the right place, and
09:44 everything built to last.
09:46 Mind you, it's never going to win any prizes for being the
09:48 most interesting place on earth to be.
09:50 Standard equipment, though, is pretty good for the 3 Series
09:55 Coupe.
09:56 We've got electric seats on everything, air conditioning.
09:58 Safety has been given a high priority with six airbags in
10:02 here, ABS, and a sophisticated traction control system.
10:05 And plenty of goodies in the cabin to play around with as
10:07 well, including electric seats, which are a great
10:09 way around with as well, including electric windows
10:12 front and rear.
10:13 And it's little touches like this that can make all the
10:15 difference.
10:17 The 3 Series Coupe accounts for a quarter of all UK sales in
10:30 its sector, and that's a level of success
10:32 you can't argue with.
10:34 BMW must be getting something right with this car.
10:37 And apart from the build quality and image, that
10:39 probably starts with the combination of rear-wheel
10:41 drive and strong engines.
10:44 The straight six units are a real peach, and the 328 is a
10:47 very fast peach.
10:48 Indeed, strong and tractable with plenty of power right
10:51 through the rev range, it really is a joy to drive and
10:54 feed the power through into those rear wheels.
10:56 You would expect the 3 Series Coupe to be something of a
10:59 special drive, and it doesn't disappoint.
11:02 What we found was that our customers actually ordered
11:05 lots of options on Coupe, much more so than the saloon
11:08 variant.
11:09 And so what we thought we would do with this one is give
11:11 them what they actually wanted in the first place.
11:13 But actually, in overall terms, when you take account
11:16 of the additional specification, the car is
11:18 actually better value than the old one.
11:20 We came in in '92 with the previous car, and it was the
11:23 first proper Coupe that we had built.
11:25 And immediately, the market expanded, and a lot of
11:29 competitors have now followed us into that sector.
11:32 So it's gone from around 16,000 units a year up to 35,000
11:36 units a year, and we have 25% of that market.
11:39 So we've actually, as you rightly say, have a fair
11:43 stronghold on that market.
11:44 And the principal reason we believe for that is that this
11:48 Coupe, perhaps even more so than its predecessor, is a
11:52 very, very good mixture of style, because style's
11:55 important in Coupes.
11:55 It has to look good, but also it's practical.
11:59 BMW's philosophy has never been to be wild with its cars.
12:03 It's an evolutionary styling, just as the saloon is.
12:07 And I think that's really because we've found a style
12:12 which our customers like, a family style.
12:14 And if we were to change that, actually, we risk alienating a
12:18 lot of our customers.
12:19 The feedback we get from our customers is they like it.
12:22 It's identifiable as a BMW.
12:24 It's not an extreme car.
12:25 You can park it, and people are not gawking at it all the
12:29 time, perhaps making the occupants feel embarrassed.
12:32 But it's a nice mixture between restrained style and, as
12:35 I've said before, practicality.
12:38 The new 3 Series Coupe will sell, and probably in
12:41 enormous numbers.
12:42 But when you think about it, for all the wrong reasons--
12:44 for its pretty face, for its BMW badge--
12:47 but if it looked like an old allotment shed and was labeled
12:49 the lumpy doodah Coupe, it would still be worth a look.
12:52 Its sheer ability would overcome such disadvantages.
12:55 Sure, it might be in the fashion end of the motor
12:58 industry, but to use a fashion statement, BMW would tell you
13:01 that their design is a timeless classic.
13:03 And you know, I don't think they'd be that far wrong.
13:05 Jimny.
13:27 Jimny Cricket.
13:28 Wasn't that the name of some squeaky-voiced critter in a
13:30 schmaltzy Walt Disney thing?
13:32 I don't know.
13:33 Anyway, in this context, Jimny is the name of Suzuki's even
13:36 tiny off-roader, also a squeaky-voiced wee critter.
13:40 That's unfair, really.
13:40 I mean, a 16-valve, 1.3-liter little engine is hardly likely
13:44 to sound fruity and deep-chested, is it?
13:46 At least it manages to chirp out about a 79 bhp, which
13:49 isn't bad, especially in a car weighing no more than a
13:51 packet of fags.
13:54 Trouble is, it's not much bigger than a
13:55 packet of fags, either.
13:56 Small is definitely what it's about here.
13:58 And once you've got over that, well, it's not too bad.
14:01 Some people buy their 4x4s for the commanding driving
14:04 position, others for the sheer bulk, the
14:06 sheer presence of them.
14:07 Well, when I say others, I mean men who were bullied at
14:09 school and neurotic women who seemed to confuse the school
14:12 run with Vietnam.
14:13 But this is not one of those 4x4s.
14:16 This doesn't so much loom up menacingly behind in your
14:19 rearview mirror when you're sat in traffic as it sneaks up,
14:22 taps you on the shoulder, and says, excuse me, in a squeaky
14:24 little voice.
14:25 It certainly isn't a frightening vehicle.
14:26 In fact, if you were to look in your rearview mirror, you
14:28 might just catch a view of the top of the head of the person
14:31 driving it, and that's about it.
14:32 Unless you're going to work on a go-kart, of course.
14:35 Really, to get into this thing, you've got to be
14:36 smiling before you even climb on board, smiling before you
14:39 drive it.
14:40 And the fact that it looks so friendly helps there.
14:42 So does this.
14:43 I learned this trick in a car park yesterday.
14:45 Watch.
