That’s basically a 2JZ, just displacing 2.5 litres instead of 3.0, and with parallel turbos (or, in this case, a single turbo) instead of sequential ones. Mostly because under the bonnet, there’s a twin-turbocharged 1JZ under the bonnet. But we’re going to go out on a limb here and say that the Toyota Crown Athlete probably wasn’t on your mental list.īut, and this might just be nascent oddball JDM adoration talking, we think it should be. Worst bit: The satnav and all the buttons are in Japaneseīefore you clicked into this article, you probably already had an idea of what you’d find. Top speed: 110mph (limited, as per JDM cars of the era) And with that metaphor tortured like a Guantanamo inmate, let’s get to the point: the R8 Tourer had a) the engine from a Corvette, b) the basic chassis from a Camaro and c) enough space in the back for a band’s worth of musical instruments. So let’s call it a deep cut from a well-known, if not entirely successful band. not so much a hit, because Holden Australia couldn’t sell enough cars or make enough money to keep the wolves from the door. The HSV R8 Tourer is the epitome of, well. But for every Jason Donovan or Jet, there was at least one Tame Impala or Nick Cave, if you take our meaning. Closely followed by hearing British people try to put on an Australian accentĪustralians don’t make cars anymore, which is actually a bit of a shame. We're not saying there was a constant stream of automotive hits from the sunburned (and fire-ravaged, and biblically flooded) country any more than we’re saying there was a constant stream of hits from its musical artists. Worst bit: Coming to terms with how much these things have skyrocketed. Just keep the bank account padded to soften the blow when something goes wrong.Įstimate: $50,000 dollarydoos (or about £30,000) – more than double what it used to be. But – and this is crucial – they’re still essentially cars, not SUVs, so they don’t come with the litany of performance and handling problems that it seems only Porsche can properly solve.Īnd if you combine the Allroad’s day in, day out prowess with the silky rumblings of Audi’s venerable 4.2-litre V8, which saw service in everything from the R8 supercar to the S8 limo? That’s knocking on the door of perfection, that is. But there’s such an essential rightness to them – the softer suspension soaks up crappy roads with ease, and the ever-so-slightly-higher ride height means that speed bumps and potholes don’t trouble you anywhere near as much as a regular car. Common sense dictates that, as they’re higher and heavier than standard, they’ll be generally worse than the regular Avant Audi started with. There’s a curious allure to Audi’s lifted wagons. rarity?īest bit: Sneering at SUV drivers who chose. Hey, it could happen.Įstimate: £12,000, but we've seen later ones go for half that. Yes, Top Gear is here to save the day, if your day can only be saved with some moderately flimsy buying advice, centred around oddball-yet-quick estates that don’t squander your bank account in one fell swoop. Well, have no fear! Well, have the right amount of fear – the Doomsday clock is now measured in seconds to midnight, rather than minutes, after all – but have no fear about this: you can get some seriously amazing, supremely rare-groove estates for a quarter of the cost of a new performance wagon, or less. Call it what you will: station wagon, dad chariot, weekender, sportwagon or shooting brake, the fact of the matter is the second a manufacturer adds a big, open area behind the rear seats and seals the deal with a hatch, we are in.īut what if you’ve spent all your money on Spotify, flat whites and avocado toast, or whatever out-of-touch bankers point to whenever we say we’d like to afford things like cars, or a house? The very best kind of car in the world is an estate.
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