Category: Lifestyle
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FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: Ten Star Cars
Held once every two years, the Frankfurt motor show is one of the biggest events in the motoring calendar. This year was no exception with important new cars announced by a number of major manufacturers not to mention a selection of crazy concepts. Here’s my top ten show stars.
Bentley Bentayga
As luxurious as the Range Rover is, Bentley seems to think that people want even more opulence from their SUV. Not only do you get, according to Bentley, “the world’s finest automotive cabin” but some serious speed as well. A new 6.0 litre turbocharged W12 engine pumps out 600bhp to give a top speed of 186mph. The looks may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s certainly imposing. Even with prices starting at £160k, Bentley seem to be on to something as the first year’s worth of production has sold out already.
Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo Concept
The makers of the world’s most expensive production car have at last made something we all have a chance of owning and driving. Sadly it’s only in the virtual world if you have a Playstation and a copy of Gran Turismo 6. Likely to represent the Veyron’s replacement (to be called the Chiron) on a heavy course of steroids, the Vision GT previews the next chapter of Bugatti’s design language and ramps up the aggression severely. Like the Veyron, it’s powered by a turbocharged W16 engine except power is now well over 1000bhp, good for a top speed over over 250mph.
Infiniti Q30
If you’ve not heard of Infiniti then you might be surprised to hear they’ve been around since 1989. Like Lexus is Toyota’s luxury arm, Infiniti does the same job for Nissan although not quite as successfully it has to be said. The Q30 hatchback/crossover looks to change that by offering striking looks, an upmarket interior and affordable running costs. As it shares much with the Mercedes A-Class, this could be the car that sees Infiniti break into the mainstream. Any patriots out there might be interested to know it’ll be built in Sunderland too.
Ferrari 488 Spider
Frankfurt saw a bit of Italian rivalry between the prancing horse and raging bull as both released rival roadsters. Lamorghini’s Huracan may have looked dramatic but for me the Ferrari 488 Spider was the winner here. Not only does it boast more power but its significantly lighter too. Factor in sexier looks and a hard roof for when the heavens open and it’s a no brainer in my book. 0-62mph takes a scant 3.0 seconds flat while 124mph takes only 8.7 seconds. Keep your foot down and you’ll top 200mph, yes please!
Nissan Gripz Concept
Nissan have been producing ‘Z’ badged coupes for over forty years now, a lineage that’s currently represented by the 370Z. Unfortunately for sports car fans, Nissan’s penchant for crossovers seems to know no bounds with the Gripz concept previewing a revolution for ‘Z’ cars. Said to be inspired by 240Z rally cars of the 70’s, it’s not just the jacked up stance that’s new. While there is an (undisclosed) petrol engine under the bonnet, this acts as a generator to power electric motors that drive the wheels. It may upset a few purists but it looks good and is likely to appeal to a much wider audience than the 370Z.
Considering they haven’t produced a truly great car for quite some time now, there’s always plenty of love for Alfa Romeo. Petrolheads (me included) always want to love the Italian brand but have been disappointed by previous ‘comebacks’. The Giulia – fingers crossed – should be the car we’ve yearned to own for decades. Rear wheel drive is back and the 3 Series sized saloon packs 510hp in top QV trim, enough to make it quicker than an M3 or Merc C63 AMG. It’s also far more attractive and even comparatively kind to the environment. Fingers crossed it lives up to expectations.
Mercedes Concept IAA
Standing for Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile, this Mercedes concept is the closest you’ll get to a Transformer for the road. Below 80km/h the IAA’s main focus is style, offering a glimpse as to what a future CLS might look like. Above this speed, the tail extends by 390mm, the front bumper changes shape and the wheels become flat to help the IAA cleave through the air more efficiently. The interior may seem space age but is said to preview the next E-Class executive saloon while the hybrid drivetrain is fairly conventional too. If this is Mercedes’ future, BMW and Audi had best up their game.
