Sam's swift Suzuki Swift Sport review

Whilst enjoying a Suzuki Swift Sport for the week, I created this 'swift' video review as a bit of fun (hence the laxed dress code). As a warm hatch, I think it's safe to say I love it...

Could Trident's Iceni Be The World’s First Economical Supercar?

I spoke to Trident's Phil Bevan after the launch of the Iceni Magna and Iceni Venturer, two of three potentially ground-breaking cars that can reach 190mph and eke 2000 miles out of one tank

The diesel engine. Once rarely found far from the accelerator pedal of an angry white-van-man, it’s now responsible for the last eight victories in the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours. Surprisingly though, before the giants of Audi and Peugeot clinched those wins, a small Norfolk based car firm had already long been pushing to maximise diesel’s performance potential.

“We actually started the diesel program way before other manufacturers went to Le Mans with a diesel LMP1 car,’” Phil Bevan, Managing Director of Trident Sports Cars tells me. “We attended the Le Mans organisers before they did as well.”

Bold claims from a company that has just unveiled two new cars, but not claims that lack any substance. Named the Trident Iceni Magna and Venturer, these new tourer and estate versions of the existing sports car can reach 60mph in just 3.7 seconds and blast their way beyond 190mph. This makes the Iceni faster than Jaguar’s V8 S F-Type roadster.

The Iceni Magna displays a split rear-screen

Such performance is available thanks to a monstrous 6.6-litre GM-sourced V8, a diesel unit that in Trident’s hands can produce an impressive 424bhp but most importantly, 950lb-ft of torque. But get this, for extra cash and presumably those with King Kong-levels of chest-hair, you can even upgrade Iceni’s V8 to produce 651bhp and a terrifying 1057lb-ft of torque. That’s a truly earth-moving amount of grunt.

“If you look at our torque figures they are generally double that of our competitors.” Phil’s right, even Jag’s mighty V8 S can only stir up a measly 460lb-ft. But why so much?

“Torque is the accelerating force that horsepower takes over from once the accelerating has finished. The question is, when does a car stop accelerating if you keep changing gear?”

A long bonnet houses the 6.6-litre diesel V8

Well it won’t, not in the Trident apparently because pushing all that torque through the rear-wheels will be a rear-mounted eight-speed automatic gearbox. And with so many cogs to play with, the Iceni will be able to maximise its acceleration at all times, making for effortless speed gain and the most precarious license losing levels yet seen in this segment.

Using their own electronic engine control unit, the small car firm hasn’t just achieved impressive straight-line performance, but also enabled truly astronomical levels of economy.

“68.9mpg is at just 980 revs which means you will be travelling at 70mph,” explains Phil, “and the car can even run on 100% bio-diesel, things like cooking oil and rapeseed.”

The Iceni sports car was unveiled ahead of the Magna and Venturer

This enables the Iceni to cover an astonishing 2000 miles to one tank. That’s three times the length of the UK before your first fuel stop. All this in a car that can outdrag established rivals to 60, offers a luxurious leather and alcantara interior and is available in three body types. Impressive.

Perhaps the most striking of those body shapes is the originally unveiled sports car. Supporting a roll bar that runs from the middle of the windscreen into the smooth plain of the almost Jaguar-like rear, it serves both aesthetically and functionally to give the car a much more purposeful appearance.

“The longitudinal roll-over bar offers super-safe occupancy for passengers even in the event of a roll.” Phil goes on to explain that the bar also helps to enhance handling; “it makes the triangulated structure more akin to the structural rigidity of a saloon car.” And in the world of open top sports cars, more rigidity equals better handling.

Leather and alcantara is used in abundance

That’s not to say the Iceni is an out and out racer however. Phil explains that whilst the car possesses some truly blistering pace, it’s closer to that of Grand Tourer, “providing a very compliant ride along with its excellent handling.”

