THEGAYUK

Category: Motoring

  • CAR REVIEW | Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    CAR REVIEW | Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    ★★★☆☆Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    Cat with Soft Bite

    What Have We Got?

    Jaguar has taken the small luxury SUV market head-on with their new E-Pace. Launched last year to much spectacle in London, where on its debut it entered the Guinness World Records with a 15.3-meter, 270-degree barrel roll even before its launch. A year later and with cars available, The Gay UK finally gets to taste the 250 petrol HSE R-Dynamic model.

    Driving

    One thing you become aware of pretty quickly is that the F-Pace can cover ground quickly. That 250PS 2 litre engine spins happily through its rev range while taking with it its 365 max of torque from 1200 to 4500 rpm through its 4WD automatic drive train. Once on the move that is. For the sporty model in the range, there was a noticeable delay when you pushed the throttle into the carpet. It might be seconds but those are vital seconds.

    With power and speed, comes great responsibility and one thing you want is to rapidly decrease speed. My biggest gripe was the brakes. The ABS did a great job and there was no evidence of lockup, even for a moment. That said, they lacked the bite you’d expect for a sporty model.   

    Inside

    The interior options for the E-Pace R-Dynamic are few and far between with 3 choices of leather colour. The press cars grey exterior with red leather worked well. And the options fitted to the car covered most bases particularly the heated seats and steering wheel.

    Door architecture worked well and the illuminations around were welcomed in breaking up huge expanse with lights, leather and brushed aluminium. It all added to the premium feel that you expect from Jaguar

    What didn’t work for me was the main piece of plastic that forms the facia. Its saving grace was that it was of smooth plastic. It lacks a lot of tactility and felt cheap in an otherwise expensive cabin. 

    Living With It

    It’s an easy car to live with and I found ‘comfort’ mode was best suited to most of my driving needs. There is space for all inside despite its dinky size and it’s reasonably comfortable. Long drives result in a refreshed arrival. There is plenty to play with on-route. 

    Pushing it hard caused the engine to roar in an unnecessary kind of way and it’s not really something you want to try too often.  

    Hurried driving also caused the tyre to vocalise their abundance of grip to all around you. I shouldn’t encourage this but I rather liked it. 

    The Verdict

    There is a lot to recommend about the E-Pace. The finish is good and there are some nice options like the £310 ‘activity key’ wristband. It’s a great first effort into this segment for Jaguar, it just needs to be a little bit better.

     

    Loves

    Door architecture

    Ability to cruise quietly

    Convinces available in the options. (Though some are expensive)

     

    Loathe

    Brakes lack bite

    Throttle response

    facia trim

     

    The Lowdown

    Car – Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    Price – £50,995 (as tested)

    MPG – 36.7mpg (combined)

    Power – 250ps @ 5500rpm

    0-62mph –  6.6 seconds

    Top Speed –  143 mph

    Co2 – 174 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic Diesel Automatic

    CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic Diesel Automatic

    Hondamatic For A New Generation.

    What Have We Got?

    It seems Honda has listened to the motoring world and come up with a new automatic gearbox. Not just any 3 step box of old the Hondamatic days, or CVT (continuously variable transmission) that is the system much derided by all, but a bonafide 9-speed auto. Here we test it in the Civic 1.6 i-DTEC diesel hatchback.

    Driving

    It worked well in the 120ps diesel Civic hatchback it was fitted in. It wasn’t hunting for any of its 9 gears during the test run around Droitwich. 

    The first thing you notice is a lack of gear stick. Honda has opted for the more and more popular choice of push buttons. You’ll find yourself in a yes and no situation as to liking it. In practice, it works well and there are shift pedals on the steering wheel though chances are you won’t really rely on them because the car choices the gears quite rapidly.

    The Verdict

    It’s a nice gearbox and smooth all the way up and down the gears. The push button selector could put some people off. If I have any gripes, it will be that I’d like to see the P (park) button a bit bigger and in red. In a car full of black plastic, it just isn’t bold enough. And for those used to driving automatics, you’ll understand the importance of park.  

    So finally there is an automatic gearbox from Honda that we can recommend. It works well in most situations. Long may it roll out to the entire range of Honda cars.

