Mini Clubman motoring review: Mini’s big dream has been realised with the Clubman November 30, 2015 The Mini hatch is a popular car for good reason. Not only does it look good, it feels suitably luxurious inside and it’s great to drive. Perhaps this is why it’s sold by the bucket-load – even edging into the top 10 best selling cars of 2015 so far. But the Mini has never excelled [...]
Peugeot 308 GTI is a chip off the old block November 9, 2015 DESIGN: ★★★☆☆ PERFORMANCE: ★★★★☆ PRACTICALITY: ★★★★☆ VALUE: ★★★★☆ There is an unwritten rule of motoring journalism that any review of a sporty Peugeot must reference the 205 GTI. But while the “best hot hatch of all time” is undoubtedly an icon, it’s also an albatross. Its brilliance has cast a long shadow over every subsequent Peugeot. [...]
Audi A4 motoring review: From worst car in the class to a class act October 19, 2015 Audi, in recent years, has been in the rather unfortunate position of selling the worst car in its class. It’s long been unable to topple the BMW 3 Series as the best compact premium saloon, of course, but an honourable runner-up slot used to suffice. Then Mercedes-Benz came along with the new C-Class and, one [...]
Why the Vuhl 05 is the most thrilling car you’ll drive this year October 12, 2015 You’ve finally got the dream job, with the dream financial package to match. Obviously you’re going to spend a chunk of it on a stand-out motorcar. But which one? What says, look at me, I’ve made it? Not an Audi or a BMW – you’d be better off with a Ford Mondeo around the City [...]
The social climber: Range Rover Evoque review October 5, 2015 Every so often, a car comes along that captures the zeitgeist – appealing to fashionistas and forward-thinking petrolheads alike. In 2011, that car was the Range Rover Evoque: a compact 4×4 with space-age styling and an interior designed by Posh Spice. A long waiting list followed its launch, and more than 450,000 have been sold [...]
The BMW 3 Series may be the staple of the 1980s but the new model proves it’s slicker than ever September 28, 2015 Back in the 1980s, the BMW 3 Series was the car of choice for up-and-coming types in the City. A 325i was as de rigueur as red braces and a Filofax; if your trades hadn’t quite earned you the hot six-cylinder one, you could have a 316i and take the badges off (a trick so [...]
Motoring review: Superformance GT40 September 14, 2015 Supercar or historic racer? Or another one of those pastiches, built in a workshop by enthusiastic but ultimately misguided engineers who don’t know a business case from a briefcase? The Superformance GT40 is none of these, though it’s easy to see how it could have been. This is a road-going version of the famous GT40, [...]
Motoring review: Fiat 500 1.2 Pop Star September 7, 2015 IT’S s a city car, so you need to drive it in the City”, they said. Fair enough. So why am I aboard a boat, admiring the view of Tower Bridge exchanging small-talk with a fashion blogger while sipping a virgin cocktail? Well, I’m at the launch of the new Fiat 500, of course. By [...]
Motoring review: Fiat 500 1.2 Pop Star September 7, 2015 IT’S s a city car, so you need to drive it in the City”, they said. Fair enough. So why am I aboard a boat, admiring the view of Tower Bridge exchanging small-talk with a fashion blogger while sipping a virgin cocktail? Well, I’m at the launch of the new Fiat 500, of course. By [...]
Does the Mazda MX-5 still deserve to be called a sports car? August 28, 2015 The Mazda MX-5 is the world’s bestselling sports car, but it’s never been the quickest. When it launched in the UK in 1990, it offered an enjoyable driving experience combined with top-down convertible thrills for the relatively inexpensive price of £14,500. But the MX-5 failed to move with the times. It cared more about being [...]