Honda Project 2&4 Concept
Did anyone ever think the Ariel Atom was a little tame? Probably not but that didn’t stop Honda trying to top it with the certifiable Project 2&4. Powered by a 1.0 litre V4 engine lifted from their MotoGP racing bike, it weighs just 405kg, even less than the Atom. It isn’t short of power either, the engine may be dinky but it’ll rev to a staggering 14,000rpm and produces 215hp without a turbo. Uniquely, the driver sits on a floating seat that is designed to leave you as exposed as possible just like a motorbike. Bonkers.
Jaguar F-Pace
Bentley aren’t the only manufacturer launching their first ever SUV, Jaguar are muscling in on the action too with the F-Pace. Available withworthy (but dull) four cylinder diesels, a 300hp V6 diesel (warmer) or a 380hp supercharged V6 (juuust riiiight), it manages to combine familiar brand aesthetics with chunky 4×4 looks much more successfully than the Bentayga. Jaguars also have a habit of being fantastic to drive and I can’t see the F-Pace bucking the trend. With prices starting at around £35k, it should put a big cat amongst the German pigeons.
Porsche Mission E
Arguably the star of the show, the Mission E suggests what would happen if – or more likely when – Porsche decides to produce a rival for the Tesla Model S. With an electric motor for the front wheels and another for the rears, the Mission E develops over 600hp in total to give 0-62mph in less than 3.5 seconds. Not only is it fast, but it’s also capable of over 300 miles on a single charge. With only fifteen minutes needed to get the batteries from flat to 80% full, you could happily travel much further than that in a day too. Welcome to the future.
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GRAN CANARIA: Are you game enough for a spot of Tennis?
First ever LGBT Tennis Open to stage in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria 9th – 11th October 2015.
Dark nights getting you down? Well, it’s still not too late for you to sign up and join some Autumnal sporting fun in the sun.
This October the outdoor clay courts of the Open Gran Canaria Tennis Club, Las Palmas will host the first ever LGBT Tennis Open seen on the Island.
This year’s exciting launch tournament is a pre-event for Gran Canaria to host annual GLTA (Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance) Tournaments with all of the associated backing and glitz. GLTA is a global organisation, with some 8 million players and Martina Navratilova as the front figure.
A maximum of 70 men and women of all nationalities will compete in five different categories over the course of three days. The opening ceremony and first rounds take place Friday, 9th October, culminating in the Grand Finals, awarding of trophies and evening dinner event Sunday 11th October.
The event is set to be friendly and welcoming. Places are still available but limited and cost:
1 event: 25 euros2 events: 35 euros
Dinner party event (open to players and non-players): 20 euros
Event co-organiser Magnus Welin says,
“We know that there is a demand for LGTB tourists visiting the Island to meet and play with other LGTB players. May it be tourists or local residents of Gran Canaria and neighbouring Islands. Therefore not only are we staging this exiting first tournament but we are also founding a LGBT tennis club where tourists and locals can hook up and play at weekends.”
As this is the first LGTB tournament and a new concept that includes both the local LGTB community and tourists of all nationalities our work is receiving good interest. However we’d like to spread the word wider and particularly encourage more Transgender players to take part both in this October’s event and going forward. We are already planning for the 2016 tournament. This will be held at the Maspalomas Tennis Centre Club.’
As part of the launch players will also enjoy a complimentary tour of Gran Canaria to allow them to enjoy the beauty of the Island’s green valleys, mountainous ranges and azure coasts. In addition several gay resorts in Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas are also offering some players four night’s accommodation free of charge, prior to the tournament. With a possibility to meet new friends and relax before the competition starts the LGBT Tennis Open Gran Canaria is the perfect antidote to the Winter Blues.
To find out more and book your place to play visit the LGBT Tennis Open website:http://www.lgtbopengrancanaria.com/
Key Facts:
Venue: Open Gran Canaria Tennis Club, Street Ventura Doreste s / n corner, Jamat, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain (928 91 75 35) www.opengrancanaria.com
When: The LGBT Open Gran Canaria will be played on 9th, 10th and 11th October. Matches start Friday 9th October. Awards and trophy ceremony scheduled approx. 16.00hrs Sunday 11th October.
Entry deadline: Tuesday, September 30, 2015 11:59 PM (GMT +00: 00). The LGBT Open will consist of five GLTA categories: OPEN, A, B, C and D both in Singles and Doubles, male and female format.
