SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT

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20 LIFE&STYLE TUESDAY 9 AUGUST 2016 CITYAM.COM MOTORING BY MOTORINGRESEARCH.COM FOR CITY A.M. : @city_am : @cityamlife Audi tries to top the amazing RS7 Nobody needs the RS7 Performance’s incremental boost, but Andrew Brady says it’s very fun There are very few new cars more desirable than the latest Audi R8. With a 0-62mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed nudging 200mph, the £120,000 supercar will out-accelerate almost anything on London’s streets. Even better, it’s packed with enough technology to make even the worst traffic jams that little more bearable. But there’s one thing it isn’t: practical. There are only two seats in its cramped cabin, while its mid - mounted engine eats up boot space. Fortunately, Audi makes a car for every occasion. If you’ve got a family to lug around but still want sleek coupe looks and supercar performance, there’s the Audi RS7. And for the presumably rare occasions when the regular £85,000, 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, 155mph Audi RS7 just isn’t fast enough, there’s the Audi RS7 Performance. For an extra £6,575, the R8-baiting RS7 Performance will hit 62mph 0.2 seconds quicker than the standard car, while top speed remains an electronically-limited 155mph. Well, unless you spend nearly £11,000 on the Dynamic Pack Plus, which – among other things – increases the top speed to 189mph. While most won’t be too fussed about the extra performance (bragging rights aside), one of the pleasing features of the RS7 Performance is the sports exhaust. Select Dynamic mode in the Drive Select system and it’ll pop and bang like a true supercar. Doing so will also sharpen up the suspension and increase how fidgety the steering is. Great if you’re hooning around a marble-smooth race track, not so good if you’re dealing with potholed city streets. It’s a true Jekyll and Hyde car, though. Switch to Comfort mode and the suspension provides an unusually compliant ride for a sporting Audi fitted with large alloys. The steering is numb – overly so – but light enough to take the pain out of manoeuvring through traffic. Meanwhile, the exhaust quietens down, and it becomes a gentle cruiser, ready to cross continents should you wish. And it’s still very quick. Audi has got the best interiors in AUDI RS7 PERFORMANCE PRICE: £92,060 0-62MPH: 3.7 SECS TOP SPEED: 155MPH CO2 G/KM: 221 MPG COMBINED: 29.7MPG the business, and the RS7 Performance is no different. Blue stitching marks it out as being a bit more special than the regular model, which itself boasts a top-notch cabin. The sloping roofline does encroach slightly on rear headroom, and just two seats in the rear means larger families won’t be able to do the school run in it. Of course, running the RS7 Performance requires deep pockets. You’ll pay £690 for the first year’s road tax (expensive, although it pales into insignificance compared to the near-£100,000 list price), while subse- quent years are charged at £290. More worrying, perhaps, will be the fuel consumption. In official tests, it returns nearly 30.0mpg. But around town? You’ll be lucky to see mid-teens. In truth, the Audi RS7 Performance is a difficult car to justify. No one really needs a car as quick as the regu- DESIGN PERFORMANCE PRACTICALITY VALUE THE VERDICT hhhii hhhhh hhhii hhhii lar RS7 – and no one has ever found one lacking. So paying the extra money for the Performance model is something you’ll only do if you absolutely must have the latest and best RS7 (an awful lot of) money can buy. Unless you really want a five-door coupe, there are alternatives from elsewhere within the Audi range, too – a few that are a smidgen easier to justify. The RS6 Avant, for example, is almost identical to the RS7 – and is also available as a Performance derivative. As an estate, it’s more practical, and it’s also cheaper. And, in our opinion, it looks better as well. NOT CONVINCED? CHECK OUT THESE ALTERNATIVES... BMW M6 GRAN COUPE MERCEDES AMG CLS 63 PORSCHE PANAMERA GTS PRICE: £95,665 0-62MPH: 4.2 SECS TOP SPEED: 155MPH CO2 G/KM: 231G/KM MPG COMBINED: 28.5MPG THE VERDICT: DESIGN hhhii PERFORMANCE hhhhi PRACTICALITY hhhii VALUE hhhii PRICE: £87,025 0-62MPH: 4.1 SECS TOP SPEED: 155MPH CO2 G/KM: 230G/KM MPG COMBINED: 27.2MPG THE VERDICT: DESIGN hhhii PERFORMANCE hhhhi PRACTICALITY hhhii VALUE hhhii PRICE: £93,391 0-62MPH: 4.4 SECS TOP SPEED: 179MPH CO2 G/KM: 249G/KM MPG COMBINED: 27.4MPG THE VERDICT: DESIGN hhhhi PERFORMANCE hhhhi PRACTICALITY hhhii VALUE hhhii