14:45 Boom!
14:48 Unusually, I'm going to tell you the price of
14:50 this car early on.
14:50 And that's because I reckon it's essential when you're
14:52 assessing it as a purchase.
14:54 And the reason is all Suzuki Jimny's come as standard with
14:58 power-assisted steering, electric front windows,
15:00 electric door mirrors, twin airbags, side impact bars.
15:03 In fact, there's hardly anything you can really buy
15:05 and spend your money on to add onto this
15:07 as an optional extra.
15:08 And so the price for these things, well, that's the
15:10 really good news.
15:11 For the manual gearbox version, it's
15:12 9,995 pounds on the road.
15:15 And for this, the automatic, 10,870.
15:19 Now that's super mini territory.
15:21 [MUSIC PLAYING]
15:41 So comparing this with its competition, what can the
15:43 super minis do that it can't?
15:45 Well, you might say parking.
15:46 In fact, it's a cinch in this.
15:47 The turning circle is amazing.
15:49 Driving is usually a good point in the super minis, just
15:52 as it is in this.
15:53 In fact, it's immense fun.
15:54 Agreed, it does roll a little bit when it corners.
15:57 And I can't say that I forgot entirely those disastrous
15:59 toppling incidents of some of the earlier Suzuki Jeeps.
16:02 But actually, they've sorted this so that the rear end will
16:05 come round.
16:05 And it's far more likely to swap ends before ever it'll
16:08 roll over, which I'm sure is a kind of comfort somewhere.
16:12 Super minis are also economical, of course.
16:14 Well, you can expect this to return over 34 miles per
16:16 gallon average.
16:18 And with a 1.3 16 valve, you'd expect it to be pretty good
16:20 for that.
16:21 So in fact, there's very little boot space.
16:22 Perfectly reasonable.
16:23 It's small, but then it's a small car.
16:25 And even car makers have to obey the laws of physics.
16:29 Looking at it another way, then, what can this do that
16:31 the super minis can't?
16:33 Well, I'll tell you.
16:34 We've got a lever down here, and it can do this.
16:37 We're just changing to four-wheel drive.
16:39 It's even got a low transfer box.
16:41 So if the going gets really bumpy, your little Suzuki
16:44 Jimny can keep going.
16:45 Now, you do that in a super mini.
16:47 I don't think so.
16:50 I don't imagine it's going to pose a real threat to
16:52 Land Rovers, Land Cruisers, and four-tracks.
16:54 But remember, Suzuki have been making mini Leisure 4x4s now
16:58 for 30 years, with the SJ, Samurai, and Vitara to their
17:01 name, so they should have got the hang of it by now.
17:03 David Hull is a stable manager and uses a variety of
17:06 vehicles in his day-to-day work.
17:08 I'm a stable manager here.
17:10 I do the day-to-day running of the yard, care of the horses.
17:13 I usually use a quad bike for most of my daily chores.
17:17 I don't use anything as grand as this.
17:20 On the other hand, I quite often use a Range Rover,
17:23 towing horsebox to go to shows.
17:25 It's not a bad little toy, really.
17:29 It's not going to pull many huge loads, but it's not a bad
17:33 little toy.
17:35 Another good thing about this little baby, it's got plenty
17:37 of leg room.
17:37 I'm six foot, and I've got plenty of stretchy room here.
17:41 Well, it might be a bit of a lightweight, and it might have
17:43 somewhat excessive noise at motorway speeds.
17:46 But it feels well put together.
17:47 Most of it's made from galvanized steel, so it should
17:49 last forever anyway.
17:50 If you're looking for a budget for before for 10 grand, you
17:53 might want to consider buying secondhand and getting
17:56 something perhaps a little more substantial.
17:58 But if you're in the market for a second car or just for a
18:01 small car that's got ample room in the back, that looks a
18:04 little bit different, and that also means come the winter
18:06 snows, you certainly will not be stuck, then I'd say this
18:10 has got to be on your list.
18:11 I know it would be on mine.
18:14 [MUSIC PLAYING]
18:22 Oh, isn't it gorgeous?
18:23 Just look at it.
18:24 Brand new today.
18:26 The way the circle is just round, and the points, they
18:30 meet the edges perfectly there.
18:32 It's even got a little stick here.
18:34 It kind of wobbles on its little stick.
18:36 It's just beautiful.
18:37 Oh, and you get one of these as well.
18:39 Car.
18:41 It is, in fact, the new Mercedes C-Class.
18:44 And where is its bigger brother, the S-Class, which
18:46 this does look suspiciously like, is more likely to find
18:49 itself living in a place with a drive, well, rather like this
18:53 one, the C-Class is one strictly for suburbia.
18:55 [MUSIC PLAYING]
19:09 Traditionally, Mercedes have not been
19:10 aimed at the likes of me.
19:11 I get bored of anything within six months, cars, three
19:14 months, but Mercedes are traditionally aimed at people
19:17 who keep them for millennia.
19:19 In fact, Mercedes are delighted to say that they've
19:21 got about 3,000 orders already for the year.
19:23 Before it goes on sale, and before the people who are
19:26 buying it have even seen it.
19:28 That's because they've always bought Mercedes, and they
19:31 always will buy Mercedes, whatever they like.
19:34 You could put Mercedes on your old coat cap and sell it.
