At that point, some time ago, I was talking in purely theoretical terms. Having come very close to buying an Aston Martin 30 years ago and having known many Aston owners, I am painfully aware that having “a bit of money” is nothing like enough to keep one of those highest of all high-maintenance cars. You need an oil well […]
Reviewed – The awesome 2019 New Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
View PostSEAT Cupra Ateca, that’s impressive
A true story:- I was helping a blind man (don’t ask why) into the front seat of the test car that had been delivered to my house only an hour earlier. “What kind of car is this?” he asked. A reasonable question for a blind man. “It’s a Seat Ateca,” I answered. “Oh,” he said. “New to me.” “Me, too,” […]
Ferrari Portofino – the Italian thoroughbred GT
If you were to sit down and sketch the archetypal GT car, it would probably look a lot like the Ferrari Portofino: Classic front-engined proportions, 2+2 seating and enough room to whisk its occupants from Milan to Monte Carlo in comfort and style. And yet the Portofino’s predecessor, the California raised a few eyebrows when it first appeared in 2008. […]
Fiat 500 Star AND Rockstar
Time has served the Fiat 500 well, of that there’s no doubt. On sale in a grandiose variety of forms since 2007, the Fiat 500 is still out there looking good. Yes, still one of the most fashionable and iconic small cars around. Fiat, however, is not standing still and two new top of the range versions of the 500 […]
The Nissan Qashqai, deserves its popularity
View PostFord Focus Vignale, sumptuously luxurious
It’s big. It’s beautiful. It drives like a dream. Its name carries a sophisticated hint of Italy. It’s got darkened rear windows, the flashest wheels and the grooviest paint job on the street. And, at £31270, nobody could ever say it was cheap. What is it? It is (breathe the words in a whisper) a Ford Focus – though you […]
The 2019 All-New Mazda3, Stylish and Classy
View PostFord EcoSport ST-Line 1.5 EcoBlue TDCI Reviewed
Guess the identity of this car. It has – A contrasting roof and body paint (roof in shimmering black, body in what the manufacturers justifiably call Lightning Blue). A full body styling kit (which means special wing badges, door threshold plates and front grille, along with tinted glass, rear spoiler and polished tailpipe). Eighteen-inch alloy wheels with that edgy machined […]
Renault Megane RS 280, a hot hatch review
The Renault Megane has been on sale for four years, but we were kept hanging on for the Renaultsport (RS) model. Mind you, when it finally turned up last year, the consensus was that it was worth waiting for. Even though the three-door coupe has been switched for a five-door hatch, Renault’s Megane RS has the same fun factor injected […]
Ford Focus 1.0L handsome with an adorable engine
View PostAll-New Seat Tarraco Reviewed
Indeed it is already being delivered to customers. They will no doubt be told, amongst other things, that RVs (residual values) are impressive. Pricing starts at £28,335 and, including First Edition models, reaches more than £40K at the top-of-the-range. There are four versions, starting with SE, then Technology, then Excellence and topping out with Luxury. Within SEAT’s so-called EASYMOVE marketing […]
The 1000th Grand Prix, 14th April 2019
View PostJaguar XE Landmark Edition intelligent and AWD
Those words came back to me while I was hammering the Jaguar XE Land Mark Edition AWD along deserted forest roads in Scotland last week. The car and I weren’t anywhere close to 10/10ths – probably somewhere between 6 and 7 – but, even so, I was thinking “It won’t be long before nobody will be allowed to do this […]