    Civic diesel Automatics start at £21,915 for the SE model.

  • The reason why you should have a first aid kit in your car

    The reason why you should have a first aid kit in your car

    MEDIC!

    Pixel-mixer / Pixabay FILE PHOTO

    I was put in the unenviable position the other week of attending a road traffic accident. There I was driving to work at 7.15am when l noticed some cars badly parked on a particularly nasty corner. A chap waving his arms, drawing attention to motorists to slow down.

    When I had turned the corner l could see why. A silver coupe had literally driven headfirst into an oak tree. Oak trees if you don’t know, are very unforgiving to the motor vehicle. There wasn’t much left of the car and the shunt had pushed the dashboard quite some way into the passenger space.

    As a registered nurse and signed up with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), we are expected to stop and offer assistance. At the time of my arrival, there were bystanders and witnesses but no emergency services. And no one was attending the injured driver of the car who was sitting in the driver’s seat with their legs out.

    I approached the driver and on the assessment, I noticed they had the left tibia bone sticking through their jeans. There was some blood but it wasn’t a huge amount, though it was enough to soak the bottom 3” of their jeans. Their pulse was good at 90 beats per minute. It wasn’t fast and it wasn’t slow. Pupils were not dilated and they did have feeling in their lower limbs. They were also able to talk.

    Now, this was all I could do. Offer comfort to the driver, keep them talking, keep them as calm as you could and keep them as still as possible. I didn’t know if there were other injuries though l suspect there was something not right with their pelvis for they were complaining about some pain. Adrenaline had kicked in and thankfully despite them saying “I’m dying” which they were not, they were not in immediate danger yet.

    I did keep an eye on that left leg. Kneeling down by their side I was aware that my knees could be inches from a pool of blood. And if there was, what would I do?

    Now here lays the problem. I might be a nurse but I am not a first aider. I do know how to bandage though. I know that with a protruding bone and blood loss, that a dressing should be applied to slow down the bleed.

    However, if I had rummaged through the boot of my car, what would I find? A warning triangle and 2 Hi-Viz jackets. All 4 of mine have them. I don’t keep bandages in the cars. In actual fact I have a first aid kit at home, I don’t keep one in the cars. I drive so many. If this had happened 8 years ago when I was community-based, I’d have had something suitable in the car that I could use.

    It isn’t a legal requirement to keep a first aid kit in the car and I am now wondering why we don’t?  Some German cars like Mercedes came with them in a neat space in the rear parcel shelf. We recently looked over one and one thing I did notices was it was all out of date. And by some years for that. Now, this is just one of the problems with a first aid kit, expiry dates.

    And so it got me thinking about this vital piece of kit that I could have used on the driver of the crashed car. First aid kits are not expensive. A rather comprehensive one I found was £10.43. They are worth having, if not for use on others, but in the event if you or a cherished one require more than just a sticking plaster.

    Chances are you might not want to get someone else’s blood on you, or you might not even know what to do when faced with an injury, but chances are, someone around you might. That box of bandages could just help in that situation. And trying to stop blood loss is sometimes better than doing nothing at all.

    So guess what I am buying 4 of tonight?

  • CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic DTEC Saloon

    CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic DTEC Saloon

    ★★★★☆ | Honda Civic 1.6i-DTEC SR

    What Have We Got?

    Hot on the heels of our Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC hatchback review, we get the newly launched Civic 1.6 i-DTEC saloon. In showrooms burgeoning with SUV’s and dwindling choices of saloons, Honda comes right at you with a new offering in a market that is almost forgotten and a free for all for those who want a 3 box booted vehicle. 

     If you miss the Accord and wished for its return then your dreams have come true. In the real world, it fits nicely where the old Accord would have fitted if not in the Passat segment of car anymore where it once was. 

    Driving

    Here is where the main differences are. Despite all the performance figures looking the same for the diesel engines, the saloon puts its power down in a totally different way making for a more relaxed driving experience. Whereas I had moaned about the speed in which the engine revved to its redline in the hatchback, in the saloon, it seems more leisurely and I like it. It makes for a much more relaxed cruiser.