“We will never produce a car with Nurburgring tuned suspension because the roads in this country are full of ridges, cambers and pot holes; nothing like the Nurburgring or any race circuit. We believe that over firm suspended cars are an excuse for a properly set up car.” No doubt great news for the bottoms of prospective Iceni drivers.

Such early days for small British supercar firms can be nervous times, but there are undoubtedly signs that the Trident story could be one destined for long-term success. A racing program looks possible for the future, giving the brand a chance to demonstrate its new car against far more established marques’ machinery. Whilst a waiting list of prospective buyers from across the globe should ensure the Norfolk production plant will see the Iceni, available from £96,000 in its entry level, one day burble its way onto the roads.

Defining longitudinal beam adds structural rigidity

All sounds great, but there is one overriding concern for sports car lovers of the world; how will it sound? Diesels aren’t particularly aurally pleasing and let’s face it, they can sometimes ruin a car’s sporting credentials. But thankfully, Phil is confident in saying that the case is very different in his Iceni.

“As our engine runs on Piezo fuel injectors it sounds like a petrol engine. Under hard acceleration it even sounds more like a Euro Fighter taking off. It really makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.”

Euro Fighter? That’ll go nicely with that ridiculous torque figure then.

The Dacia Sandero: Cheap and Cheerful?

Unless your daily commute involves dodging cows and the badge between your hands says Tata, buying a new car often isn’t cheap. Or is it? Well Romania has come to town with an answer, and it's worth just £5,995.

Photography: Nikolai Attard and Phillip Morton

Meet Dacia, the subsidiary of Renault that comes from the Eastern European country, and their budget offering, the Sandero. Priced at the same value as a five-year old Vauxhall Astra, Dacia's Sandero is officially Britain’s cheapest new car. How does it compare against its pricier rivals in the well-populated hatchback segment then?

On first glances, prospects look bleak. Unpainted plastic bumpers, steel wheels and a white-only exterior that offers little more than a simple two-box design, the Sandero certainly isn’t a looker. The same can be said for the interior, where grey plastics accompany a whole-lot of nothing. Our model is fitted with an optional radio but entry level cars feature little more luxuries than a heater and rev-counter, so stepping inside can feel a little like rewinding time, by a decade or three. Emphasising this is a lack of central locking and wind-up windows – properly old school.

Black plastic bumpers dominate the exterior

Cues to the car’s underpinnings – shared with the Mk2 Clio that went on sale way back in 1998 – are evident throughout. Outside the wheel base matches a Mk2 Clio, whilst an upright seating position and even the steering-column cover is identical to what you’d find in the old car – though the Access Sandero does without the height adjustment arm and therefore remains fixed. The electrics are undoubtedly Renault parts-bin sourced too, with the auto-engaging rear-wiper and even gear-change light being identical to those found on old French hatches.

But it’s not all bad news. The car possesses four airbags (driver, passenger and front side-impact) enabling it to achieve a respectable four-star Euro NCAP rating. The positives continue once the key is turned too, as our car’s 75bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine ticks-over silently, the only evidence of its existence coming from the slightest hint of vibration through the gear-knob.

A simple interior contains only the essentials

Pootling around central London at close to the capital’s average top speed (only just nudging double figures) the Dacia remains a calm, composed place to be. Effortlessly light steering gives a good amount of confidence whilst soft suspension, a featherweight clutch and instant brakes make driving through one of the world’s densest cities easy. Parking the Sandero is a doddle too, the van-like door mirrors and high seating position offering a wide range of visibility. The Sandero does slow, urban driving well then.

The same can’t be said about anything remotely fast however. Venturing onto a dual carriageway requires a scary amount of rolling-up (lorries and OAPs have never looked so fast), whilst even pulling out of junctions requires you to spin the needle up the rev-counter far more than you’d expect. Ignore the dash’s eco change-up light, you’ll need far more than its recommended 2,000rpm to speed up to 60 in anything under 20 seconds. Once moving at over 60 the Dacia’s once silent engine becomes a bit of a growler, providing a permanent hum in the background at all times. It isn’t helped by the urban-gearing of the five-speed ‘box either, resulting in a significant 4,000 revs being required to sit at 70.