19:37 [CAR ENGINE]
19:42 Now, I know it's still the budget end of the Mercedes
19:44 range, but there is something very comforting about knowing
19:47 that you're sitting in a car that is no bigger than a
19:49 Mondeo, and actually, it's a little bit bigger than a
19:52 Mondeo, and actually, it needn't cost that much more
19:55 than a top end one.
19:56 But it's better built than your house, and will probably
19:58 be around a lot longer.
19:59 [CAR ENGINE]
20:06 It's actually longer than the previous C-Class, but because
20:09 of its shape, it looks smaller, more compact.
20:11 And that is translated in the drive.
20:13 Whilst not exactly feeling tiny, it does feel a lot more
20:15 nimble than the outgoing model.
20:17 And it is a vaguely sporting experience.
20:20 I say vaguely because, well, don't expect it to
20:22 romp away madly.
20:23 Easy choice of engines.
20:24 This is the 200, which means it gets a 2 liter with a
20:28 supercharger and about 163 brake horsepower.
20:31 That translates, if you're interested in figures, to 0
20:33 to 60 in 9.3 seconds, which is quite respectable.
20:37 The 180 has a 2 liter engine, and then it all gets a bit
20:40 confusing, because there's a 2.6 in the 230, the 3.2 liter
20:45 V6 in the 320.
20:48 Who cares?
20:49 You're not going to remember them anyway.
20:50 This is the kind of mid-range, probably one of the better
20:52 sellers, and it does feel pretty strong.
20:54 But it is still a Mercedes, so Sir and Modem are asked to
20:57 restrain from anything that's too verging on the hooliganry.
21:00 [CAR ENGINE]
21:03 Steering and suspension have been completely revised.
21:06 The old one on Mercedes used to be recirculating ball,
21:10 something that I would have thought would put you in
21:11 hospital, but apparently it steers your car.
21:13 It's now rack and pinion, which is much better.
21:16 The newly revised suspension is, well, it's definitely on
21:19 the firm side of yielding, shall we say, but that adds to
21:22 the kind of sporty feeling.
21:23 And whilst we're on the subject of things firm, the
21:26 seats, typical Mercedes, you settle down and think, ooh,
21:30 that's a bit hard.
21:31 But actually, if you're on a longer journey, you will find
21:34 they do start to adapt to the shape of, well, your bum, and
21:37 make the whole thing a bit more comfortable
21:39 for a longer trip.
21:40 [CAR ENGINE]
21:43 Another refreshing change comes in the fact that
21:45 standard specification will be slightly higher than has been
21:48 traditional with older Mercedes, where even wheel nuts
21:51 would have cost you extra.
21:52 You'll even find a six-speed manual gearbox as standard.
21:56 Or you can opt for the five-speed automatic that
21:58 we've got in our test car, which is, well, a little on
22:01 the slushy side.
22:02 Mercedes say, though, that they've answered critics of
22:04 their previous manual gearboxes, and their six-speeder
22:06 is a lot sharper.
22:07 That coupe-esque silhouette has another advantage.
22:11 Apart from looking good, it does mean that it doesn't
22:12 create as much drag, which, of course, in turn, brings
22:15 benefits in fuel consumption.
22:16 Mercedes, in making their changes for the new C-Class,
22:23 have dumped the old round dials, and we've got this
22:24 kind of half-moon affair with a needle that cranks its way
22:28 around the speedo set firmly in the middle.
22:30 You wouldn't want to know about anything as vulgar as
22:32 revs, after all.
22:33 And I'm not sure.
22:35 I don't like it.
22:35 I prefer round dials, but that's just me.
22:39 This is a crucial car for Mercedes.
22:41 It's their big seller.
22:42 They expect to sell thousands upon thousands of these.
22:46 There's no word from Mercedes yet on prices, but expect it
22:49 to be competitive.
22:50 They're keeping quiet as of now, I suspect because they
22:52 don't want BMW to turn around and knock a couple of hundred
22:54 quid off every model and claim to be cheaper.
22:56 It will seem that the C-Class is a bit more
23:04 of a bargain than the C-Class.
23:06 It will sell, no doubt about it.
23:08 Just the three-pointed star on the front would see to that.
23:10 But the difference is, this is a C-Class that you might just
23:13 find desirable and not just the tweedy set.
23:16 Whereas the old one was very much a hyacinth bouquet to
23:18 BMW's slinky, cloudy, Chifa 3 Series, this new C-Class hits
23:23 back with a naughty little anaconda cover.
23:25 It looks a lot better and is a lot faster, too.
23:28 Watch out, BMW.
23:32 50 years old.
23:34 Happy birthday to you.
23:37 Yep, the favorite transport of those the world over who need
23:40 to conquer continents and cross deserts has
23:42 reached its half century.
23:43 Happy birthday to you.
23:46 We could have gone to the desert.
23:48 We could have tried to hack through a jungle in it.
23:49 But no, we've come here to Sweden, where apparently it's
23:52 a bit nippy out there.
23:54 Happy birthday, Toyota Land Cruiser.
23:57 Forget it.
23:59 The Amazon, this, is the biggest version of the Land
24:02 Cruiser, and it's so big that if you get in at one end and
24:04 get out at the other, you'll be in a different time zone.
24:06 It's enormous.
24:08 Driving an Amazon anywhere is kind of a unique experience,
24:11 just the height, the width, the size, the
24:13 weight of the thing.
24:14 You really do find yourself looming over other road goers.
