Fiat’s 500L gets a rugged makeover July 29, 2013 With its practical appearance and off-road promise, the 500L Trekking is a town car that likes to get dirty The Mini Countryman doesn’t look much like the Mini hatchback, but customers don’t seem to mind. Mini’s SUV crossover is selling very well in the UK, appealing to a family market that wants something practical, with [...]
Not convinced by the Fiat 500l trekking? July 29, 2013 HERE ARE SOME ALTERNATIVES: Mini Countryman Cooper D AII4, £20,570 The entry-level diesel Mini Countryman One D doesn’t have off-road ability so if you’re after four-wheel drive, prepare to stump up £20,570 for the Cooper D All4, a hike of at least £1,000. That aside, the car is refined and has bags of grip on-road. [...]
An SUV with style and substance July 22, 2013 People balked when Porsche released its first luxury SUV – these days its got the best on the market It was a happy coincidence that the weekend I spent with the new Porsche Cayenne S Diesel dovetailed with my cousin’s wedding hoedown on a farm, miles from anywhere, in rural Cornwall. The car was perfect [...]
Not convinced? July 22, 2013 HERE ARE THE ALTERNATIVES Audi SQ5 £44,055 Audi’s SQ5 is one of the best of the fast luxury SUVs. Strictly speaking it’s in a different segment to the Cayenne S Diesel, though it does have similar performance. In fact, the SQ5 is officially the world’s fastest diesel SUV. Powered by a 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo engine, [...]
Float through the traffic in the E300 February 25, 2013 Mercedes-Benz’s latest hybrid executive saloon is so smooth it is more magic carpet than automobile Traditionally, delivering high fuel economy hasn’t been a primary focus for large executive cars. But the times they are a-changin’. Car manufacturers know they need to provide cleaner and more efficient vehicles to appease European regulators and discourage buyers from [...]
Rival motors February 25, 2013 NOT CONVINCED BY THE E300? HERE ARE SOME ALTERNATIVES BMW ActiveHybrid 5, £47,095 If you fancy something a little sportier, BMW’s ActiveHybrid 5 combines a 3.0-litre twin turbo six-cylinder petrol engine with an electric drive system and eight-speed automatic gearbox. With a combined power output of 340hp, BMW’s executive hybrid can be driven on electric [...]
This new Porsche sounds like a hit February 18, 2013 SOMEWHERE IN the latest Porsche Cayman are 12 loudspeakers. How they’ve squeezed them in is anyone’s guess. It’s “the fastest concert hall in the world,” according to Hans Jürgen Wöhler, chief of mid-engined cars at Porsche. Despite the fact no one is going to buy this car for its audio system, Wöhler can barely contain [...]
The new Mini might be the best yet February 11, 2013 BACK WHEN most cars could still be relied upon to regularly break down, racing and rally car constructor John Cooper invented the original pocket rocket. He race-tuned the astonishing BMC Mini to create the Mini Cooper. It earned iconic status by dominating saloon car and rally racing in the 1960s. It won the Monte Carlo [...]
Rivals worth considering February 11, 2013 The BMW M1235i, from £29,995 At this price the bigger and more practical, rear-wheel drive BMW M135i might be worth considering. There’s a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine pushing out 316bhp from under its understated bonnet. It can accelerate from zero to 62mph in just 4.8 seconds and is a far better everyday driver than past [...]
Peugeot aims to top its iconic 205 February 4, 2013 IF YOU are of a certain age you’ll know how revered the Peugeot 205 was. The little motor transformed the supermini segment when it was introduced back in 1983 and went on to become something of an icon. Peugeot is hoping its new 208 model can recapture its success. Unlike its 206 and 207 predecessors [...]