    Some would moan about this-this because it feels so markedly different. And then you factor in a softer ride. Very soft in comparison to the hatchback. Again something I wished the hatchback was before you press the sports button. 

    Inside

    There is very little to differentiate between the new saloon and hatchback. If I have to be really picky it is what is, or isn’t there under the rear parcel shelf. Again trim and paint appear to be missing leaving exposed speaker wires and unpainted metalwork. 

    As is standard with the hatchback, there is an abundance of black and all controls are identical.

    Living With It

    As I’ve said, the engine and soft ride bring a whole new experience to the Civic saloon that is very different in character to the hatchback.  

    It’s also an attractive looking car. It also cuts through the air better than the hatchback by giving you 3mpg more for no more than 130mm in length. Admittedly these are Honda’s unrealistic combined figures of 83+ miles to the gallon.

    And let’s not forget the boot capacity. From 478 litres, the saloon has an easy to access 519 and that’s before you fold down the 50/50 rear seats. It makes the saloon a very attractive alternative to the hatchback and other hatchbacks. Its size credentials making a case for its space in the showroom

    The Verdict

    Once again Honda presents you with a car that no one can dislike though many might choose to ignore because of that booted rear end. And that in itself is a shame because this really is a delightful car and one that needs to be looked at if you are in the market for a relaxing drive with no dramas and that drama includes wondering if that flat-packed chest of draws will fit the boot. It will. 

    Love

    Looks

    Boot space

    Build quality

    Loathe

    Lack of trim under the rear parcel shelf

    Unrealistic fuel figures

    Heating controls

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Honda Civic 1.6i-DTEC SR

    Price – £ 23,115 (as tested)

    MPG – 83.1 mpg (combined)

    Power – 120 ps

    0-62mph –  10.1 seconds

    Top Speed –  125 mph

    Co2 – 91 (g/km)

  • COMMENT | The Best Car I’ve Driven

    COMMENT | The Best Car I’ve Driven

    Motoring journalist, Neil Briscoe, on Twitter recently posted up that the best car he’d ever driven was a Mercedes pagoda. It got me thinking. I get to drive lots of new and old cars and those in the middle. But which is my favourite?

    This is difficult because my driving career spans 26 years and when I look back I could say the 1979 Mercedes 280SL but I was 18 when I drove one of those and compared to my second Citroën Visa, it was powerful and luxurious. Likewise I was also 18 when I first drove a VW Beetle and that’s enough to put you off motoring despite wanting one.

    No, it’s taken me some serious thinking, a little bit of drinking and a thumbing through photos and books to come up with my best car I have ever driven. It’s the Peugeot 104 ZS.

    I’ve had 2 of them. Both 1980 models, both blue and both ZS models. The first was quite the wreck but the second was much better. It wasn’t the best car in the world though. In refinement and luxury departments, it was overshadowed by the likes of the Ford Fiesta and Renault 5. It was rather crude and basic despite having electric windows and alloy wheels. It had rubber mats in the rear, piss poor ventilation and a tiny boot.

    What makes it the best car I’ve ever driven was one fundamental thing: I’d look at it and for unquestionable reasons, I’d dread the drive where I had to go. Yet it always entertained. It’s diminutive size and 1360cc engine with 72bhp was hardly left embarrassing itself in traffic of the day. I also had a comfy luxo barge, Peugeot 504 Ti automatic in the garage at the time too.

    On the motorway, it kept up and beyond despite only having a 4-speed gearbox, it was never tiresome or overly noisy. The 12 CD changer in the boot, 6×9 speakers in the rear side panels and 7” in the doors put pay to excess noise by drowning out the cacophony of mechanical screaming to Kylie Minogue and Duran Duran. 

    It was also one of the last cars I have owned where I’d just jump in it late at night and head for the roads in the dark. I’d be out for hours and hours, yellow Sev Marchal headlights cutting through the worst of the night. I did some stupid things in it and yet I lived to tell the tale. It never once got so out of hand that it ended up facing the other way. Something that could not be said for the Peugeot 205!

    The entertaining also stretched to its ability in the snow. Being a home carer at the time, I needed to get out and about in vile weather and that car was amazing in the snow. Small wheelbase with all the weight over the front wheels certainly helped. Its Achilles heel was its wipers. They were slow.

