INSIDE LANE

The Car of the

Decade is...

Car of the Decade Issue 22

Hello and welcome to a rather late
Issue 22 of the magazine. We are
sorry for the delay in producing
this issue, however it is arguably
the most important magazine we
have ever put together. For in this
issue we present the biggest
award Inside Lane can offer, an
award that won’t be presented for
another 10 years after this. It is of
course the “Car of the Decade”
and not only have we sifted
through nearly every car that has
been produced over the past 10
years, we have also been fighting
amongst ourselves as to what will
get the top spot. As always we
have the latest from the
automotive front line including The
death of the Murcielago, Audi’s
latest little brute and more.

Enjoy!
HEAD HUNTER...

Audiʼs Baby Nuclear

Weapon
Audi’s A3 is a very popular, tediously reliable little
hatch. These days economical engines in the car
make it a viable choice for the family or even a well
to do business man perhaps in its 3 door variation?
But the best A3’s have always been the S-line
models giving that bit of extra spice to what could be
argued to be a dull car. Today Audi has gone that
step further by announcing the RS3 Sportback!
This 340BHP clenched fist also supplies the driver
with 331lb-ft of torque, more than enough from its
2.5 litre engine. It gets better still as the RS3
receives Audi’s new 7 speed dual-clutch
transmission that will make the most out of those
impressive figures. Remembering that this is still as
practical as the standard car, it does manage
0-62MPH in 4.6 seconds! The cost of this
performance is a rather steep £39,900 but think of it
more as a wolf in sheep’s clothing and it all becomes
much more viable.
Stunning Subaru Impreza
Concept Shows Future
The Subaru Impreza is a car that has earned
its right to be amongst motoring legends. The
car has battled on some of the harshest terrain
on Earth, gone head to head with immortal
machinery and won. When the latest Impreza
came along we all thought that in hatch form it
looked rather like a Daewoo, luckily the STi
variant changed that but the styling will always
be a little on the conservative side. What
happened to the days of bonnet scoops, huge
rear wings and artillery scale exhaust pipes?
Well Subaru have answered these questions
with their new Impreza concept.
Unveiled at the LA motor show this week, the
Subaru Impreza concept hints towards future
styling directions for the Japanese company.
We like it’s aggressive, manly, almost brutal
stance that evokes thoughts of this cars power.
To us this is what Impreza styling is all about…
Making a statement of intent. The car also
debuts the next-gen Boxer engine, this on in
particular is the 2.0 litre, and CVT
transmission. Subaru won’t produce this car
but have no doubt that the next Impreza will
look much meaner thanks to this concept.
 A
LANDMARK
Occasion
The Land Rover Discovery is by far and
away the most capable 4X4 on the
market today. Years of innovation,
technological advancement and British
ingenuity have crafted the Disco’ not
only into a force to be reckoned with but
the definitive mud-plugger. You may
have seen in Episode 2 of our YouTube
show we compared the original to one of
the latest models and discovered that
the core principle of the car remains all
these years on when many competitors
have softened theirs. Now Land Rover
are offering what they call the
LANDMARK edition of their 7 seat
terrain tamer.
The idea behind this car was to make
the off-road master a bit more of a
premium product by adding new grills
and 20” 5 spoke alloys. The interior also
benefits from a few modifications to
make it a little more pleasing to the
more urban folk. Coluor availability is
either Santorini black or Fuji white, both
of which are exclusive to this model. It is
powered by the 3.0 litre SDV6 turbo-
diesel engine that boasts 9% better fuel
economy than the 2.7 litre it replaces.
The LANDMARK edition goes on sale
from January 2011 starting from
£46,945.
 R.I.P
Lamborghini Murcielago
Lamborghini, the raging bull… The
only manufacturer to take on Ferrari
at there own game out of spite and
win. Its existence justified when a
tractor manufacturer had an
argument with Enzo Ferrari over
supercars and deciding that he
could do a better job. Stooped in
history and draped in iconic design
work Lamborghini has gained
passage to motoring fame. When
VW took the helm of the Italian
company the world waited with
baited breath as the first of their
new cars was announced. Would it
be a sensible supercar and
undermine the badge? Gladly, the
car was every bit as bonkers at its
predecessor and the world instantly
2001-2010
became encapsulated. Today that
cars legacy has come to an end.
The Lamborghini Murcielago over
the past 9 years has become one of
the ultimate machines money can
buy. Spawning several variants
including the astonishing SV! The
car though a heavy weight has so
much grip that very few have
experienced the it “loose” even with
traction control off. Its V12 howl will
be missed and iconic scissor doors
remembered. But 4099 Murcielago’s
later it will always be remembered
as the car that this generation of
kids had pinned to their wall.
 CAR
OF THE
DECADE

It is finally that time... Over the past 10 years the automotive industry has been
overwhelmed with the vast quantity of fantastic products being masterfully sculpted.
This decade has arguable been the best in terms of engineering achievements,
seductive styling and exciting evolutions. It has taken literally moths of arguing,
fighting, voting, fighting some more, to produce this list and though we know some of
you may disagree we feel that it is a true representation of just how good these
machines have been.
Obviously not everyone can be a winner but there was such
vast amounts of “good stuff” we only felt it right to share some
cars that only very narrowly missed out on the top 10...
Hatchback
Of The
Decade:

Ford Focus RS
We shall have no debates here... A hot-hatch is
something we at Inside Lane greatly appreciate.
The principle of a car that can give you that
same tingling sensation as a Lamborghini
packed into a neat, practical and affordable
family car is something to be admired. Over the
past 10 years there has been many contenders
all with their own merits, some that nearly took
this award, but only one that has been used as
the yardstick of this segment since itʼs launch.

