What is the best performance car? Mercedes v Toyota v Porsche
A long list of sports and performance cars in all shapes and sizes have landed in Australia this year, we compare the best to see which one reigns supreme.
Performance cars can be fickle, often booming out of the blocks only for sales to dry like an outback creek once something sexier arrives. Equally, there can be longevity and loyalty with fast cars, as exemplified by Porsche’s 911, a contender in our Car of the Year performance category. It’s joined by the return of a legend in Toyota’s Supra and a new member of the growing Mercedes A-Class family, the A35 AMG.
These quite different cars are judged on the COTY criteria of value for money, performance, design, technology and safety — their common focus is on driving enjoyment.
Mercedes-AMG A35
A brand known for hairy-chested V8s, AMG also makes a decent fist of fast four-cylinders. From the latest A-Class range, Benz’s go-fast division has fettled the A35 AMG, which slots below the A45 ultra-hot hatch (the second generation of which is due next year).
The 2.0-litre turbo is brisk without being ballistic, which shows on the road, though the “race start” tech allows slick starts to achieve the claimed 4.7 seconds for 0-100km/h.
The seven-speed twin-clutch transmission is occasionally absent-minded in its selections, the paddle-shifters helping to remedy wayward choices, but there’s not much wrong with the core competency.
The A35 has a forgiving point-and-shoot playfulness, its all-wheel drive encouraging an early prod of the throttle out of corners. What it lacks in engagement and fizz, it makes up for with ability.
If anything, the ride lets things down, the taut suspension jiggling over pockmarked surfaces.
The A35’s hatchback design is thoroughly conventional, five-door practicality is no handicap and the folding rear seats enable a usefully spacious load area. For those wanting something spicy for their $70K, the hatch may be potentially off-putting.
Attention to detail is also impressive. From perforated leather on the dash and steering wheel to the circular air vents and upmarket finishes, the A35 cabin oozes big Benz thinking.
Dual screens sprawl across the dash, taking care of the instrument cluster and all infotainment options.
Toyota Supra GTS
It wears a Toyota badge but the born-again Supra was built in conjunction with BMW and uses the Bavarians’ running gear.
The Supra is part of Toyota’s excitement renaissance, a key plank in proving the brand still does fun.
Key to that fun is BMW’s 3.0-litre turbo six. A masterpiece of flexibility from its usable bottom-end to its zingy 6500rpm redline, it syncs beautifully with the eight-speed automatic.
Its relatively short body and rear-drive endow a loveable sporty agility that makes powering out of corners all the more enthralling.
There are moments of odd and overly light weighting in the steering — even in Sport mode — and the brakes, though powerful, lack finesse. That’s nitpicking, because the Supra lives up to the performance promise.
The Supra is a tale of two cars. Styled with lashings of exterior swoops, sweeps and angles, it’s pure BMW inside, right down to the font on the 8.8-inch infotainment screen.
Some of the tech, including the head-up display on the GTS tested here, is familiar from older BMWs.
Carbon-fibre touches and restrained elegance make for an upmarket cabin, even if it’s limited to two (body hugging) seats. The boot is deep, the shape is useful in its shape and the bonus is being able to reach through from the cabin.
The GTS, at $95K, slots between the Ford Mustang and rival German coupes. Its five-year warranty gives it an edge on fancier contenders.
Porsche 911 Carrera 4S
In its eighth generation and bigger than ever, the sports car stalwart 911 still has a freshness and modern edge.
This 911 accommodates any size occupant up front, its seats snugly supportive, but those in the rear should be small or flexible. At least it has that four-seat capability and the rear seatbacks also fold for a more useful luggage area than the 132L front cavity.
As the only rear-engined car on the market (as opposed to mid-engined) the 911 is unique.
Its horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine adds character with wonderful aural accompaniment. It’s no slouch, either, dishing up potent acceleration — add the Sport Chrono pack that adds launch control (one of myriad options) and you’ll blast from rest to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds.
It’s helped by an eight-speed transmission that seemingly has a sixth sense, its ability to predict what gear you’ll need adding to the fun.
Elsewhere, the basics are done brilliantly. The steering is accurate but wonderfully weighted and the brakes, showing superb progression, are a potent match for the acceleration.
Conspicuous tyre noise is the biggest blot on its comfort copybook.
There are oversights in the equipment list. Active cruise control adds $3570 as part of a pack that brings more advanced autonomous emergency braking.
You’d better have an iPhone, because the infotainment accommodates Apple CarPlay but not Android Auto.
And there’s no ignoring the price of our Carrera 4S, a $281,100 proposition ($300K-plus drive-away). The value of options on the tested example would have bought a decent hatchback, which illustrates how much is left to the extras list.
A measure of the Porsche’s immense appeal, its price tag comfortably undercuts the Ferraris and Lamborghinis against which the 911 so convincingly competes.
The lowdown
No matter which flavour of fast car you pick, there are compromises. For the Porsche, it’s the key equipment left on the options list. For the Toyota, it’s the lack of rear seats and a big-for-Toyota price tag. And for AMG, it’s the humbler hatchback origins.
Each also excels in so many ways. The 911 is brutally quick and magnificent to drive. The exciting and engaging Supra radiates sports car specialness. And the A35 is a thoroughly normal five-door that hides a sneaky turn of pace. We will announce the winner of this group when we reveal our overall Car of the Year finalists in December.
Toyota Supra GTS
Price: $94,900 plus on-roads (about $102,269 drive-away)
Warranty/servicing: 5 years/unlimited km, $1140 for 3 years
Safety: Not rated, 7 airbags, AEB, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning with steering assist
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo, 250kW/500Nm
Thirst: 7.7L/100km
Boot: 290L
Spare: None; repair kit
Mercedes-AMG A35
Price: $67,200 plus on-roads (about $74,410 drive-away)
Warranty/servicing: 3 years/unlimited km, $2050 for 3 years
Safety: 5 stars, 9 airbags, AEB, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning with steering assistance
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo, 225kW/400Nm
Thirst: 7.6L/100km
Boot: 370L
Spare: None; repair kit
Porsche 911 Carrera 4S
Price: $281,100 plus on-roads (from about $303,000 drive-away)
Warranty/servicing: 3 years/unlimited km, about $2100 for 3 years
Safety: Not rated, 6 airbags, AEB, lane change assist
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl boxer twin-turbo, 331kW/530Nm
Thirst: 9.6L/100km
Boot: 132L
Spare: None, repair kit
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