24:18 Even big wagons don't seem quite so threatening when
24:20 they come powering the other way, kicking up snow, because
24:23 I'm in something that weighs very nearly as much as them.
24:30 To mark the 50th anniversary of Land Cruiser, they've
24:32 produced a special edition version of the Amazon.
24:35 And this is it.
24:35 You get a few extra bits of kits.
24:37 You get a fantastic DVD navigation system, nice shiny
24:40 alloy wheels, some super luxurious
24:42 stinking finished leather.
24:44 They're only going to be bringing 50 of them into the
24:46 UK, which is quite apt.
24:47 And it also, apt, it costs the best part of 50 grand, 47,000
24:51 to be precise, which is a heck of a lot of cash for an
24:54 off-roader.
24:54 But you've really got to think of it as a very highly
24:56 specified luxury car that you can climb
24:58 mountains in if you want to.
25:00 The Swedish have a fantastic approach to driving on snow,
25:08 and it goes something like this.
25:09 Snoo, what's snoo?
25:11 They just take no notice.
25:12 About 120 kilometers an hour, you can see this far.
25:15 It's mad.
25:16 But I guess if for four or five months of the year, your
25:19 entire world looks like a Christmas cake, you're going
25:21 to get used to it.
25:22 [MUSIC PLAYING]
25:30 We are on proper winter tires here, which is comforting, but
25:33 the car's still shifting about a fair bit.
25:36 And the unnerving thing is, yeah, sure, it's incredibly
25:38 competent.
25:39 The Amazon will go just about anywhere.
25:41 But just the weight of the thing.
25:43 You're so aware that if it starts to slip a bit too much
25:45 offline, not a lot you're going to do to gather it all
25:48 up again.
25:48 It can get very messy.
25:50 It is quite an unnerving feeling.
25:53 I'm not going to tell the Swedes, but I'm actually a
25:55 bit frightened.
25:56 Right, well, it seems we're actually going to get to romp
25:58 about in the snow in this thing and go a bit off road.
26:00 But first, I have to prepare my car, which means I've got to
26:03 do the following.
26:03 I've got to lock up the center diff.
26:05 One press of the button, that's done, thank you.
26:07 I've got to put it into low ratio gearbox.
26:11 That's done, thank you.
26:12 I've got to drop my aerial, because I don't want to get
26:14 that tangled up in any trees.
26:16 Down we go.
26:16 Thank you.
26:17 I've got to fold in my wing mirrors, which
26:19 we do down here.
26:22 Thank you very much indeed.
26:24 Now, I'm not locking up the rear diff, which I do here yet.
26:27 But if it really does get sticky out there, that'll be
26:29 the last thing.
26:29 It's kind of my last chance.
26:31 If that doesn't work, we ain't never getting out.
26:33 Right, to the snow.
26:35, This is a great place to get your car out and about.
26:39 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:41 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:42 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:44 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:46 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:48 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:49 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:51 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:52 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:53 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:55 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:57 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:58 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
26:59 It's a great place to get your car out and about.
27:05 This is a great lesson in winter driving for somebody who only ever experiences this much
27:09 snow and everything is dragged to a halt.
27:10 Mind you, I can't believe I haven't been here yet.
27:14 I'm just so anxious that I don't get into the wrong rut when you're driving off road
27:19 on snow and start drifting towards the ditch because it is nigh on impossible to pull the
27:24 thing off the trajectory it's decided it wants to be on.
27:27 I do not want to end up in the ditch.
27:29 Please.
27:30 Right.
27:31 Excellent.
27:32 Perfect.
27:33 Just what I wanted.
27:34 That's just to demonstrate how a perfectly straight track can lead you into terrible
27:42 trouble.
27:43 I was reading the map.
27:44 So embarrassing.
27:45 But it's alright because there is a technique.
27:46 I know what to do.
27:47 You kind of, you find your telephone and you call for help.
27:48 Very embarrassing.
27:49 So I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
27:50 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
27:51 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
27:52 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
27:53 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
27:54 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
27:55 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
27:56 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
27:57 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
27:58 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
27:59 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:00 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:01 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:02 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:03 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:04 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:05 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:06 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:07 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:08 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:09 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:10 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:11 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:12 I'm going to try and get out of this rut.
28:41 And that story is not just the fact that yes, it's luxuriously appointed inside.
28:50 And believe me, it is luxuriously appointed, including a telly, which is very, very nice.
29:04 The really clever bit here is the gearbox.
29:07 Now listen carefully, because I don't fully understand this, so as I explain it, we're
29:10 going to be learning together.
29:12 It is an ordinary manual gearbox, just as you would get on any other BMW Coupe.
29:18 But it works automatically, sequentially.
29:21 So what we're not talking about is your traditional automatic box.
29:24 There are very good reasons for having a manual over that.
29:27 I'll explain them in a second class if you pay attention.
29:30 What we've got then is a gear lever in the usual place, and we just slide it into the
29:35 middle position.
29:36 There is no clutch pedal.
29:37 We depress the throttle, and we pull away smoothly.
29:40 Both the clutch itself and the actuation of the gears in the gearbox is carried out electrohydraulically.
29:46 That's automatically to you and me.
29:48 But don't forget, not an automatic box.
29:51 You've still got your standard manual gearbox.
29:54 You can then change gear either by waggling the bit about in the middle as you would in
29:58 a Tiptronic-style gearbox, or with these little paddles on the steering wheel.
30:02 Okay, if you're still with me and still paying attention, one final point, that reason.