    So here we are, 2018 and the 1980 Peugeot 104 ZS has to be the best car I have ever driven though probably not owned. Oh crap, now I’m thinking about that one. Be right back…

  • CLASSIC CAR REVIEW | Saab 9-3

    CLASSIC CAR REVIEW | Saab 9-3

    Bravo, Sierra Alpha Alpha Bravo

    In 2012 architects the world over were weeping onto their 1:8 scale drawings and wiping the tears away from their eyes onto their black slim fit polo neck jumpers. It was announced that Saab were dead!

    Things were OK for Saab in the 70s. The Swedes craze for safety changed the way consumers looked at cars in terms of surviving a crash. The boffins at Saab threw their cars off cliffs, crushed them, hit them with hammers, shoved meatballs into the door locks and all other types of things that you and l wouldn’t subject our cars to.

    The Swedes are known for being safety conscious. The majority of the time it’s cold and dark there. They also spend a great length of time knees deep in snow so you wouldn’t expect them to become known as makers of a sought after and admired convertible car. Cut the roof off any car and there is always the risk of you falling out of it if the wheels end up pointing towards the sun. Not a very Saab safety thing at all.

    The Swedes gave way to some gay abandoning and in 1986 the 900 Convertible was born. The 900 is a serious classic now. In 1989 Saab sought the assistance of another manufacturer and unfortunately for them it was GM in America and Vauxhall Opel to those in Europe. GM took a brand known for innovation and quirky design features and presented the world with polished turds.

    Come the 90s and the 900 convertible had become iconic. You could say it single-handedly moved Saab up from the doldrums to Audi territory. All this changed in 1994 when the “new 900” convertible was launched. A well established and fine car was made to feel like you were driving something with a chassis made of only just dried paper-mâché. The rebranded 9-3 was no better.

    It wasn’t until 2003’s launch of the new second generation 9-3 that things started to get a bit better.

    Today the last of the icons represents great value for money. Because of the demise of Saab as a company, prices remain low, it will forever remain that way.

    I’m taking a 2005 9-3 1.8t Linear model for a test drive. This ‘new’ 9-3 was built for comfort and grace. Saab did a good job in disguising its Vauxhall Opel components. The 1.8 low-pressure turbo quietly produces 148bhp at 5500rpm. It has pace to keep up with the modern traffic but you’ll have to stir the gearstick around a bit. All but first gear are set to high in a bid to get maximum economy. In practice, this results in having to keep the revs up to no less than 1900rpm just so you can make good use of the torque the turbo engine produces. This coincides with 180Ib-ft of torque made within a short band from 2000 – 3500rpm. Less than 2000rpm and it feels lethargic. 0-60 time isn’t scintillating in the slightest, however the cruising speed is comfortably high. You could take to the flat-out Autobahns of Germany and make rapid progress.

    By today’s standards for an old car, it still remains silky smooth. Roof down motoring makes it a joyous car to pilot. Indeed if it’s night time, you can select ‘night panel’ on the dashboard. This turns off all the facia lights except the speedometer and even this will only then show a maximum speed of 90mph. l am told that if you go beyond that, the rest of the dial illuminates all the way round. Something l didn’t get to try. Despite the sales blurb and use of fighter jets in TV commercials in the 80s, this is the only lasting reminder that Saab had any connection with aircraft at all. It was a gimmick and not a very good one either.

    It no longer has that stab you in the back power of the original 900 turbo, After the launch of the “new 900” the turbo derivatives seemed to have been ‘blocked’ like strangers on Grindr with unfortunate profile pictures. In actual fact, Saab had no real sporty models at all after this.

    Thankfully the boffins at Trollhättan had managed to take the chassis and give it the stiffness required when you cut almost 2 meters of the roof off a car. The magic also results in a stiff scuttle area too. Drive any car with a removable roof and place your fingers within the door glass and windscreen frame and you’ll notice movement. This is called scuttle shake. The ‘new’ 900/9-3 suffered terribly from this. The ‘new’ 9-3 like we have here doesn’t suffer from it at all with only the merest hint of it over jiggly road surfaces. There is also a nice sense of draft free cabin. Opened up with the windows up or down you don’t suffer from the usual cold draft that engulfs your neck. In this Saab, there is no need to buy the mesh curtain that you see on many open-top cars.