CITYAM.COM TUESDAY 9 AUGUST 2016 FEATURE 21 OFFICE POLITICS Stepping up to lead: What does it take? Leaders must have a vision, but staff must help shape strategy, says Stephen Archer THE rate of change in leadership we are currently seeing in the worlds of politics, business and sport is breathtaking. Theresa May, Sam Allardyce and Jan Frykhammar at Ericsson have all taken on top jobs in recent weeks, but how can they make sure they’re not left standing in this game of musical chairs? Anyone taking on a leadership role has vast expectations placed upon them and very often the unforgiving scrutiny of the public gaze. So how can new leaders ensure their success is sustainable after the honeymoon ends? Here are some tips for first time leaders. ACT LIKE YOU JUST TOOK OVER Be confident, self-assured, respectful and act like a leader from day one. Keep your head up and your shoulders back. Speak to people as you want to be spoken to, and remember to listen to any grievances aired by staff. The first few weeks of your tenure will set the company’s pace, and it is the period when staff and partners will develop their opinions of you, so you should work hard to earn their trust. TRUST STAFF WITH THE TRUTH Authentic leaders don’t insist on doing everything themselves. Like Richard Branson, they surround themselves with talented individuals and look to them to provide the answers. The leader’s role is to supply the vision and set the goals for realising it, but they have to trust people to make it happen. This means telling employees the truth about how you see the business. If it needs changing, involve them in designing the new strategy from the beginning. This early teamwork will form a strong and united foundation to build on during your leadership. SET AUDACIOUS GOALS Good leaders set goals that are bold and audacious. They may take many years to achieve, but they need to be specific enough that everyone in the organisation understands them and can work on specific tasks towards achieving them. GIVE CREATIVE SPACE, BUT INSIST ON DECISIONS Give people time to innovate and come up with different ways of doing things, as well as solutions for problems. This could be through constructive brainstorming sessions or Anyone taking on a leadership role has vast expectations placed upon them encouraging other methods of creativity. Set a time limit and ensure everyone knows the deadline for decisions. DON’T RESCUE PEOPLE FROM EVENTS Let people work things out for themselves and make their own mistakes – it’s the only way they can really learn. STAMP OUT THEM AND US Edelman’s 2016 Trust Barometer suggests that, within many organisations, there is still a them-and-us type BE FRANK, TO A POINT Candid Free If the internet is the largest platform for free speech, then Candid is a curious addition. A social network for discussion and reviews which allows users to remain anonymous, Candid launched a few weeks ago, and uses artificial intelligence to moderate inappropriate content and language. You may be candid, but not cruel. of culture with employees feeling very distant from senior management. Try to overcome this by driving the message that we’re all in this together. Including them in shaping strategy will improve employee engagement, and make them believe they are a valued part of your organisation. BE DECISIVE Nobody likes a ditherer, and there is no worse crime for a leader than being indecisive. It undermines confidence which may take a long time to rebuild and can lead to staff disengagement. A leader is there to lead. Being able to make decisions is a core skill of any successful leader. Likewise, you aren’t there to offer same old solutions. Great leaders take risks, are radical in their thinking, and will act quickly to get their ideas up and running. BE PASSIONATE AND PROUD If you don’t believe, how can you expect anyone else to? Lead by example and show employees that you are passionate, enthusiastic and proud to be leading the company. They will buy into your vision if they can see you are genuinely excited about it and understand where the company is heading. £Stephen Archer is partner at Spring Partnerships.
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SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT

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