30:06 Well, an automatic gearbox loses a lot of power, apart from making a rather nasty noise
30:11 and being a bit lurchy and boring.
30:13 You soak away a lot of the torque through the torque converter, through the actual mechanics
30:17 of it, compared to a manual gearbox.
30:19 So what we've got here is the convenience of a manual gearbox with the enormous expense
30:24 and extra complication of a load of clever gubbins to change gear for you.
30:28 The Jetfighter might be a long way from a load-lugging estate car, but this particular
30:33 one can just about claim to be related, because it can trace its ancestry back to a time when
30:39 Saab decided to use up their spare staff by turning them from making aircraft to building
30:44 cars.
30:45 And as a result, their cars have always boasted the highest levels of engineering, as well
30:49 as being slightly, well, quirky in a Swedish way.
30:53 Then there's the second of our Swedish offerings, the Volvo.
30:56 It can trace its ancestry back to, well, an old wardrobe, probably from the looks of most
31:01 old Volvos.
31:02 But they have built a very well-deserved reputation for constructing the most durable, long-lived
31:07 and practical of estate cars on the market.
31:10 Cars that have, over the generations, carried families on holiday, antique traders and travelling
31:15 salesmen.
31:16 And like the Saab, they seem to go on forever and ever.
31:20 In some cases, the only way to age an old Volvo or a Saab is to cut a slice off the
31:24 exhaust pipe and count the rings.
31:29 The Saab has been on sale for about a year now.
31:32 The Volvo went on sale only recently.
31:34 And the difficulty for fans of Swedish cars is going to be in choosing between the two
31:38 of them, because they are very much pitched head-to-head in the marketplace.
31:42 It's a case, if you like, of how do you like your Swede, sir?
31:47 The first thing to hit you when you get into the Saab is just how comfortable these seats
31:51 are.
31:52 I do get the impression that this aircraft is club class.
31:55 Thank you very much.
31:56 And that impression is bolstered by the presence of this little card that we find in the car,
32:02 giving us details of the car's safety.
32:04 But I keep expecting to face backwards and address my passengers for where the exits
32:08 are in case of emergency.
32:10 Or is that just me?
32:13 Good news, too, when it comes to the amount of kit, because they certainly don't let you
32:16 down.
32:17 There's more than enough luxury touches in here.
32:19 The climate control is particularly easy to use and very effective.
32:23 And there are some nice little touches as well, like this cup holder.
32:27 Wow!
32:28 Somebody's put some real thought into that.
32:31 It's not just a throwaway item.
32:33 For my money, certainly it's the most stylish of the two interiors, and typically Saab,
32:38 with the instruments banked in front of you.
32:40 You feel very much like you're in control of an aircraft.
32:43 And one other typical Saab feature as well, the ignition key mounted down here on the
32:48 transmission tunnel.
32:49 They've always done it, and it looks like they always will.
32:51 It does mean you can lock the gearbox as well.
32:53 Oh, hello.
32:54 Do I hear the sound that could mean the captain's put the seatbelt warning lights on?
32:59 Must be getting ready for takeoff.
33:02 The Saab actually has the smaller engine of the two.
33:04 It's just 2.3 litres and only four-cylindered, compared to Volvo's five-cylinders and 2.4.
33:10 But the Saab is actually more powerful.
33:12 It has an extra 30bhp, and it does feel faster than the Volvo.
33:16 There's barely any turbo lag in here, and that's not surprising really,
33:20 because Saab have been fiddling around with turbos since the '70s,
33:23 so you'd expect them to get it right.
33:25 In fact, the only interruption in the acceleration comes from waiting for kickdown on the automatic gearbox.
33:30 The best way to enjoy your 9-5 estate is to sit back, calm and unruffle.
33:35 Think club class again on a long intercontinental flight.
33:38 Just reserve that acceleration for takeoff and maybe a bit of overtaking.
33:42 But be warned, when you do come to land, you might find the brakes are a bit of a surprise.
33:46 It's not that they're not there, they are, but you will have to give the pedal a bit of a prod.
33:51 There's good news in store for rear seat passengers in the Saab,
34:02 because there's loads of room and it's really comfortable as well.
34:05 And then the boot space.
34:07 Well, it's every bit as cavernous as you would demand in any estate car in this class,
34:11 but there's more to it than that, because we get this extremely nifty hard luggage cover
34:16 and then this very clever system of nets and these movable anchor points
34:20 to which you could tie up ships if you really felt the need to.
34:23 All well and good, but surely, if it's practicality in space you want,
34:27 it's got to be a Volvo, it's been that way for hundreds of years.
34:30 Well, yes and no.
34:32 For a start, this luggage cover...
34:35 Forget it. Horrible thing.
34:38 There are anchor points, but they're only in the corners,
34:41 there aren't a whole rack of them like in the Saab.
34:43 There is a nice little space here, good news for smugglers,
34:46 as long as customs are particularly gullible.
34:48 And that's about it.
34:49 In the back, well, plenty of space for your passengers here.
34:53 And again, it's nice and comfortable,
34:55 but there could be a bit of a disappointment in store here compared to the 9-5.
35:03 Everything's in here, it's just not as engaging or as special-feeling as in the Saab.
35:08 Now, I'm actually quite a fan of these simple, solid slabs of controls
35:12 that Volvo seem to be turning out,
35:14 but I know plenty of people find it, well, rather Euro-bland.