Registration Fees:1 event: 25 euros
2 events: 35 euros
Dinner party event (open to players and non-players): 20 euros
Court Type: 6 clay courts for OPEN, A, B, C and D categories
Accommodation:
The organisers of the LGBT Tennis Open Gran Canaria have agreed special rates with Hotel Bed & Chic. The hotel is approximately 30 minutes from the Gran Canaria Open Club and is close to the fabulous city beach of Las Canteras:
Hotel Bed & Chic: standard room € 49.00, double standard € 45.50; superior room € 52.50, double superior room € 49.00; € 67.90 Junior Suite, Double Junior Suite € 60.90. Breakfast 10 € / person. www.bedandchic.com
TransportPublic bus line number 47 takes just 30 minutes from the Hotel Bed & Chic to the Gran Canaria Open Club.
by Mark Stanley | @GranCanMan76
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RESTAURANT REVIEW | Rugby Burgers @ West 12 Bar & Grill
Last night, I had the pleasure of dining at West 12 Bar & Grill, at Birmingham Marriott Hotel, just in time for the opening of the Rugby World Cup. For the duration of the Rugby season, the Marriott Hotels are hosting #BurgersandBubbles, motto of which is: ‘designed by champions, served with champers.’ Celebrating Rugby events in style, Marriott and International Rugby Players have collaborated into creating the bravest, beefiest and bulgiest burgers I have ever held in my two hands.
My dinner partner and I decided to go head-to-head with the two available Rugby Burger options. So, representing Australia, my guest went for The Burke burger, designed by the Australian fullback Matt Burke himself, who must have been a huge fan of sweet and sour, for the concoction of beef burger, grilled red onion, beetroot and pineapple behaved rather saucily in my partner’s mouth. At home, I represented New Zealand with the Hardman burger, created by Brad Thorn, the lock of the team, and I have to say, if I had even attempted man-handling the burger, it would have given me a locked jaw. Thankfully, we were both given steak knives to tackle the scrummy masterpieces. The Hardman was smoky and earthy with the venison, crispy streaky bacon, fried egg and tomato chutney combination. It was a draw, for both burgers equally delighted the taste buds of the burger captains.Our evening was made extra special by the restaurant team, who did nothing more but care for us. It was very kind of the Hotel General Manager, Gordon Tyler, to personally welcome us, joke about the world cup and assuring us that we were very welcome at West 12 Bar & Grill. He told us, ‘it is a very exciting time of year for rugby fans,’ and though we are not dedicated Rugby fans, we were soon in the mood for celebrating. Our waiter Sam led the team with care, dedication and a pleasant smile that went with every course. He was very passionate about the wines that he let us sample, and was very good listener while we shared our views about each one. It was not quite around the world in eighty glasses, but as we gargled the tasters, it felt we were being transported to the climates of the hot countries of Chile, Italy, Spain, France, where the wines were made. Our favourite was a red wine which accompanied the red meats deliciously, and though the name has escaped my mind, it was a combination of a Shiraz and Cabernet, and boy did it dance around our heads.I take my hat off to the chefs, who talentedly infused the finest ingredients by presenting both the starter and the main with formidable style and elegance, and the meaty burgers that made us fall-back and made us feel slightly self-conscious that our hands were not qualified to master the handling of the meat in between the two gigantic sesame-seeded buns.
England beat Fiji 35-11, last night. So, it was an all-around successful night.
Reviewed by: Alex DaSilva
Address:
Telephone: +44 121 452 1144
Website: Click here
Star rating: ★★★★★ (explained)
Cost rating: £££ (explained)
Tipping policy: Discrectionary 12.5% added to you bill
by Alex Da Silva -
The Average Retiree Has Under £1500 Saved For Emergencies
One in four retirees has less than £1,000 available for emergencies, according to new research.
Research into the finances and lifestyles of 1,000 retired people found the average respondent had just £1,343 put away for emergencies.
Despite a lifetime of working, more than half the 1,000 retirees studied said they would be “stumped” if they had to pay for unexpected house repairs or specialist medical care.
