Coupé, rear-wheel drive, V8. If you list those characteristics like that, the Thunderbird sounds like a big contender.
However, the reality is a lot more pessimistic. The reason? As you could've seen in an earlier episode, the Ford has lost half of its power.
Right Sandor, after a Scenic and an A-Class, it's time for the real deal. American muscle. Do you think you can handle it?
Do you think the car can handle it? - If it can handle you? Of course, this is Detroit Steel.
Big V8 in the front, horsepower around... - Yeah what are you going to say now?
Around 110 maybe? So don't take it too easy, even though it does invite you to take it easy.
But it has rear-wheel drive right? - And an automatic gearbox with... How many gears again?
Enough. So watch out with all of that power on the rear wheels. I'm sure you can handle it though. Raise that window and let's go.
3... 2... 1... Go! The speed! Has it set off yet?
It's moving alright. - Look at the hands behind his head.
I reckon he'll be back before dusk. - When it's revved up it's alright, right?
It's already at the Tarzan-corner. - Half a minute passed.
Drinks anyone?
Three days later...
There he comes. - The speed is just blinding, wow! Forget it Michiel.
Look, it's going into the three minute mark. What a sports coupé. - Is this full throttle?
Is it even going?
3:07... Well... Not so fast, we should round it up to 3:08.
It doesn't work anymore! - No? What's wrong?
I don't have a lot of power left. - I thought you were slow.
Almost nothing left. If I give a little bit of throttle, it's goes forward, but push it further and it's gone.
I think you're out of electricity. The voltmeter says 'O'. - Let's change the batteries.
Do you want to try again? - Is that allowed?
Sure, let him try again. As if we should be scared. - That's true. He's so far behind.
Just mount a new battery. - Deal. Let me find one.
There's no-one helping him. - And I think it's a disgrace.
You look like you've done this before. - I'm doing this all the time. If not with this, it's with my Jaguar.
Do Jaguar's have issues with electricity, yeah? - No not at all. Just a coincidence.
I can't remember any case of Jaguar's with electricity problems... Give me the battery by the way, I'll charge it for you.
Goodbye! - Goodbye and good luck.
Right. That's all set. Van Es, get your ass in there, because I think there's only juice left for one lap.
Now it's for real. A rematch, starting from here. I'll do the timing, which seems much more reliable than those guys.
Yes, it works. Oh right...
Ready? 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Go! - Yes!
Right. Yes! There it goes. It did take a while.
It was struggling, but it's finally going. It's actually just waiting before the corner turns up.
Just look at it. What a car. - What a boat.
Right Nic, we can sit down for a while again. - The engine has pretty much lost all of its power and it weighs a lot.
500 kg's more than the Scenic, so it's barely moving. - It sounds very healthy.
Luckily the weather is good, it's clear. I'n enjoying the view. The Zandvoort Dunes. I even saw a goose just now.
But it started from there right? - That's true, so we should sit at the new finish line.
But if we would flag it here, it would be quicker. - Yeah, that's why we're moving towards the black line there.
I hear a lot of squeaking on the track. - If you brake into the corner, the balance will be a tad off.
A small amount of oversteer into the corner, but when you put your foot down if you want to powerslide a little, there's no chance.
It has to overthink every decision three times, so seconds after you've put your foot down, it shifts back. And then you've only got 110 horses...
so there's still nothing happening. Let's go.
Do you hear that? - We do, unfortunately.
I shouldn't enter those corners this wildly. It doesn't like that. Not because it's playful, but because it's incredibly unstable.
It's waggling like crazy with that chassis. - I hope there's still some juice left for the final corners.
Maybe it can do 60 km/h through the final corner instead of 40 km/h.
Right. Final corner, and it's still working. There's still voltage left. 110 km/h... It's the slowest of them all, for sure.
120 km/h... - Here, when it goes past your feet.
Wow. - 2:52. Kabang!
Let me think, does that make it quicker? No. Not quicker than Nic.
But it's not bad right. - If you put the bar this low, you'll be able to pass it yeah.
Easy there, keep it steady. What a ride, right? - I think it's a second quicker than the A-Class.
Faster than the A-Class? Not as such. If I would've timed it, it would be precisely one second quicker, but Nic timed as well.
2:52. - How much? That's not good.
Not good? It's faster than before! - It's slower than an A140. Really, what a car.
How have you managed to buy a V8 coupé which is slower than an A140? How?
I did enjoy the surroundings. A lot of birds today. - Yeah, were you able to enjoy it?
Also, you've kept it below three minutes. That was the goal, and you did it by quite a big margin.
So actually, it's a very good job.
With a time of 2:52, the sporty coupé is slower than the two MPV-like cars it was up against.
Nic's A-Class needed 2:48 for the lap, and my Scenic took another nine seconds off.
But what we did all three, was underestimate our cars. The Mercedes was 82 seconds quicker than Nic thought and...
the Ford took 63 seconds less than Michiel predicted. Because the difference of 61 seconds was the closest to my prediction,
I can crown myself the winner of this challenge. Finally.