35:18 They have been to the same school of cup-holder manufacture, though.
35:21 Look at this beauty.
35:23 It's the kind of thing that would finally make you talk in a torture chamber.
35:27 Whatever you say.
35:31 Despite those extra cubes, the Volvo loses out on power,
35:34 and it does feel quite a lot slower than the Saab.
35:37 It's another light-pressured turbo, and this time there is turbo lag.
35:42 In fact, that seems to be the only effect of it.
35:44 The turbo basically flattens the bottom end and brings no particular benefits.
35:48 So it loses out in terms of power.
35:50 It loses out as well when it comes to the seating position for the driver and the passenger.
35:55 The seats feel flabby.
35:57 They're nowhere near as firmly padded and ergonomically shaped as those of the Saab.
36:01 So more points down there.
36:03 Then all of a sudden, the Volvo starts to claw back points,
36:06 and it does it in a most un-Volvo-like way,
36:09 because chuck this big barge through a series of corners, and you'll be amazed.
36:13 It goes round them really well, really fast.
36:16 It feels glued down.
36:18 The chassis is extremely well-sorted for a car of this size.
36:21 To chuck an estate car through a series of bends, this has got to be the one.
36:25 When it comes time to draw things to a halt, though, be warned again.
36:28 Unlike the Saab, when you have to give the brakes a hefty prod,
36:31 do the same in this, and you'll be pulling your eyeballs back out of the air vents.
36:36 It stops immediately.
36:38 If anything, they are far too fierce.
36:40 It's very difficult to be sensitive.
36:42 Great news in an emergency.
36:43 Bad when you pull up 30 feet short of a junction.
36:53 So, rather than being just a straightforward battle between two very similar cars,
36:58 it's become apparent that each of these is going to appeal to really a very different buyer.
37:03 In essence, then, it boils down to this.
37:07 If you need an estate car capable of hustling along your favourite stretch of B-road
37:11 with the biggest payload on board, then the Volvo is your thang.
37:14 But if you want a cross-continental tourer with a wonderful burst of acceleration
37:18 and that cosseting ride, it's got to be the 9-5.
37:21 It wins as well in terms of build quality and arguably style.
37:25 So that's it. The Saab emerges top-suite.
37:28 Just.
37:29 Let's play a little game of fantasy car-making
37:35 and decide what ingredients you'd need to make the perfect dream deal.
37:39 Well, for me, the list is like this.
37:42 It's got to look good.
37:43 It's got to be well-made and definitely have the right badge.
37:46 It's got to have a certain degree of sporting capabilities.
37:49 It's got to be able to carry me and a couple of passengers in a high level of comfort.
37:54 It's got to be good value, and it's got to have good resale values.
37:58 Do you know, I feel like a cross between Delia Smith and Jeremy Clarkson.
38:02 In a minute, I'm going to express some right-wing views while baking a souffle.
38:06 Anyway, if those are the ingredients that go to make your dream deal,
38:09 then I reckon I've got the ideal car, a Mercedes CLK.
38:15 The Mercedes CLK has been revamped and restyled, and it cuts quite a dash.
38:20 The old car was always popular with the style-conscious motorist,
38:23 but lost points due to an old chassis that let the handling down.
38:26 That's gone now, and the new car uses the chassis from the new C-Class,
38:30 so it's off to a good start.
38:32 Style-wise, it's sleeker than the old car and fits in well in the new Mercedes range.
38:37 Inside, the entire new Mercedes range has marked a welcome return to form
38:42 after a couple of years of slightly suspect build quality,
38:45 and the new CLK is no different.
38:47 It's well laid out, exceptionally well put together,
38:50 and fairly spacious for a two-door coupe.
38:52 Rear passengers will have to be friends, though, but up front there's plenty of room.
38:56 Now, if it's really to be my ideal car,
39:01 then how it looks and how many people it can carry are less important than how it drives.
39:06 So, just how ideal is this CLK?
39:09 Let's find out.
39:12 Now, with this CLK, the fun starts the minute you get in.
39:16 It's sensor city. Watch this. I'm going to close the door.
39:19 It's sensed that, so straight away closes the windows, front and rear.
39:24 Then I put my electronic gizmo that doubles as a key into the ignition, and voila.
39:28 The steering wheel goes back to the position I set it at earlier.
39:31 Great stuff. Turn the ignition.
39:33 Senses that I'm ready to go, and there, like your very own private butler,
39:38 is an arm proffering the seatbelt in a very nice butler-type way.
39:43 I've put it in, and then it goes back to its original position.
39:46 It's sensed that I'm ready to go, so it's probably in a minute going to sense that I don't have a passenger,
39:52 so the arm will go into there, and we're ready to go.
39:55 Now, the V6 on this engine really does make a lovely throaty rasp when you're driving it hard.
40:00 Get the revs up to 4,000, 5,000, and it's got a beautiful note.
40:06 Now, considering the size and performance of this car, the brakes are brilliant.
40:10 Even in the wet, with the traction control and ABS systems working together,
40:14 this car really can stop very quickly.
40:17 The other major niggle for me is the price of this car.
40:20 This CLK 320 costs about 42,000 pounds.
40:24 Now, for that, you do get a satellite navigation system, you do get in-car telephones,
40:28 you get not one but two level of heated seats, that kind of thing,
40:32 and there's switches down there that I've no idea what they're for,
40:35 but it's all electric, granted, and it senses it for you, obviously.
