In the Metal

The key aspect of interest in the 911 Targa is its large, sliding glass roof. It’s not a convertible and it’s more than just a sunroof, with a history dating back to when it looked like full drop-tops would be banned by the safety gnomes. Convertibles weren’t banned and the Targa has carried on as the quiet man of the 911 range, culminating in this latest mildly facelifted version. There’s a pleasing line to the Targa, with its chrome strip running down the edge of the roof line, while the large glass rear window lifts up to ease access to the small amount of storage space underneath it. The glass panel above the front passenger compartment retracts under the rear screen in a nifty seven seconds, opening up the cabin to the sunshine. With the roof drawn back, the Targa’s interior has the feel of a convertible, especially with the door windows dropped, so this could well be the ‘soft-top’ for Britain.

Otherwise, the Targa has the same revisions as the rest of the 911 range, which means mildly tweaked front and rear lights and a lightly updated cabin. There’s also a reflective strip running between the rear lights that harks back to the seminal 993 series 911; it adds a certain flair to the Targa in our book.

What you get for your Money

In 4S form, the Targa provides the latest 380bhp version of Porsche’s 3.8-litre ‘flat’ six engine. There’s no forced induction for this unit, just a rev-happy nature and that classic 911 engine note, though it seems a mite more muted in this latest iteration of Porsche’s upscale coupé than in previous models. For the 4S, the engine is connected to its electronically controlled four-wheel drive system by either a six-speed manual gearbox or the latest seven-speed PDK twin-clutch ‘box – the latter a £2,288 option.

Full Story: The Car Enthusiast – | First Drive | Surrey, England | Porsche 911 Targa |

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(wow)

Lamborghini has uprated the Gallardo Spyder with the same LP560-4 revisions as the Coupé model, so now you can hear the V10 engine in full surround sound. Has chopping the roof off of one of the most thrilling supercars ever turned the Gallardo into a car for Rodeo Drive or is it just as much of a raging bull as ever?

In the Metal

In converting the Gallardo LP560-4 Coupé into the soft-top Spyder, Lamborghini has not done anything as crass as simply replacing the steel roof with a canvas cover. Yes, the Spyder sticks with a fabric roof for ease of packaging and keeping the weight down, but the Spyder still manages to tip the scales at 140kg more than the Coupé. More importantly, the Spyder has a raised rear deck to accommodate the roof when it’s folded away and this gives the open car an even more aggressive look than its Coupé sister. In common with the Coupé, the Spyder has the same menacing LED daytime running headlights and Y-form rear lights, along with chromed quad exhaust pipes. As for the roof, it folds away in around 20 seconds and is available in black, blue, grey or beige – the only beige thing about this car.

What you get for your Money

When you’re laying out the price of a house, you expect plenty in return from your supercar. The Gallardo P560-4 Spyder doesn’t disappoint. The 5.2-litre V10 engine generates 553bhp – up from its predecessor’s 513bhp – and you have to choose between the standard six-speed manual gearbox or E-gear transmission that lets the driver change gear by paddles mounted just behind the steering wheel. There’s also four-wheel drive as standard, with 30 percent of the power sent to the front wheels and the rest shovelled through the massive rear tyres.

Inside, the Gallardo is beginning to look a little long in the tooth, though build quality is excellent and there’s all the standard equipment most owners could ever want. However, you’d be well advised to spend the extra £1,565 on the reversing camera as the higher rear deck of the Spyder makes parking a nerve-jangling experience in tight spots. The only other option most buyers are likely to tick is for satellite navigation, which costs £1,580 and is borrowed directly from Audi so it’s easy to work.

The seats are very supportive and electric adjustment quickly finds the ideal driving position, though taller drivers may find legroom on the cramped side. We also found the seats rub against the rear bulkhead when adjusted further back, creating a squeak between the leather surfaces. Still, the Spyder provides some practicality with a small front luggage area that can hold a soft sports bag easily.

Full Story: The Car Enthusiast – | First Drive | Edinburgh, Scotland | Lamborghini Gallardo LP560

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Audi has had phenomenal success with its R8 model, the stunning two-seat, mid-engined coupé unquestionably being the car of the moment. The Ingolstadt firm has finally gotten around to putting its V10 engine into it too, giving the R8 even more pace to compete against its supercar rivals.

In the Metal

The Audi R8 remains one of the most striking cars you can currently buy. Thanks to its Audi TT-esque cues and unique signatures like the contrasting ‘sideblades’ the R8 is a stunning-looking machine. With the V10 model, Audi’s enhancements are subtle but effective: at the front there are new fully LED headlamps, which frame a high gloss grille and air intakes. On the front wings there are V10 badges and those contrasting sideblades feature a kink to feed more air into the mid-mounted 5.2-litre V10 engine.

Expelling that V10′s gasses are oval exhaust pipes, while the panel between them and the taillights are restyled too. ‘Y-design’ alloy wheels complete the V10-engined R8′s design changes on the exterior. Inside, little has changed: there’s a V10 badge on the instruments, an improved stereo and satnav system and the seats are electrically moved and heated as standard. The R8′s cabin is as beautifully finished as you’d expect from an Audi though so it should be with the R8 V10 costing just £500 short of one hundred grand in standard manual guise.

What you get for your Money

For your £100,000 you get all of the above design changes along with the must-have magnetic damper system that gives the R8 remarkable poise and composure on the road. There’s also an LED lighting kit as standard, meaning you can light up your engine bay when it’s parked up – which is cooler than it sounds. Ultimately though the extra £20,000 you pay over the R8 V8 car is for the two additional cylinders that make up the high-revving 5.2-litre V10. That and the extra exclusivity, with only around 150 R8 V10s being built each year for UK customers – expect a waiting list.

Driving it

Aside for the V10 badge inside there’s little to give you any clues that the R8 is packing an extra two cylinders over its V8 relative. You can’t make out the engine’s extra length in the rear view mirror, but turn the key and the V10′s engine note is subtly different. It’s more cultured and slightly more exotic sounding than its V8 sibling. In ethos and performance think of the R8 V10 as Porsche’s 911 Turbo to the Carrera 4 S model, a faster more exclusive model that’s crushingly competent but remarkably friendly.

Full Story: The Car Enthusiast – | First Drive | Granada, Spain | Audi R8 V10 |

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