Jeremy Clarkson, ring a bell? A name that is synonymous with trashing the most exotic of exotic cars, leads a cult following in the form of a tv show, degrades and humiliates automobiles, regardless of the name, nevermind the legacy. Now I’m wondering if you remember what he did to our national pride and joy, the Perodua Kelisa, I quote him;
“This is without doubt the worst car, not just in its category but in the world. Over three years it will cost you 13.5p per mile. This makes it the cheapest car to run. Fine, but the cheapest house is a small tent. It has a top speed of 88mph but takes so long to reach it that no one has ever lived long enough to verify the claim, the inside is tackier than Anthea Turner’s wedding and you don’t want to think what would happen if it bumped into a lamppost. Also its name sounds like a disease.”
Such terrible criticism is sure to send any automaker into irreversible melancholy, so he did to the Malaysian government, with the issue being discussed in cabinet meetings. For that, I would like to thank you Jeremy. Its about time people realise what shitty cars our “pride and joy” national carmakers produce.
It must have been a real heart pounding moment for BMW’s engineers when they found out that Jeremy Clarkson was out and about in their latest creation, the 135i. Some of them must have fainted as soon as Jeremy opened his mouth. But amazingly, Britain’s favorite journalist had nothing but nice things to say about it. Even going as far as saying that the “135 coupe is the best car BMW makes,” and went on to give the car a five star rating.
First, a little lowdown about the 135i coupe, its powered by BMW’s very own twin-turbocharged 3.0 liter inline 6-cylinder engine that produces 300 horses and a peak torque of 300lb-ft. Those figures add up to a 5.3 second century sprint and ultimately onto a top speed of 250km/h. Quite a thriller considering its priced between the Mini Cooper and the 3-series.
Jeremy Clarkson, in his artice on TimesOnline, wrote:
“…it’s the engine that impresses most of all. It has one small turbo to spin up the instant you apply the power, and then a bigger one that trundles into life later to keep the power coming . . . in bigger and bigger lumps. This, and there’s no other way of saying it, is a great engine. A masterpiece. It doesn’t zing like the BMW straight-sixes of old but there’s so much muscle you don’t notice.
Then you leave the motorway and the road gets twisty and it’s like settling into your favourite armchair. The steering, the feel, the way you can adjust your line through the bend with the throttle. There is no other car made today in this sector of the market that gets even close. If you love driving, this is up there in a class of one.
Of course, a Mitsubishi Evo or a Subaru Impreza will grip more and slingshot you from bend to bend with more urgency, but if you prefer a more flowing style - less grip and more handling – then you would be better off with the little Beemer.”