And they don’t get long to enjoy their retirement once they stop work. The survey found the ‘retirement glow’ can last up to 13 months – the average time given by respondents before the novelty of being retired wore off.
Around one in five retired respondents in the poll by financial services giant MetLife said they had less than £500 set aside for unforeseen expenses, while the same number said their day to day finances are far from comfortable.
A disillusioned one in five retirees said life is much harder after finishing work than they imagined.
Finances prove the trickiest aspect to manage, while boredom is the second biggest barrier to retirement happiness, results showed.
Yesterday Dominic Grinstead, Managing Director, MetLife UK said: “It is very worrying that more than half of pensioners would be stumped if they had to find the money for a major bill.
“Financial emergencies in retirement are a major risk – around one in four say they have suffered financial nightmares which have forced them to cut back.
“Retirement ought to be a time to relax after a lifetime of working hard but sadly the survey shows the retirement glow does not last long before the money worries return.”
Just under half of the retirees surveyed said worrying about money was a common occurrence.
And a fifth said they aren’t financially comfortable day to day.
Perhaps that’s why one in ten retired people in relationships fall out with their partner over money worries- with the rising cost of energy bills the most likely item to provoke an argument, followed by spending on food/grocery items.
While more than half of those polled were unsure as to whether they could cope should they be faced with a big unforeseen expense such as healthcare costs or home repairs.
In fact, one in seven said they simply wouldn’t be able to cope with any unexpected increase in their expenditure.
The average respondent was found to be living on £297 a week, yet one in eight were getting by on less than £100 per week.
And unforeseen expenditures really take their toll- as many as a quarter had experienced a ‘financial nightmare’ which threw their finances into disarray.
More than a quarter of the 1,000 retirees polled said their standard of living had decreased since retiring.
Just 12 per cent said life had got better since quitting work, while six in ten notice no change in quality of life either way.
Dominic Grinstead added: “Pensioners need certainty in retirement and flexibility with their finances so they can cope with unexpected bills and have some spare money to enjoy themselves too.
“That is why we have designed our new Retirement Portfolio to deliver a guaranteed income for life which can increase depending on stock market performance while enabling people to dip into their savings if they need to.
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CAR REVIEW | smart fortwo proxy
This is the all new third generation smart fortwo. It may have grown a stubby snout and lost the one box shape of its predecessor but the contrasting ‘tridion’ safety cell and tiny 2.69-meter length scream smart. The big news is under the skin however, gone is the clunky automated manual ‘box having been replaced by a conventional five-speed manual or optional six-speed dual clutch auto.
While Mercedes’ other baby the A-Class may have gone all conventional, the fortwo retains a rear mounted three cylinder engine that powers the back wheels; it’s almost like half a Porsche 911. Length may have stayed the same but width is up by 110mm helping with stability and providing a more spacious cabin.
Compared to its predecessors, the latest fortwo is something of a revelation to drive. Gone is the gearbox’s hesitancy meaning you no longer look (and feel) like a nodding dog as you accelerate. The manual gearbox is nothing special but it’s light, easy to use and no longer a source of constant frustration. Coupled with the most powerful 71hp version of the normally aspirated triple, it’s fine around town although runs out of puff easily on the open road. 0-62 takes an agonising 14.4 seconds while hills will often require a downchange or two especially at speed.
Not helping is super-long gearing (second gear is good for 60mph!) which may be great for economy but kills performance. At least there’s a pleasing three cylinder thrum as the revs rise and smart claims 68.9mpg and 93g/km is possible. In practice the best I saw was a little over 40mpg according to the trip computer but to be fair, I live out in the country which is not the smart’s ideal operating environment. A 900cc turbocharged engine is available boasting 90hp and considerably more torque. This brings the 0-62 time down to around the ten second mark and should prove a much happier companion on A-roads and motorways.
The steering may be variable but always seems a little too light apart from during low speed manoeuvres. It is at least accurate if lacking in feel. The extra width adds welcome stability on the motorway although does make it feel less wieldy around town. Decide to corner the smart hard and you are greeted with overprotective intervention from the electronics followed by plenty of understeer. Only over particularly bad bumps does the smart ever feel unsettled; something you can’t escape given the short wheelbase. The upshot is a tiny turning circle of just 6.95 meters.