40:39 I think one of them's to order the masseur to come to the car.
40:42 Now, look, the car's got a very nice sensor.
40:45 It can sense that I'm pulling up, so I pull up, stop.
40:49 I'm amazed I have to brake for myself.
40:52 The car in park.
40:54 Turn it off, and then, once I take my seat belt off and the key out,
40:58 the steering wheel goes up.
41:00 There we go.
41:01 For all you big pot-bellied German drivers,
41:04 the steering wheel gets out of the way, so you can go for your next lunch.
41:07 It senses that I'm getting out, so it's taking the windows down a fraction.
41:10 Very nice.
41:12 Thanks, Jeeves.
41:15 Now, is this Merc CLK my ideal car?
41:18 Well, let's go back to the original list.
41:20 Badge, great build quality, superb residuals, they're all a given.
41:23 It's a Mercedes, but this is a Mercedes.
41:26 Where all are given, it's a Mercedes.
41:28 But value for money, 42 grand? I don't think so.
41:31 Sporting capabilities, nowhere near enough power.
41:34 Inside space, is there enough room for me and a couple of Scali mates in there?
41:37 Not likely.
41:38 No, my ideal car is still a Volvo Estate.
41:44 I'm just joking with you.
41:47 Peugeot 206 GTI, the latest of the breed from the past masters of the hot hatch genre.
41:53 If heritage is anything to go by, then this should be just about the best you can buy.
41:58 But what if you want an alternative to a mainstream GTI?
42:02 Something a little bit different, something that will stand out from the crowd?
42:06 Well, be warned, it's a Proton.
42:09 I know, pork pie hats on the parcel shelf and an old Mitsubishi engine clattering away up front.
42:15 So to make up for its perhaps rather down-market sounding badge,
42:18 they've fitted it with two badges.
42:20 And the second badge says Lotus, which isn't that surprising really when you consider that Proton own Lotus.
42:26 So they've let the British sports car supremos loose on fettling their GTI.
42:31 But have they done enough to challenge what Peugeot at least will tell you is still the original,
42:35 the grandmaster, the benchmark of hot hatchery?
42:44 It may well be able to trace its line directly back to one of the original small hot hatches,
42:49 but the 206 GTI feels about as big as the factory that they built the original 205 in.
42:56 But that said, once you are in here, it's a very nicely understated cabin.
43:00 It does feel very well designed.
43:02 There's lots of nice touches.
43:03 I do like the sporty little instrument binnacle and the little chrome gear lever.
43:07 So why, oh why do we have a reappearance of this awful textured plastic?
43:12 It looks cheap and feels nasty and tacky.
43:15 I do like the suede effect and leather though.
43:17 Very sporty.
43:26 I can remember the first time I saw a 205 GTI 1.9
43:30 and I was amazed that there could be an engine so big in a car so small.
43:36 Well today's top spec GTI from Peugeot now boasts a 2 litre engine
43:40 and it'll dash from 0 to 60 miles an hour in 8.4 seconds.
43:47 The ride is soft and comfortable and the controls are very light and easy to use.
43:52 But hang on, this is a hot hatch.
43:54 The old 205 felt like a go-kart.
43:57 This begins to feel perhaps a little too grown up.
44:00 The light steering could be seen to be remote and rather distant.
44:04 Whereas in the 205 you felt every bump and ripple in the road through the controls,
44:09 the brakes in particular on the 206, though very effective,
44:12 could be operated by somebody else's feet.
44:17 Overall the 206 GTI comfy, oh yes very, too comfy, well possibly for some.
44:25 And the price for all this comfort, well today's hot hatch is a long way from yesterday.
44:29 It's not only in size of the car but also the bill, £14,000.
44:35 I've got to admit, when you look across at the Proton,
44:38 it is a bit of a surprise to discover that it is a Proton.
44:42 And there's another surprise inside as well.
44:45 OK, so it's a little bit garish perhaps, but come on, this is a GTI, it's a hot hatch,
44:50 that's what we want. If you want subtle and understated, go buy a Rover.
44:55 If sporty little touches are your thing though, this has got to be the place to be.
44:59 It's got every single styling cue you could find on a hot hatch.
45:02 Chrome gear knob, little chrome bolts and rivets everywhere,
45:05 little chrome pedals down here by my muddy feet,
45:08 and these spectacularly comfortable Recaro seats.
45:11 Now this is more like it.
45:19 Less powerful the Proton may be, with only 1,800cc to the 206's 2-litre,
45:25 and though on paper it is faster, it'll dash from 0-60 in 7.8 seconds,
45:30 I'm not convinced. But if it's the experience we're after,
45:33 then this really will bring out the hooligan.
45:36 For a start, the Proton is loud, very loud, most of it through road noise.
45:42 The steering is fast and direct with plenty of feel, and the same can be said for the brakes.
45:46 Once you discover that most of the power is actually in a narrow mid-range band,
45:50 then it's very easy to exploit it.
45:53 It might be less luxurious than the 206, but those ultra-comfortable seats
45:58 provide just the support you need on a longer journey.
46:01 Mind you, if you are about to tackle a longer journey in the Proton GTI,
46:05 be warned to keep an eye on the fuel gauge.
46:07 It's got a range of about 25 miles, so you'll be hopping in and out of those seats a lot.
46:12 It's not because the Proton is thirsty, it's just because the tank is tiny.