    Owner Liz loves her roofless Saab. Partner Dave who never drives it with the roof down because it’s “so gay” has mentioned changing it. The reaction from her if he did would suggest he’d be able to sing soprano.

    Being that high, the lovey might want to remove the roof after all.

  • CAR REVIEW | Range Rover Sport SVD6

    CAR REVIEW | Range Rover Sport SVD6

    ★★★★☆ | Range Rover Sport SVD6

    Weak At The Knees In More Ways Than One

    Range Rover Sport SVD6 review

    What Have We Got?

    Land Rovers vast luxury Range Rover Sport SDV6. Once again, Land Rover has moved the Range Rover further up the luxury bracket which means this isn’t some fancy farm yard vehicle. This is a proper bonafide people carrying 4×4 with proven 4×4 credentials.

    But is it any good as an everyday carrier of people and load?  

    Driving

    Despite its big looks, it is surprisingly easy to drive. On paper at least, the 3-litre turbo diesel has a modest 306 bhp and yet the high 700 Nm of torque from 1500rpm feels quite lethargic in getting it going. It’s not a slouch by any means with a 0-60 time of 6.8 seconds, it just feels like it because it isolates you from the drivetrain so well. 

    When the going gets bumpy, this model also benefits from some impressive damping. The ride remained composed. There was some lurch as expected but it’s much less than you would think there would be despite what height you set the ride at.

    Inside

    For all of its exterior presence, it has an interior that matches. Big and bold with some nice touches in ergonomics and some appalling trim. 

    The twin infotainment screen is nice and when on, disguises greasy fingerprints quite well. You just need to keep the roof blind closed to enjoy it in the sun. It’s more reflective than I would like. 

    The leather coverings on the doors could have been a little bit better, though this was minor compared to the silver trim that ran down the side of the centre console. An unsavoury mould line left a sharp edge protruding that would rub against my bare knee.  

    Living With It

    All I will say is, pick your supermarket parking space wisely! It doesn’t feel as big as it looks to drive so you’ll find it cumbersome in the carpark. 

    It will seat five, though anyone sitting in the middle of the rear won’t feel the love with the drop-down armrest digging in their back. 

    It has the ability to travel ground so effortlessly that motorway driving would be a doddle. It would be if it was fitted with adaptive cruise control. One thing I struggle to get my head around is with all the safety features fitted to this premium 4×4, adaptive cruise is an option. It’s an option that should be standard.

    The Verdict

    I tried not to be swayed by the glamour of the thing but l failed. It took about three miles into my first drive to be in love with it. I didn’t even compile a good and bad list after the first initial run. 

    It’s not perfect though. There are a few niggles I have like trim quality and a suspension system that at times decides to go in too low overnight. That said it does make you feel like the king of the castle and you can see why people go back to buy another.

    Love

    Relaxing cabin

    Ride

    Door architecture

    Loathe

    Hate myself for loving it too much

    Sharp-edged trim

    Lack of adaptive cruise

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Range Rover Sport SVD6

    Price – £78,095 (as tested)

    MPG – 40.4mpg (combined)

    Power – 306bhp

    0-62mph –  6.8 seconds

    Top Speed –  140 mph

    Co2 – 185 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Honda HR-V 1.6 1-DTEC

    ★★★☆☆ | Honda HR-V 1.6 1-DTEC – A Driver’s SUV

    What Have We Got?

    Honda’s second-generation HR-V. A small SUV type car wrapped in a coupe body based on the small Jazz.

    WHAT! I hear you cry, second generation you say? Yes, that’s right. Honda abandoned the HR-V in 2006 and then brought it back in 2016. So two years into its life, does it still sparkle in the showroom? 

    Driving

    I always try and save the best until last. This isn’t the case with the HR-V. The driving is the best part. For a small SUV that’s a little jacked up and riding high, it is quite engaging to drive when you want to push on a bit. The 120 PS of diesel power at 4000rpm was nicely complemented by the high torque of 300 Nm at a low 200rpm. Mated to a rather nice 6-speed manual gearbox with a very tall 5th and 6th gear. This meant that most hurried driving could be carried out with slipping into 3rd and 4th gear.