Ignoring the miniscule boot, space inside is generous and gives the impression that you’re in a much larger car (until you look in the rear view mirror). Interestingly, the dashboard is upholstered in a mesh fabric giving the nicely sculpted interior a distinctive look. Quite how you’d clean it after a coffee spillage is something I don’t even want to think about though.
The optional seven-inch touchscreen proved simple to navigate, easy on the eye and responsive. Start to explore the furthest reaches of the dash and you do find questionable plastics although they are well hidden for the most part. There’s no doubt the smart’s cabin feels very contemporary and is a great place to spend time. It’s also really airy thanks to the white trim and panoramic roof that comes with the proxy model.
To summarise, if we’re being sensible nearly £14,000 is a lot of money for a car that lacks the practicality of many of its rivals costing considerably less. If you don’t need four seats (or have a second car that does) then there’s no doubting the smart’s effectiveness in the city. Given that it’s now tolerable, even dare I say it fun to drive at times, it’s certainly much easier to recommend than either of its predecessors. Combine this with a great interior and bold exterior styling and you have a seriously appealing city car.
PROS
Manoeuvrability
Easy to park
Funky looks
CONS
Not enough grunt for motorways
Tiny boot
Expensive
THE LOWDOWN
Car – smart fortwo proxy 71hp
Price – £11,820 (13,800 as tested)
Power – 71hp
0-60 – 14.4 seconds
Top Speed – 94 mph
Co2 – 93g/km
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The Top 10 Healthy Foods And Drinks You Need In Your Fridge
The market has gone mad for health orientated consumer products, but it’s so often that on closer inspection the product is not designed with our optimum health in mind. The other day I was inspecting a snack bar which had the word “Nature” in it. It’s second highest ingredient was sugar (and not from natural sugars). Akin to snacks, the drinks industry can be just as misleading.
Below are a collection of food and drink products that keep it simple, with carefully selected ingredients, and the majority focusing on helping us to achieve our 5 to 7-a-day. You are sure to see some familiar products here, but also some unique and interesting finds that are going to be big in 2015 and beyond. Let’s start with some drinks…
B.Fresh JuicesDirect and cold pressed from Shropshire, probably the closest product you will get to home juicing. In 8 different varieties, B.Fresh have a great vegetable to fruit ratio (we should try to have whole fruits, and juiced vegetables, remember), and have some really refreshing combinations. One of my favourites being their #leanandgreen – cucumber, kale, ginger, lemon, celery, romaine lettuce and spinach. Each juice is one of your 5 a day and the packaging is simple, clear, and highlights each juices greatest qualities (i.e. high in vitamin K etc.).
£15.00 for 6 bottles, and also available as a recurring order / subscription to provide you with your weekly fix.
Bulk Powders – Complete Fruits
Vegan friendly and GM free, Complete Fruits serves as a supplement for those (like me) that need more fruit in their diet. A unique fruit blend of 10 premium quality freeze-dried fruit powders, with one serving equating to 2 of your 5 a day. Bulk Powders also offer Complete Greens with one serving that equates to more than 5 of your 5-a-day! These products should be used in line with a healthy diet, not as a substitute. £31.99 for 100 servings (100 days if taken daily).
Coco Mojo
I would probably be considered crazy not to include some form of coconut water within my top picks of healthy drinks. Coco Mojo is my favourite of all brands out there. Deemed more beneficial than sports drinks filled with electrolytes, coconuts are everywhere right now. I like Coco Mojo’s “Soul” and “Passion” varieties as they are blended with other fruits and best of all, botanical herbs. Check their website for stockists in your area. RRP £.1.79-£1.99p each.
Leader Natural Foods – Detox Smoothie
Vegan friendly smoothie sachets also available in a Balance and an Energy variety. Full of vitamins and vegan-friendly proteins (pea, hemp etc). I concoct my own supplement shakes at home every day, which isn’t viable if I am travelling so usually have a few of these stashed in my bag for a convenient pick me up. They taste pretty lovely too- the Detox smoothie comprising mainly of pineapple, banana, and apple powders. Power foods such as spirulina, nettle leaf, and barley grass also feature in this “superfood” smoothie. Add to coconut water for an extra boost.