46:18 (ENGINE ROARS)
46:20 If you're waiting for me now to tell you that the Proton costs four and a half grand less than the Peugeot,
46:34 don't, because it doesn't. It actually costs £500 more.
46:38 And it's a mark of how far Proton have come as a manufacturer,
46:41 that their hot hatch can be compared to Peugeot's without it being laughable.
46:45 Even more so that it can cost more than the Peugeot and still be taken seriously.
46:50 Cynics might tell you that it's also a mark of what's happened to Peugeot,
46:53 that their hot hatch can be compared to any Proton at all.
46:56 In fact, the 206 is as large, as comfortable and sophisticated
47:00 as you could possibly want from a car in its class.
47:03 The baby Proton is loud, brash and raucous in every inch a hot hatch in the traditional sense.
47:09 And if you're still having a little bit of a snigger,
47:11 here's one further little bit of food for thought.
47:15 Think about this, the Talbot Horizon and the Cortina.
47:18 Pretty humdrum cars, neither of them worth peanuts second hand until Lotus became involved.
47:23 Then, hey-ho, instant classic.
47:25 Who knows?
47:27 Ooh, this is going to be a bloody one.
47:30 It's like the hot hatches bicker amongst themselves
47:32 as to who can shave an extra tenth of a second off the Nauta 60 times.
47:36 And the big luxury barges bicker of the benefits of sat-nav over a seat massager.
47:41 But this is where the real battle takes place.
47:43 Here between these middle class, mid-range, middle lane motorway mile munchers.
47:48 Both reps chariots, and both from manufacturers hungry for your tick,
47:52 in a box next to their motor on the company car lists.
47:56 So, we have the BMW 318 SE, and facing up to it, still fresh and youthful,
48:02 the new Mercedes C180, both only a couple of steps up from cooking versions of the basic cars.
48:08 Mercedes are after BMW's championship belt, and they look like they mean business.
48:13 They both look great, both are hand carved from one lump of granite,
48:20 and will last thousands of years.
48:22 Mileages to raise the eyebrow of a spaceship captain will be perfectly achievable,
48:26 without anything ever going wrong.
48:28 Well, more or less.
48:29 But we've got to choose between them, so let battle commence.
48:32 Mercedes used to have a reputation for being incredibly mean,
48:38 it was all you could do to get a key fob out of them.
48:40 But when you bought what is still an expensive car.
48:42 Now though, they've addressed that, and clearly they've been tracking BMW with this, the C-Class,
48:47 because the spec is very similar.
48:49 In this fairly basic version, we get pretty much everything you need as standard.
48:52 I've got a multi-function steering wheel, that allows me to control the telephone,
48:56 and the radio, and bits and pieces like that.
48:58 A fairly elaborate and clever automatic climate control.
49:01 Cruise control is standard.
49:03 They have their stability control system to keep things on the straight and narrow.
49:06 And so, to the BMW 318, where we get, oh look,
49:12 cruise control and automatic climate control, and elaborate stereo.
49:16 It does feel sharp and eager, but it doesn't exactly feel exciting.
49:20 In this lesser powered version, it feels perhaps a little bit numb.
49:24 The gearbox isn't exactly exhilarating, we've only got five speeds,
49:27 as opposed to the six in the Mercedes C-Class.
49:30 It probably doesn't feel as sharp as the BMW, and Mercedes seldom do.
49:41 But considering it is a small Mercedes, it is a huge improvement on old ones,
49:46 and still a good car to drive.
49:51 Huge discounts given to big corporate buyers are, of course, denied the humble private buyer.
49:55 But that's another story.
49:57 The result is that though margins may be squeezed to the bone,
50:00 the numbers sold are huge.
50:02 For what it's worth, not that many people will be digging into their own pockets to buy these things,
50:06 the BMW costs £20,130 in this form.
50:10 Bear in mind it is slightly better equipped than the Mercedes C180 Classic,
50:14 which chips in at a slightly more weighty £20,740, both on the road.
50:21 The BMW is still excellent.
50:23 It looks great, it's still good to drive, it's got everything you need on board.
50:27 The problem is, quite a lot of people seem to agree with you,
50:30 and the old blue and white propeller badge is in danger of becoming a victim of its own success.
50:35 They made them so good, everybody bought the things,
50:37 and now, well, in some parts of the world they could be seen as a little bit common.
50:43 Oh dear, where is the Mercedes?
50:45 Well, that's an entirely different prospect.
50:47 Pitching up for your four o'clock in Wigan,
50:49 peering at the world through the three-pointed star at the end of the bonnet,
50:52 might just help you stand out from the crowd a little.
50:54 Sure, it's not ultimately as fast and sharp handling as the BMW,
50:58 but the payoff is less crashing suspension and a far more comfortable ride.
51:02 The BMW is a bit more expensive,
51:04 but it's got a lot of features that make it a bit more fun to drive.
51:07 Sure, it's not ultimately as fast and sharp handling as the BMW,
51:10 but the payoff is less crashing suspension and a far more comfortable ride.
51:14 Half a million BMW 3 Series were sold a couple of years ago in 1999.
51:32 That's a lot.
51:34 But it's an indication that BMW must be doing something right.
51:38 With their new C-Class, Mercedes want those sales.
51:41 If not all of them, then quite a lot of them.
51:43 And they deserve them. We'll see what happens.
51:46 (music)
51:52 (music)
51:56 [BLANK_AUDIO]