     

    Inside

    Despite the pseudo coupe looks, it has stacks of people space inside and headroom isn’t a problem. You certainly couldn’t use ‘adequate’ as a word to describe the rear legroom because it is overly generous. What it does lack is door bin storage and general odds and ends places which aren’t fitting for this kind of car. And it’s all a bit dark inside despite the 50/50 split closed/open panoramic roof option that comes standard on the EX model. 

    Living With It

    At £27,640, you might feel a little out of pocket. It’s not cheap. Then again no SUV is cheap at the moment. Still, for your money, you do get a host of driver aid gadgets and toys in this top of the range HR-V. There are many areas that it could be better in but there are areas that it is much better than expected and that’s driver enjoyment. The ride is soft and comfortable and never leaves you wincing as you take on the worst potholed roads or uneven surfaces. 

    The Verdict

    Despite what I have said, I’m not a fan. Yes, the driving dynamics are rather good for this type of car. Quite a lot better than many if I am honest. It’s just that it lacks showroom appeal. And for the size of the car and the market it is in, it lacks the youth appeal that really is the kind of drivers you would expect to see buy into these smaller SUV’s. This is something VW and Seat do a little bit better. It also lacks innovation and this is something I am rather upset about. Honda is very innovative and yet it seems they have missed many opportunities with the HR-V. Driving and looks aside, you really have to want one to want one. It just didn’t sparkle enough for me. 

    Love

    Driving dynamics

    Engine

    Looks

    Loathe

    Paint finish

    Lack of innovations

    Small door pockets 

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Honda HR-V 1.6 1-DTEC EX manual

    Price – £27,640 (as tested)

    MPG – 68.9 mpg (combined)

    Power – 120PS at 400rpm

    0-62mph –  10.5 seconds

    Top Speed –  119 mph

    Co2 – 104 (g/km)

  • COMMENT | When I Grow Up, I’m Going To Drive

    Something popped up on Twitter recently. An advert for a 1980’s Peugeot 305 GTX diesel estate.

    About 18 years ago I’d promised myself one of those. It won’t happen now though. I don’t need another diesel on the fleet and l certainly don’t need another old car with the ever-increasing difficulty in getting parts when l have three others.

    You see, I am a bit of a motoring pervert. I’m realistic and as a child, my dream-car choices of car reflected this. Despite them being new at the time, they were cheap. I’m a realist you see and it’s probably why I never ended up with a coke habit because, let’s face it, coke is expensive! A Lamborghini is expensive. A Morris Ital estate isn’t.  

    So I thought about those other cars I’d promised myself and picked the top five that I won’t buy.

    Morris Ital Estate

    In 1980 I didn’t know the Ital was in actual fact a Morris Marina. To me, the Ital looked great. It wasn’t. It was a Marina and those were dreadful. The Ital was an end of life crisis revamp for the Marina to buy British Leyland sometime before the replacement was available. Judging by the number of model designation changes that the Ital went through, it didn’t work. They were just desperate to sell it like Ital design studio were to distance itself from the project. 

    I won’t buy one now. I know what it is but a little part of me shall always have a little soft spot for an estate. A little bit, like a fingernail clippings worth.

    Austin Ambassador

    WHAT THE F**K AM I DOING! The Ambassador. Another rehash from BL to buy some time. This time, around two years. The Ambassador wasn’t a bad car. It was the Austin Princess that we should have got in the first place. In that, I mean a hatchback. Why the Princess was a saloon is a question flat earthers really should be spending their time wondering about. 

    I won’t buy one now. I like them though. I think they still look rather good but not in Vanden Plas guise. That chrome trim on the bonnet looked stupid. A bit like the name really. This Ambassador wasn’t really spoiling us at all.

    Austin Montego Saloon

    Now, this is the dirty secret I have held until recently. Andrew Ryan on Twitter ( @andrewryan100 ) recently posted a huge factoid on the Montego. Kept me enthralled and the fire for the Montego was re-lit. The styling of the car was always a joy to look at so don’t get me looking at that three-piece rear window. It was like a bay window for a car and no other car out there had one. I like bay windows. It’s a suburban thing I suppose. A place for nic-nacs like a nodding dog or box of tissues!

