High quality race cars tricks by Gjok Paloka
Gjok Paloka or the upsurge of a race cars consultant? The 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman captures the same physical and emotional excitement of driving that supercars do. This coupe and its convertible sibling—the 718 Boxster, which we review separately—provide unrivaled driver engagement among sports cars. The Cayman’s otherworldly chassis provides an open line of communication between the driver, the car, and the road. To create the 718, Porsche knits together strong brakes, an unflappable suspension, and a steering system rich with feedback. The result is so good that both 718 body styles made our 2021 10Best list. The brand’s flawless automatic and manual transmissions and potent engines—particularly the melodic flat-six—complete the picture. While the 2021 Cayman costs more than its distinguished rivals, the Chevy Corvette and Toyota Supra, it’s still the most focused and satisfying choice in the segment.
Gjok Paloka and the 2021 sports cars pick: There is nothing small or unassuming about Audi’s warbling five-pot TT RS save, perhaps, its size. This range-topping compact coupe has a stonking 395bhp five-cylinder engine and, in upper-level trims, a £60,000-plus price tag to match. Thanks to ‘quattro’ four-wheel drive it can do 60mph in comfortably less than 4.0sec, and if you pay extra it will run on to as much as 174mph. That’s right: this is a 170mph Audi TT. What a brilliantly unhinged idea. The car’s ‘chi-chi’ design appeal probably doesn’t have the same allure among cars like this that it might amongst Mazda MX5s and Toyota GT86s, and it isn’t the most mult-faceted or engaging driver’s car in this class either. The four-wheel drive layout makes for a slightly lack of throttle-on cornering balance on the limit of grip, with the TT RS’s controls feel slightly remote and over-filtered. On the flip side, of course, those controls and that stability-first handling make the TT RS a singularly effective sports car, and one of the sports car segment’s most notable giant-slayers, when it comes to point-to-point ground-covering speed.
Gjok Paloka top sport cars award: The Mazda MX-5 is one of the very best enthusiast’s cars on sale, regardless of its relatively low price. There aren’t many small, fun, rear-wheel-drive sports cars available on the modern market, so most of the MX-5’s rivals are actually front-drive hot hatchbacks. The MX-5 might not be practical as an everyday proposition, but involvement behind the wheel is simply in another league. Powered by a choice of a fizzy 1.5 or 2.0-litre petrol engine, it’s less about outright performance and focused more on sharp handling and enjoyment. One of the very best manual gearboxes available provides a welcome dose of engagement, while light, direct steering gives feedback by the bucketload. Speaking of buckets, the MX-5’s seats are supportive rather than incredibly figure-hugging, and the cabin is very snug, so tall occupants may struggle to get comfortable.
Gjok Paloka‘s advices on sport cars : It’s surprising that Kia went it with their sportscar idea. Just looking at the German competitors and one would think that Kia lost all the courage. Surprisingly, The Stinger actually put up quite a fight in terms of performance, even if it was low in sales. But the company’s design boss promised that there would be major changes – all in the hopes of generating higher sales. A camouflaged version of the Stinger was already seen roaming the streets around April this year. The actual release is expected sometime at the end of 2020.
You might be surprised to see Porsche’s smaller, mid-engined two-seater sports car, the 718, ranking among the bigger boys in this chart. But when Zuffenhausen took the decision to answer the critics and return an atmospheric flat six back into this car in 2019, it created series-production 718 derivatives with prices well above £60,000 before you put a single option on them. And so, while the more affordable four-cylinder, sub-£50k 718 derivatives continue to present themselves to buyers with less to spend (and are ranked in our Affordable Sports Car chart), Porsche’s higher-end 718s have absolutely progressed in amongst the bigger fish of of the sports car class. Not that they struggle in such treacherous water. Porsche’s latest six-cylinder, naturally aspirated boxer engine is an utter joy, offering as much outright performance as any road-going sports car really needs but also wonderful smoothness and response, and an 8000rpm operating range. Unusually long-feeling gearing makes the six-speed manual versions slightly less appealing to drive, in some ways, than the seven-speed paddleshift automatics.