£1.99p each. Available at Superdrug.
Arctic Power Berries
Enjoy added to smoothies or home made juices, or alternatively sprinkled atop salads, breakfast or healthy desserts. Available in Blueberry, Cranberry, or Sea Buckthorn. Just a teaspoon of these equates to the goodness of a handful of fresh berries. Dried and powdered with nothing added. Peels and seeds included. Created by two Finnish ladies with backgrounds in nutrition, I have a feeling Arctic Power Berries will be a hit this year. I add the Blueberry to my shake at home.
£7.50 (50g). Available direct. Check their website for other stockists.
Whitworths
Perfect pick me ups with clear information on the packaging- highlighting if they are one of your five a day on the front with their 30g Snack Packs (dried; apple, apricots, raisins, dates, kiwi, mango and many more). How many calories each pack contains are also boldy boasted on each pack. Their range of “Shots” are also scrummy! With a huge pack of dates in front of me I find it hard to self limit with portion, but with these Snack Packs you know exactly how much you’ve had.
£0.45p Snack Packs (30g). Available from most supermarkets and online
The Primal Pantry
Founded and created by a nutritionist in her own kitchen. Primal Pantry cleverly offer the first convenience snack of it’s kind, aimed at people on the popular Paleo diet. Using organic ingredients where they can, and only 4-5 ingredients used per bar, and then cold pressed. Simplicity at it’s very best. Great packaging too. Varieties include; Almond & Cashew, Brazil Nut & Cherry, Coconut & Macadamia (my favourite), and Hazelnut & Cocoa.
£1.49p per bar- Available from Superdrug & others.Boxes of 18 available direct.Bounce Energy Balls
Founded by a personal fitness trainer and a life coach, aiming to inspire positive change in the way people eat. I like these purely because I find them rather odd. They make a change from the traditional bar shaped product. I particularly like the Spirulina & Ginseng ball as it’s an interesting and tasty ingredient combo. All gluten free and often packed with protein power.
RRP £1.79p per ball. Stocked in most supermarkets and Holland & Barrett and online
Trek & Nakd Bars
Natural Balance Foods offer many varieties of their delicious Trek & Nakd bars. I’m pretty certain all of you reading this would have heard of either of these bars and will agree they are all delicious. Again, another product providing us with 1 of our 5 a day. Doesn’t mean you can eat five a day though! Tempting as it may be. I’ve switched to Trek recently for their higher protein content. Are there any other protein bars out there that also equate to one of your 5 a day? Nope.
Check their website directly for special offers and big boxes. http://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/
£0.75p-£0.90p per bar. Available at supermarkets.
USN Diet Whey BarsWarning. These are dangerously good. More suited to those looking for a sport snack, so if you have recently taken up an exercise regime in the new year, give these a go for a protein packed guilt free snack, with only 5g of sugar per bar. The peanut butter brownie flavour is a proper sweet tooth fix. £35.99p (Box of 18).
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GARDEN | End Of Summer Tips
We have a confession to make – the last couple of months it’s all gone downhill. Right in the middle of the crazy gardening season we’ve let things slide and feel pretty bad about it all.
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CAR REVIEW | Citroen C4 Cactus
Citroen has a long history of producing unconventional cars. 2CV, DS and C6, all vehicles that combined quirky looks and engineering with a focus on comfort above all else.
Although recent efforts from the French marque have been a little soberer, the C4 Cactus looks to recapture Citroen’s weird and wonderful heritage in a Ford Focus-sized hatchback with more than a hint of SUV about it. Is it a case of style over substance though? Let’s put it to the test.
The first thing you’ll probably notice about the Cactus are the knobbles on the doors. Called ‘Airbumps’, they consist of air pockets in a rubbery material and are designed to protect paintwork against unwanted attention from trolleys, car doors and other urban attacks. You may not like how they look but they certainly offer a decent amount of protection and come in a range of colours. Black is standard but you can also choose grey, off white and brown. Opt for the latter and you’ll probably be craving a bar of Dairy Milk every time you see them.
