Category: Lifestyle

CAR REVIEW | Fiat’s 500X For The Bigger City

CAR REVIEW | FIAT 500x

What Have We Got

Fiat’s big 500 crossover SUV has been with us now for over 5 years. 2019 saw some changes to the line-up along with some updates. The 4WD model is no longer offered and power comes from a choice of 3 and 4 cylinder petrol engines.

THEGAYUK was given the 1-litre turbocharged 120hp Firefly engine in the Cross Look for a week. A more urban looking 500X with the chunky looking bits of an SUV.

Driving

The first thing to strike you about the new engine is its brio of power. On paper, it doesn’t appear spritely. In use, it really is. Keep it boiling at 3000rpm and you’ll find it useful. This way it is always ready for action the moment the pedal is pushed down. Anything less and it’s all a bit lethargic with a touch of lag.

What helps making it go forward is the slick gear change. The clutch and gear action is a joy to slot around when you want to get a move on. And this is good. Recently we had the platform sharing Jeep Renegade in with a diesel engine. That didn’t encourage any form of enthusiasm. The Fiat set up high lights the joys of the chassis.

What it can’t do however is mask the ride quality. In the city, it is simply too hard. And this translates into a choppy ride. You can’t have it all though. At speed, it becomes taught and agile. That said, however, at night on the motorway, you can see the headlight beams jiggling around.

Inside

For a relatively cheap SUV, prices from £18,500, it’s well put together. The front door cards are nicely contoured and there is storage for bottles and the like in both front and rear. The rears are a bit different in that they are made from hard sturdy plastic whereas the fronts have a soft touch feel to them as is the norm for this segment.

It took me some time to find a suitable driving position. You certainly can’t say there isn’t enough adjustment for the seats and steering wheel. There is a position for all body shapes. What hampered this was the front seats lack of both under-thigh and bottom support. They were a little flat.

Living With It

There are a few things that catch you out about the 500X. Firstly is its size. It feels much bigger from behind the wheel. You do tend to be over-cautious when fighting for space in the urban jungle. In actuality, it isn’t as big as you think.

This is also true of the boot. It’s not class leading and not totally useless but if you want your 500 to be a lot more useable than the 3 door city slicker from Fiat, this is for you.

The verdict

I wanted to like the 500X. There is much to enjoy about the new engine and the way it drives. It’s light and buzzy without feeling that you want more. Using the 6-speed manual gearbox is a joy and all the controls feel right. It is that ride that I find so disagreeable.

You won’t drive it on every occasion with the spirit in which it can carry you. It’s illegal to travel at 70mph around town. So the rides sportier set up is somewhat pointless in this car.

Speaking of 70mph, it would seem the traffic sign recognition sees everything as a 70mph challenge.

There were too many times it would show the national speed limit on the dashboard for it to be a one off. Perhaps this Fiat could do with a little bit of Abarth magic. It certainly feels like it wants to.

Love

Nippy 3 cylinder engine

500 Looks

Light controls

Loathe

Choppy Ride

Slow to respond infotainment system.

Seats

The Lowdown

Car – Fiat 500x City Cross Firefly

Price – £22,100 (as tested)

MPG – 48.7 mpg (combined)

Power – 120hp @ 5750rpm

0-62mph – 10.9 seconds

Top Speed – 117 mph

Co2 – 133 (g/km)

(C) ALL PICTURES: Stuart Bird

1st October 2019
Isuzu D-Max XTR – an extreme lifestyle

Isuzu is the oldest Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer. They’ve been manufacturing vehicles since 1916.

In the UK they are known for their tough, hardworking, dependable commercial vehicles, predominantly pickups.

In recent years become more practical, more comfortable and nicer to drive. This was helped by the continually increasing company car users tax bills and the fact that a pickup is a commercial vehicle and as such, attracts a low, flat rate of tax for the user.

This has led to a whole new category being spawned; lifestyle.

A lifestyle pickup is a vehicle that is like a luxury 4×4 inside but has the practicality of a pickup. Just about every manufacturer has a toe in this water and has a lifestyle variant in their range.

Isuzu have a couple of contenders that fall into the lifestyle arena; the awesome D-Max AT35 Arctic truck and the D-Max Blade.

The AT35 is really the top of the tree, and too extreme for most, whilst the Blade is very nice, very well engineering with great driving manners and equipment if a bit subtle.

To capitalise on the lifestyle sector, Isuzu has created their secret weapon. It’s called the XTR.

This is a UK exclusive model and is aimed squarely at those customers who like to personalise and modify their trucks. Aftermarket modifications are a big thing with many customers opting for wide arches, sidesteps, suspension modifications and much more. As a result, there are now a plethora of companies that offer drive in, drive out services.

Think of Isuzu’s XTR as a factory modified truck. That means that all of the components used are certified, tested, safe and warrantied.

I was invited to test the XTR on the UK launch……and test it I did.

