Consider driving these high performance cars

The brisk pace of technology innovations in the automotive industry makes it thrilling to write about cars.

Just years back it all seemed a fantasy but today electric and battery powered vehicles are on the shop floors. I drove the almost silent Renault Zoe quietly through the streets of Paris and was left feeling rather strange. Soon we may not even need to drive again with the advent of autonomous vehicles.

I am back writing about cars after a short break to launch my TV show, Autovault. I am tempted to take school children out to the streets to profess the death of the ordinary vehicle as we know it.

Trust me, the danger is real for the car lover. I suggest you invest in a classic car, whatever that means to you. If a stick shift is what you consider a real car, get one before things change forever.

If a real 4x4 is one that engages you more, then get yourself a Land Rover Defender before it is retired. If all that makes no sense to you, then all you want is a spanking new car because you worked hard and smart in 2014.

Here are a few ideas.

This year will be full of excitement, celebration and jubilation for the growing middle class with clean money to spend or bad money to clean. Rub your hands in glee, massage your eyeballs and let’s start licking the cream on top of the automotive cake.

New

Porsche signed off 2014 leading the luxury segment with the ‘end of life’ Cayenne. If you are one of the lucky few that snapped up a ‘bargain basement’ unit before prices shot upwards, you can smile without shame.

Is the party over now that the market is ready to respond?

BMW have introduced the new X5, X6 and Mercedes launched the new ML. Nothing too special about these old names except that the products are much improved.

If you want to stand out you will need to be more daring. Check out the new Jaguar CX17 and its fraternal twin the Discovery Sport. Now that is brave. Will they find a following in a ‘conservative’ market such as Kenya? Yes of course.

The nouveau riche do not conform. They will go for the unique proposition. They may be few in number, but they are growing and more outgoing.

Niche

To counter the competition, Mercedes introduced many new cars including the locally irrelevant GLA and trendy GLE. BMW continue trying to make sense of the X1 and introduced the strangely positioned X4 that will cannibalise the X3. Nothing wrong with these cars, there is just not enough appetite yet.

Can the Mercedes GLE SUV coupe impress as much as the X6 did? It will not be easy but it looks like their first real attempt at this growing niche segment.

In other news, all guns are aimed at the recently launched Mercedes C-Class. Who is holding the gun? For starters, its perennial competitor and global class leader, the BMW 3 Series.

The bigger threat is closer home though in the form of the VW Passat. Remember the controversy in government procurement when the current president was Finance minister? Now DT Dobie have the VW in-house and without doubt folk from Wolfsburg do not joke with build quality.

As if that is not enough, CMC are introducing the 2015 Ford Fusion and RMA cannot wait to launch the handsome Jaguar XE. This segment will be very competitive so hopefully a price and quality war will ensue and we, the consumer, will win.

While the trauma of choosing which one of these aforementioned luxury vehicles to settle for could very easily be summarised as rich people’s problems, I have more great news for those looking for a more practical car for less. Renault are back in town and this time they intend to get it right.

Engine

What can we expect? French kisses, wine or French fries?

For starters there will be no shortage of French flair at the top end. At entry level that is not on the menu. Just a couple of budget friendly vehicles and one gorgeous soft roader. They aim to get more people into new cars for less. That is a noble cause that I support.

I had the opportunity to raise some dust in the new Renault Duster. With a spirited 1.6 litre engine it is a frills-free soft roader that has been stripped of every semblance of luxury.

Competitor

It is unpretentiously practical. An interesting proposition for the business minded individual looking for a run-around vehicle that can actually do just that.

You get a practical 4x2 at an even more practical price starting at Sh2.5 million. The Fluence starts at just under Sh3 million while the Koles will set you back Sh4.5million.

The Fluence you must be familiar with, as it was sold in Kenya a few years ago. When I pitted it against four competitors it did not fair well as the suspension was tropicalized. I cannot wait to get behind the wheel of the new car and see if it can take on the new Toyota Corolla, GM’s Chevrolet Cruze and the Nissan Almera.

Cost

If the Duster is too ghetto for you, then you can step up to the plate and take at the athletic Koleos for what its worth. That is a story for another day. All I can say is it is worth a closer look.

In future articles we shall be taking a closer look at new and used vehicles that will take your fancy in 2015. We shall explore what they cost and what they are like to live with.