The Airbumps may be a bit Marmite (for the record, I love them) but the rest of the Cactus is much easier to like. Black plastic wheel arches, skidplates like lower bumpers and roof rails suggest SUV while the slim daytime running lights make for a distinctive face. The floating roof looks good as do the standard fit alloy wheels on both Feel and Flair models. One thing is for certain, you’ll have no trouble finding it in a car park especially if you opted for ‘Hello Yellow’ as modelled by the test car.
Inside things are also on the unconventional side; look around the cabin and you’ll notice very few buttons, switches or knobs. That’s because almost everything including climate control and stereo functions are controlled by the standard and easy to use 7” touchscreen infotainment system. Another digital display behind the steering wheel replaces conventional dials while the front seats are more like armchairs. Choose the automatic gearbox and the front seats are replaced by a sofa-like bench while those that have difficulty parking may appreciate the surprisingly effective optional self-park feature.
Legroom for rear seat passengers is impressive for this size of car although headroom may be a little tight for taller adults. The seats are comfy however and you get a great view out of the panoramic glass roof. To save weight you don’t get wind down rear windows, instead they pop out at the rear edge and only open an inch or two. While this may be annoying, it has allowed Citroen to create a cavity for additional elbow room and space for a 1.5 litre bottle of drink.
Saving weight is a theme that runs throughout the Cactus and while it has resulted in plenty of low rent plastic (including a very bendy rear panel under the tailgate) it has worked. Even top spec models come in at less than 1100kgs or lighter than a Ford Fiesta. That means engines don’t have to be big to get the job done keeping fuel consumption low. There’s a 1.6 litre diesel for maximum economy and a considerably cheaper normally aspirated 1.2 petrol in two power outputs.
More interesting is the turbocharged version of the petrol engine with a decent 110bhp. The three cylinder unit has bags of torque to give 0-60 in a zingy 9.3 seconds and makes an appealingly thrummy noise in the process. Throttle response is a little soft and it is easy to hit the rev limiter although overall it was a characterful little engine that gave around 44mpg over a week of mixed driving. Without trying too hard, I was able to get over 50mpg helped by a start & stop system for the engine.
Don’t be misled by the Cactus’ surprising turn of pace though, you wouldn’t call it a driver’s car. There is entertainment to be had in a roly poly kind of way and you can even feel the tail getting edgy like an 80’s or 90’s French hatchback. What you never get is any detailed feedback or sense that the suspension has been carefully set up. It’s softly sprung and softly damped but the big wheels rob the car of a properly plush ride. It is however more comfy than much of the competition though.
Overall there’s a lot to like about the Cactus range. All share the same distinctive styling, user friendly touchscreen and spacious interior while the turbocharged petrol engine is a good little motor. Complaints? Well the boot may be capacious but there’s an awkwardly high loading lip while it does feel a little cheap inside considering you can pay nearly £19k for one. To be fair though, even lower rung models have a fair amount of kit while you can save a few quid by not opting for the turbocharged motors. Citroen have a habit of heavily discounting cars too. If you’re in the market for a distinctive and roomy runaround then the Cactus should be on your list of cars to try.
PROS
Punchy engine
Distinctive looks
Roomy
CONS
Can get expensive
Cheap feeling plastics
Handling can get ragged
THE LOWDOWN
Car – Citroen C4 Cactus Flair PureTech 110 S&S
Price – £17,290 (£18,985 as tested)
Power – 110hp
0-60 – 9.3 seconds
Top Speed – 117 mph
Co2 – 107g/km
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Gay Rugby World Cup documentary SCRUM to open Iris 2015
Organisers of the Iris Prize Festival have confirmed that the Cardiff based LGBT film festival has adopted a rugby theme for their opening night to coincide with the Rugby World Cup. Supported by the Welsh Rugby Union, who allowed the festival team to film their cinema advert at the Millennium Stadium, the 2015 festival will open with the rugby documentary Scrum.