The Sandero thrives in town

Despite this the car still returns good fuel economy, with our 350 mile round trip across urban and extra-urban roads requiring little more than half a tank of fuel. But even with such a small dent in the wallet, the under damped suspension and vague steering that presents itself at motorway speeds could leave you spending your savings on aspirin; a bouncy motorway experience requiring constant focus to remain between lane-lines. Unsurprisingly, it’s not even worth mentioning the Sandero’s high-speed cornering ability, though thinking of a Citroën 2CV might provide some idea..

All in all, at speed the Sandero really struggles. With such a high level set by today’s range of hatchbacks the Sandero feels as though it’s 20 years behind, especially once outside the boarders of suburbia. Within them however, the Sandero is a strong performer. It offers good leg room both front and rear, five doors as standard, whilst storage space, cup-holders and a class leading 320-litre boot mean the Sandero would make the perfect car for taking the kids to school, doing the weekly shop or popping to the post office; all this for a fiver less than £6,000.

Sampling London's tight streets

In all honesty paying an extra £1,600 and opting for the better specced Ambience fitted with the 898cc TCe engine would be our choice, that engine providing all round better performance and cheaper tax (£30 a year to the 1.2’s £105). But even at £7,595, this more luxurious Sandero still undercuts rivals like the Kia Rio by a substantial £2,400. And when you put it like that it’s hard to disagree, the Dacia Sandero is nothing short of a bargain. So it turns out Romania does have the answer, thanks to a little help from the French.

Specs

Engine 1149cc, 4cyl, FWD

Gearbox 5-speed, manual

Power 75bhp @ 5500rpm

Torque 79lb ft @4250rpm

CO2 135g/km

Top speed 97mph

0-62 mph 14.5secs

Combined mpg 48.7

Manufacturer’s OTR price £5,995 (+ £250 for optional radio as tested here)

Car Throttle Video

In an attempt to become more famous than Joey Essex, I featured in one of Car Throttle's Readers' Rides videos. Posted online on the 25th February, the guys have clearly produced a fantastic quality video that somehow turned my ramblings into a pretty awesome clip.

Just so you know, despite the rattles, I still absolutely love this car. Here it is:

How to Become a Boy Racer

For my latest University portfolio I have created a slightly less serious video. Taking massive inspiration from the guys at CarThrottle.com (the portfolio requires you to target a publication/website), we came up with this 'How to Become a Boy Racer' video. Hopefully it'll make you giggle once or twice..

BUKC 2014

Back at Uni for my MA, I'm able to race in the British University Karting Championship again. Studying for my MA at Coventry University means I'm racing for the Coventry team for 2014.

As a University of Leeds graduate and a founding member of the Leeds University Union Motorsport Society (way back in 2009), I still have a massive soft spot for the Leeds team and so wish them all the best this year..."Unnnaaayyy." But with our A team at Coventry being so strong thanks to a good level of experience, this is probably my best chance of fighting for the Championship ever.

Fellow Coventry University student and motorsport photographer, Stu Stretton, was drafted in to produce the highlights video for the Qualifying races held in November 2013. Ahead of the first round of the Championship at Buckmore Park on 12th February, he's pipped our team as one of the favourites. Let's hope he's right; I certainly can't wait to find out.

Evo Magazine

Since the start of 2014 I've been working part-time for one of the World's biggest car magazines, Evo. Largely I have been contributing to the News pages on the website, but I have also been able to contribute to the magazine itself.

For Issue 193 (March 2014), my name is featured in the contributors list, with my words being used in the A-Z feature of the magazine. I was given the task of writing about the best used bargains of 2014, so check out my piece under the letter U