Part of the fun of buying a new car is ticking the options list for the ‘extras’, but when that includes doors, a waterproof blanket and a luggage bag, you know this is going to become a journey of discovery, which may also include refreshing your memory for hand-signals. Welcome to the brave new zero-emissions world and the Renault Twizy. As one of the founding companies of the automobile in … [Read more...]
Roadtests
Weekend twin-roadtest: BMW 116 and M6
As the official high profile vehicle supplier to the London Olympics, with 3,200 EfficientDynamics cars and 800 other vehicles and cycles and the event starting this week, you might think BMW already has enough on its plate. Despite the increased brand awareness the Olympics brings for the BMW premium brand, the ‘day job’ of selling cars must go on especially in the current and very competitive … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest : Mitsubishi ASX 3
There I was in January this year writing about Mitsubishi’s new ASX Black edition of their compact C-segment crossover cum soft SUV. At that time it had Mitsubishi’s relatively new and clever 1.8-litre direct injection turbodiesel engine but with an industry first for diesel, variable valve timing was being used for lower CO2 emissions but with punchy for performance and very good for fuel … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Audi A6 allroad
Audi doesn’t do crisis, that’s the message from a confident UK MD as he prepares to launch the comparatively small selling but highly profitable and desirable A6 allroad. The new, third generation allroad is in showroom on 7 July and its already heading towards some eager buyers. Such is the demand for the ever increasing number of new and revised Audi models that Martin Sander, the … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Ford Galaxy Titanium X 1.6 EcoBoost SCTi Start Stop
When times get hard, everyone wants more for less and the latest Ford Galaxy is no exception. The arrival of tougher emissions standards which closely correlate to fuel economy have seen the introduction of the 1.6 EcoBoost SCTi Start & Stop model. But this is no breathless panic reaction to the changes sweeping through the car industry, rather a carefully considered and engineered solution … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest : Polo is worth a mint to VW
Just as Germany has bailed out flakey foreign economies, so the Volkswagen Polo might just do the same for the struggling city car sector. The VW Polo has always been thought of as expensive when compared to other small cars, but as the rivals have steadily been fighting on price, the Polo has seemingly become more attractive. It is becoming a sounder investment, particularly when you look … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Nissan 370Z GT Edition
Nissan isn’t just about fuel frugal or now electric compact family cars. It has a long history of high performance, big engined Z models, going back to the Datsun 240Z days some 40 years ago. So a brief outing in the latest Z model, the 370Z GT Edition. This hard top two door, two seater coupe costs £35,025 with its six speed manual gearbox but a seven-speed paddle shift automatic option is … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Toyota Yaris Hybrid
The arrival of the Toyota Yaris Hybrid in July brings the latest low emission petrol-electric technology to the mainstream supermini B-segment in Britain. Arriving as the flagship of Toyota’s best selling model series in Europe, the Yaris Hybrid has been developed from the stable-mate Auris series, itself based on the Prius, but with smaller nickel hydride battery, tighter packaging of the … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Skoda Citigo
The smallest Skoda in modern times is big news in the city car sector. The Skoda Citigo 16-model series is available from launch on 1 June with manual gearbox in three-door body style and a five-door and automatic will follow this autumn. For now there is a new single 1.0 litre three-cylinder petrol engine electronically tuned to give either 60 or 75PS and both transmissions are new as … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Audi A8 3.0 TDI
There are probably to vitally important dates in a parent's life, the birth of their first child and the marriage of their first-born, especially if it's a Dad writing this road test, and the wedding is his only child - and a daughter at that. This has recently happened to me, my one and only daughter was getting married abroad, suddenly plans change due to no wedding date available in the … [Read more...]