    I won’t buy one now. The trouble with the Montego was that it wasn’t that well built, every one I looked at as a child always had mis-match alignment between the headlights and bonnet and a dashboard was rather bland.   

    Renault 17

    These always looked like they were fun. The 17 was the elegant sex pest to the frumpy 15. The rear side windows, covered with louvres, popped inwards. The quad headlights were surrounded by an extension of the bumper. They looked amazing. To top it off, you could get them with an electric folding roof. This was 70’s Europe and such things were frivolous craziness that your grandmother, who’d still wave her ration-book at you, would not approve. Matchbox toys got involved and made a small model of one.  

    I won’t buy one now. This really is a sad moment that I admit that I won’t but I did get to drive one from a guy I started dating. The car wasn’t quite what I expected and as for the date, that wasn’t either. 

    Visa GTi

    I started my driving career with a Visa. And I progressed steadily through the many engine changes including the 2-cylinder and the diesel. I even had a convertible one too. Trouble was, insurance for a young man back then on a GTi was impossible or expensive. And then you had the fuel economy. I was used to the high 40s and beyond with the diesel. The GTi couldn’t do that.

    I won’t buy one now. Most have rusted away sadly or their thin bodywork has gone all crinkly and out of shape. And to be honest, I have had five of them and you can have too much of a good thing. 

    So there you go, 5 cars I’ve hankered after for all these years that are not going to happen. That said it does mean I am not ruling out a VW 411 or Lancia Beta coupe. Watch this space. 

  • CAR REVIEW | Volvo XC60 T8 R-Design Pro

    CAR REVIEW | Volvo XC60 T8 R-Design Pro

    ★★★★☆ | Volvo XC60 T8 R-Design Pro

    Volvo XC60 T8 R-Design Pro review

    What Have We Got

    This week we have a plug-in hybrid from Volvo. The Volvo XC60 T8 twin engine, which means it has a 2.0L petrol engine which is supercharged and turbocharged, producing 320bhp, powering the front wheels, with an 87 bhp electric motor powering the rear wheels. Together they provide a combined power figure of 407 bhp, enough to get you to 62mph in 5.3 seconds and on to 140mph.

    Our XC60 T8 is an R-Design Pro meaning it has all the toys and I mean all of them. It’s a beautiful car and extremely well built.

    Driving

    This is probably the most technically advanced car we’ve driven but is also one the most complete, accomplished packages we’ve seen.

    There are several driving modes to choose from:
    Eco (the most frugal settings) Dynamic (a balance between performance and economy, consider this ‘normal’ mode), Off Road (at low speed, makes the XC60 a serious off-road tool)Individual (allows you to personalise settings such as suspension, steering, gearbox etc) In Dynamic, the car is simply beautiful to drive. It’s very fast, very smooth and very easy to drive.

    Inside

    Inside the Volvo is an exquisite place, elegant and graceful. The materials are the best we’ve seen and the fit and finish are beyond compare. R Design features such luxuries as a perforated leather multifunction steering wheel with gearshift paddles, and nubuck leather upholstery. The sports seats are very supportive and infinitely adjustable and there is plenty of room inside for 5 adults in comfort.

    Our test car had the Bowers & Wilkins sound system which was incredible. 15 speakers and 1100 watts of power worked for us.

    Living with it

    Air suspension on the T8 R Design ensures a beautiful ride, soaking up the bumps and potholes of our roads with ease. The T8 is also fitted with adaptable, electronic dampers which means the suspension can be easily adjusted for ride and comfort, but more impressive than that, it constantly adjusts to the driving conditions.

    As a plug-in hybrid, you can drive it on just electric power for up to 20 miles, then it seamlessly switches to the engine’s power. If you have power in the battery at low speeds, on part throttle, you are essentially driving a big electric vehicle. It’s whisper quiet and silky smooth. When you need more power it ditches to the engine’s power, not so you notice though.
    The Verdict

    Our Volvo XC60 was genuinely breathtaking. It is the most advanced and the closest to an autonomous vehicle we have ever driven. The XC60 can steer, brake, and see better than us and uses these attributes to keep us safe.

