The Macan is ready to answer that calling.

And as a bonus, you could let Donna know that you've already entered it for the SI Targa Tour!

Did I tell u I just updated to the latest Santa Fe..I compared it with the ML350, but to be fair, I could not see the money in the Merc. they wanted me to give them $40k and the 2012 SF, for a 2011 350 that had done 10,000km less. For $22500 on top I got a new 2014 SF Elite..

No leading of the missus on this one. Who would have thought a middle age woman would go for a GTI? Basically, there is no upside in suggesting anything because I will be wrong.

Snap. With you on that. Luckily, a used allroad topped my contender list last year (seeing off X5, Cayenne and Touareg, among others) just after she'd suggested I might want to consider an Audi to replace our aging BMW 750. It came with an extra pair of factory kids seats in the back, which swung it into first place for us - brilliant chucking the kids into that rear-facing bench on shorter runs around town, while still keeping the car tidy for runs to the office. Macan's lesser sister - the Q5/SQ5 - is the nearest current allroad equivalent I reckon, 5 seats aside.

We're very spoiled for choice these days though, with the Evoque and any number of Korean and Japanese machines also on the menu. You better just hope she decides before this one comes out:

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/01/b...e-competition/

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mkm45...entley-suv-28/

BTW - just yell out when it's time for a margin call on the Integra!

you think that is the disguise making the Bentley look so ugly? surely it will be restyled come release date

Understood, just before we went to Pommieland, my lady spent an obscene amount of money on the new Lexus 300H..No amount of comparison or fiscal reasoning could sway the decision making process..They offer free parking at the airport for 4 years..can't beat that

@ Walter - I think she likes the Q5 and Santa Fe but I'll still let it be her that finds out what she wants.

As for the Integra - we're $86 overspent but I'm not intending making any calls. First priority is to get you all out and have a run. It would be good to have at least one more for Saturday which gives each person 2 sessions. It will likely be wet, but that's a great excuse if the times are not great ;) I haven't driven the car post pads and disc skimming but it should be good.

John
she is welcome to have the Santa Fe for a day if she wants to extend the tryout time..

Graeme I confess I have no idea what it means. I was actually told in race terms it was at least equivalent to a race engine designed 100 hr+ lifying of key components. They do a race version tuned for race gas. It has a higher compression and makes more power (not any noticeable difference in torque). It has a different exhaust (centre muffler 997.1 GT3 stle equal length headers), and slide valves. I have been pushing for a street version which will run on 93MON/98RON pump gas and behave itself well at idle and under electrical loads. This is the engine they have designed and started building for a few clients already. I would want it fitted with aircon (which would lower output by 4-5 bhp).

The problem with an engine like this is the cost. Its fairly exotic (but uses custom Mahle pistons for longevity). GT3 crank and oil scavenger pump (they have an auxiliary pump set up on the race engines which is very sexy but big $$$) and helps make a bit of extra power reducing the oil flow drag in the crankcase etc. Otherwise its titanium rods, bolts and fasteners. The magic is in the head design (their own billet design like 9M design flowed bench tested), windage of crankcase, cams, and of course the bespoke intake plenum based off a 997 Cup unit but ground up design. Almost all components other than cam/heads/intake are top shelf and proven such as ARP, Carillo etc. The exhaust 3-1 and muffler have had ALOT of deisgn testing on their dynos and are custom fabricated for them (not cheap).

Its pretty much state of the art in aircooled. 8000 rpm, big torque, tough. We are still "only" talking 105 bhp per litre here but their race spec units will make 110-115.

In terms of cost Im not 100% sure. For a race spec motor like in the GT4 car owned by a Kiwi and raced in USA which I posted on an earlier post you are talking 80K USD...

The short clip below of me chasing Steve R (chasing an Evora) at Timaru is why I like atmo engines. The quality is absolutely terrible sorry (it is HD on the original file but I don't have the bandwidth on the island to do anything better). More importantly is the sound and flexibility of the engine.

The engine is redline 7000 rpm. On the SITT I was using a technique Paul told me about just running it to the limiter if I was finding it not worthwhile to change gear at the corner (i.e. about to brake). I will be revising that technique in the interests of engine longevity moving forward. I also have been winding it out to full rpm before shifting on the straights. Again another habit that will be dropped. Finally at 1.08 you can barely due to the footage quality make out my 0.5s pause forcing the shifter into 3rd from 2nd (synchro knackered by now). the race-logic shows 1.16.5 for this lap.

Its the sound (poorly reproduced) and the feel in the cockpit which I find intoxicating.

Nice footage
I think I can get my head around the 120 hour thing. in reality its longer than one might think. I have run my kit car for 10,000km now mostly on track so if the average speed was 130kph that's 77 hours. So 120 hrs might be 15,000 kms
Add in low wear road kms and that might mean the "life" might be 3x that 45k say. A bit like Targa Tour has 3000km touring and 1000km stage km??

Geepers - don't listen to my advise.

:burnout: worked well enough but may bring forward need for a new engine LOL!

ohhh yeah!

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...-order/2327006