The Audi TT has reached the end of the road and what a journey it’s been. I was lucky enough to attend the UK launch of the TT Coupe in Leeds in 1999 (see below), a year after it went into production and on sale in Germany and now, a quarter of a century on, production has ceased. In that time there have been only three generations of the car but it developed from Coupe to Roadster and even … [Read more...]
First drive weekend roadtest: Grenadier on parade
Inch by inch, metre by metre and after just a few miles the Ineos Grenadier impresses. Conceived to replace the outgoing Land Rover Defender at the time, the Grenadier is the product of a multi-million pound investment by chemical firm Ineos and its owner, one of the richest men and motoring enthusiasts in Britain, Sir Jim Radcliffe, who named the vehicle after a pub he frequented in … [Read more...]
First drive: BYD Dolphin Design
If you have used a Nokia 3310 mobile phone, Apple i-pad or ridden on a new Transport for London electric bus, then you have already experiened BYD technology. The Chinese battery technology business which has powered these landmark products has a global footprint powering many familiar items and is about to become a major player in the electric car market. The biggest company you've probably … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Audi Q8 e-tron 55 quattro
Audi’s flagship all-electric model is on course to make waves in the luxury sector. The Q8 e-tron available in both SUV and Sportback coupe bodystyles comes with different battery sizes, charging and range potential but all get 4WD. There are four trim levels beginning with Sport, moving onto S line, Black Edition and Vorsprung. All versions can be charge up to 80% capacity in about 30 … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Mazda MX-30 R-EV first drive
Mazda is never afraid to be different and it shows in their latest MX-30 R-EV. Keeping its quirky ‘suicide’ rear passenger doors for easy access to the back seats the real change is up front under the bonnet in the newcomer. It joins the pure battery MX-30 and the CX-60 PHEV in the marque’s range with a PHEV powertrain which utilises a sub-900cc rotary engine acting as a generator to power the … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Subaru Outback 2.5ES Touring
Subaru is a bit of a lone-wolf in the car world. Part of Fuji Heavy Industries and founded 70 years ago, it’s the brand’s golden anniversary in Britain next year after it launched with a compact and capable little estate car and pickup at prices which made hundreds of farmers and country-folk very happy. It also became a byword for British fans of the World Rally Championship in the 80s and 90s … [Read more...]
Weekend review: Old dogs & new tricks
More and more new names are appearing in the UK car market as it evolves into the electric age, but at the recent Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders annual southern test day for writers near Basingstoke it was two familiar names which caught my attention. The Nissan X-Trail has been a success in Britain for over 23 years while smart has been hanging around for even longer with a … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Ford Focus Active X Estate
If you are selling Britain’s most popular family car it is difficult to improve on it, unless you offer an estate version like the Ford Focus Active X. The groundswell of sales lift towards MPV or SUV bodystyle across Europe but in Britain there is still strong demand for estates and some brands have given away sales to competitors by ending these highly practical, economical … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Honda Jazz Advance Sport
A lot of airtime and column centimetres have been taken up with Wales’ default 20mph urban limit, but I’ll let you into a little secret, you can do 100 in a Honda Jazz Advance Sport, and it’s perfectly legal. The fact is I am not talking about the sporty Jazz’s speed, rather its ability to return 102mpg: yes over a ton. Even on a busy day you’ll probably exceed 60mpg from this incredible Tardis … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia Proceed GT-Line S
Having a finger in every pie is very satisfying for KIA, It means they can offer the wide range of buyers something and you are not hit too hard if tastes change and a design goes out of fashion. With the resurgence of interest in estate cars for load-lugging over and above the more limited hatchback shapes it was natural that their highly successful Ceed family car would be joined … [Read more...]