    Volvo see this car as; ‘a clear step in our work towards fully autonomous cars’.

    It was a real pleasure driving the new Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine AWD R-Design Pro. Now we see what all the fuss was about.

    Loves

    Performance

    Interior

    Superb build quality

     

    Loathes

    Price

    Electric range only up to 20 miles

    I can’t afford one

     

    Lowdown

    Car – Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine AWD R-Design Pro.
    Price – £53,870 – £59,770
    MPG – 134.5mpg (manufacturer claimed. We only got around 40 mpg)
    0-62 – 5.3s
    Power – 407 bhp (87 bhp electric and 320 bhp petrol)
    Top Speed – 140 mph

  • Can Charlie become the first transgender racer at Le Mans?

    Can Charlie become the first transgender racer at Le Mans?

    Fans of vibrant ITV Saturday Night shows may recognise race driver Charlie Martin from the muscle-fest that is Ninja Warrior. Managing to get up The Wall first time, she showed the world what an athlete she is in front of millions of viewers.

    (C) ITV

    The Wall, however, was far from the first huge obstacle Charlie’s had to overcome. Being gendered male at birth, Charlie had previously taken on greater challenges than anything Ben what’s-his-face and the giggly moustachioed one from football (Klammy, or something, I think he’s called) could throw at her.

    After decades rising through the motorsport ranks, during which time she made the transition to female, Charlie found a race seat in the popular Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge with a race-winning team, Richardson Racing.

    The aim? To fight her way up the Ginetta motorsport ladder, all the way to Le Mans and the famous 24-hour race. No transgender driver has ever taken part in this icon of world motorsport – and so a chance to add her name into the annals of history beckons.

    When I first spoke to Charlie, she was adjusting to life back in the UK after years of racing in France on the hill climb circuit. She raced everything from Peugeot 205s and Westfield sportscars, to single seater ‘Formula’ cars (principally a Formula Renault she engineered herself) and Le Mans style prototypes like her Norma M20. During her time she made a habit of winning (and breaking course records by huge chunks – over two seconds at one track), until she felt she could progress no further within French hillclimbing, and decided to move to more traditional circuit racing.

    Back in the UK she’s been racing wheel to wheel with highly-successful drivers in the GT5 category. And Charlie has continued to shine. Straight away Charlie found her way onto the podium over and over again, and now, towards the end of this first season back racing in the UK, she is causing quite a stir in the championship.

    Currently backed by Bloc Eyewear, NGK Spark Plugs and more, she’s attracting big-name sponsors, too.

    Her highlight? Well, during the year she was invited back over to France to test a V8-powered Ligier JSP3 LMP3 car, as close to a true Le Mans competitor as it’s possible to get, so maybe her circuit racing is not necessarily the highlight of 2018 after all. The Ligier packed over 480bhp into a tiny weight, and with oodles of downforce to force the car into the tarmac the cornering speeds were much more like what Charlie was used to from her single-seater days. Again, Charlie shone.

    Go Charlie Go!

    Could Charlie do it? Could she get her name into the history books for breaking new ground at Le Mans? Time will tell – and even if it does not happen for a couple of years, she is certainly in a fantastic position. Not only is she quick, but her prowess on Ninja Warrior leaves no doubt as to whether she is physically fit enough to cope with the unique demands of endurance racing, too.

    She is also a big advocate for equality, and speaks frequently at events such as Rainbow Laces Summit by Stonewall. She’s also encouraged her fellow competitors to wear rainbow stickers on the race cars; to show their support too.

    In motorsport, the stopwatch could not care less about your gender, sexuality, age, disability or anything – it can only record time – and if Charlie continues to smash lap records and win silverware, there’s no reason to think she could not go all the way.

    Will you lend her your support? I know I’ll be cheering her on.

    See more of Charlie’s progress and learn about her experiences at her own website http://www.gocharlie.co.uk/ and follow her on social media at https://twitter.com/GoCharlieM https://www.facebook.com/charliemartinofficial/ and https://www.instagram.com/gocharliem/?hl=en