We attended the 2008 London International

motor show and saw the beginnings of the 2nd
generation Focus RS for ourselves. From
beneath the dust sheet came a storm of blazing
green, ASBO induced spoilers and the angriest
pairs of grills you ever did see. It took only a year
to jump from concept to reality and when it hit the
roads in ʼ09 it went down a storm.

The 2.5 litre turbocharged engine growled and

snorted to its artillery sized exhausts and despite
being heavier that many of itʼs competitors the
pure grunt of the RS always kept it ahead. This
car is a real joy and it is a true testament to the
phrase “there is nothing quite like a fast Ford!”
Off-Roader
Of The
Decade:

Land Rover
Discovery
For decades there has only been one king of the rough stuff.
The pretenders from BMW and the likes are banished with ease
in the face of a nameplate that is instantly associated with
climbing mountains. Discovery...

Over the past 10 years we have seen the introduction of the

Discovery 3, a modern and well equipped 7 seater that is so
comfortable that you could take your Nan on a trip to climb the
Alps. With a range of petrol and diesel engines on offer the
Discovery is quite simply the most capable off-roader on sale
today.
 Performance Car
Of The
Decade
Pagani Zonda

In  late  1999  at  the  Geneva  motor  show  a  previously   alike  have  been  blown  away  by  its  mere  existence!  
li6le  known  Italian  company  called  Pagani  announced   Over  the  last  decade  many  different  track  and  road  
that  they  had  produced  their  own  hyper  car  for  the   variants  have  been  produced  from  the  original  1999  
new  decade  to  rival  those  of  their  more  esteemed   C12  ,  engineered  by  5  Dmes  Formula  1  world  
compatriots  at  Lamborghini  and  Ferrari.  Naturally,  the   champion  and  legend  Juan  Manuel  Fangio,  to  the  
ears  of  the  motoring  industry  pricked  up  at  this  bold   2005  Zonda  F,  with  its  fabled  602BHP  V12  engine  but  
and  brash  newcomer  who  could  obviously  talk  the   essenDally  they  all  retain  those  meDculous  
talk,  but  it  wasn’t  unDl  they  actually  started  to  walk   characterisDcs  that  make  them  all  so  special.
the  walk  when  eyes  opened  and  jaws  dropped.
The  end  of  this  unforge6able  range  of  hyper  cars  is,  
For  the  masterful  creaDon  that  was  unveiled  that   with  great  regret,  drawing  ever  closer  with  Zonda  
fateful  day  would  go  on  to  rewrite  the  dicDonary  of   producDon  scheduled  to  finish  at  the  end  of  the  year.  
ulDmate  supercars  and  ensure  that  the  Z  secDon   The  final  bow  from  a  revoluDonary  range  that  has  
would  never  be  simply  an  underwhelming  anDclimax   succeeded  in  becoming  as  famous  and  as  well  known  
aHer  S  for  Scudaria  and  V  for  Veyron;  the  Pagani   as  the  other  major  performance  brands  by  sheer  force  
Zonda.     of  personality.    AHer  all,  when  you  look  over  your  
shoulder  at  the  blur  of  light  that’s  just  sped  past  you  
In  the  ten  years  that  this  crazy  super  car  has  graced   and  see  those  jet  fighter-­‐like  quadruple  exhaust  pipes,  
our  hearts  and  minds,  with  its  dynamic  styling  and   you  know  it’s  a  Zonda.
unique  theatrics,  motor  enthusiasts  and  petrol-­‐heads  
 Overall
Car Of The
Decade

Bugatti Veyron
 “New yard-stick
“Amazing” Required Here...”

“Breath-taking”
“What A
Machine!!!”
“The Jesus Christ
of Automobiles”

“THE WORLDS FASTEST CAR!”

“Today you only have to “King of the

Automotive
say Bugatti and people World”
know what you are talking
about...”
Many will say that crowning the Bugatti Veyron car
of the decade was the obvious choice. A car that
in itʼs latest form can achieve speeds of 268MPH
yet be as refined as a Rolls-Royce all the way.
The Bugatti Veyron is a technological masterpiece
as much like a glacier that burns with the heat of
the sun, it is a collection of impossible things...
Extreme performance and luxury, comfort and
world records, the ability to turn heads with the
mere mention of itʼs name but not being branded
an arse for driving it. According to the laws of
physics this car should not exist! It defies every
natural force on Earth and for that we must not
just look at it as the ultimate expression of
motoring, but one of mans ultimate victories in his
challenge to rewrite the world around him.

This is so much more than just a car, it is one of

humanities biggest achievements...