Our first leg was a 20-minute road drive to familiarise us with the truck. I’ve driven quite a few pickups and love them. Generally, they offer the road manners of a 4×4 but with the practicality of a pickup. Gone are the days of a harsh, utilitarian work tool.

We arrived at the first off-road section in the pouring rain. This was a wood somewhere in North Wales.

Now, I’ve done a bit of off-roading over the years but this was another level.

We were guided through a very serious and challenging off-road route that took the XTR to, and past, its limits.

Rain had pounded the track making it a treacherous and precarious route.

We experienced everything from inclined, hairpin turns that lifted wheels, to fallen trees and hidden tree stumps that threatened to break the axles. Deep mud and pools of water meant that grip was hard to find and the XTR slipped and slithered along the track, often in mud so deep it was resting on the sturdy side steps.

With patients, technique and guidance, we made it through, demonstrating very well how unbelievable this thing is off-road.

From the woods, we headed to an old quarry for a different kind of off-road experience.

This was an old slate quarry so slippery, and with a surface that moved and changed as you travel over it. Large rocks, small sharp shards of slate and everything in between. Here we traversed some very steep inclines and declines that really tested the hill descent, off-road traction control and low range gearbox to the limit.

Some of the drops were so sleep I had to brace myself against the windscreen while the rear axle went light.

I can honestly say the off-road capability of the D-Max XTR is incredible. It left me speechless (apart from several expletives I won’t mention here).

I mentioned before that Isuzu’s XTR is here to compete with the aftermarket custom builders. In this sector Image and customisation are key. Isuzu has met these objectives head-on with sophisticated and aggressive styling, Increased capability and bespoke specification. This is a factory custom pickup with handpicked custom and performance parts.

Externally there is an aggressive body kit consisting of a front bumper guard, bonnet protector, headlight surrounds and big wheel arch extensions.

A new rear bumper and light frames and raptor coated tailgate spoiler. Decals are optional but I like them and the bigger the better. There are also some cool, unique and durable new side steps.

Isuzu has carefully selected some very cool and serious upgrades for the XTR; Pedders lifted suspension and brakes with green springs and callipers, a new rear anti-roll bar and vented and slotted front brake discs with kevlar ceramic pads.

The longer suspension articulation means they had to design a new top wishbone to ensure the geometry worked.

It’s this kind of engineering that sets the XTR apart from aftermarket modified vehicles.

The suspension is set up with springs and shock absorbers tuned for a more comfortable and refined ride.

17” bespoke XTR alloy wheels wrapped in 32″ Pirelli Scorpion™ all-terrain plus tyres do a brilliant job on and off-road.

Inside there are leather and suede bespoke XTR heated seats, infotainment system and everything you would expect from a luxury SUV. It’s a lovely place to be.

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of a good pickup. I really like the way they drive, you feel safe and people give you room. You’re not constantly pressured and bullied by other road users.

The XTR is well equipped, incredibly capable, it looks fantastic and is well priced, starting at £33,999 CVOTR.

You can have a manual or auto. I prefer manual off-road but auto on the road.

Isuzu has created a secret weapon for sure here. It’s a serious piece of kit and I expect will sell very well. It deserves to.

25th September 2019
Energica EVA EsseEsse9 – The future is here

Old Empire Motorcycles was founded in 2010 through an absolute and enduring passion for everything two-wheeled. It’s one of the coolest and most respected custom motorcycle builders in the UK.

They create a handful of one-off custom bikes annually, some of the most beautiful and innovative custom motorcycles in the UK. So beautiful in fact, they have been exhibited at Harrods London and at the Saatchi Gallery and won numerous awards from titles such as; Silodrome, Pipeburn, MCN and Cafe Racer TV plus they won the coveted Malle Mile Best of show. They have even won a Salon Privé award.

A couple of years ago, Alec, the owner of Old Empire, embarked on a new venture, English Electric Motor Co or EEMC.

EEMC is now one of Europe’s premier electric motorcycle retailers, yes electric motorcycles. Electric motorcycle sales are going through the roof. By the end of the 1st quarter 2019, registrations of electric mopeds, motorcycles and quadricycles were up by 71% in Europe. Ok, so the number is still pretty small but growing very fast.

EEMC has jumped in with both feet and are taking the bull by the horns.

I received an invite to try some of their bikes recently so I thought I’d go and see what all the fuss was about.

They laid on a range of their electric motorcycles to try. I could go on all day about them all so, long story short, I’ll tell you about the top of the range, the Energica EVA EsseEsse9.

It’s a naked bike, I guess like an Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 factory or Yamaha MT-10 SP.

As you can see, there’s no fairing, and you sit fairly upright. It’s all pretty typical. It looks slightly unconventional, with a battery pack and motor where the engine would usually sit, but other than that, it’s pretty familiar stuff.

Energicas EVA EsseEsse9 makes 110 bhp which isn’t bad, however, it makes 180nm torque. An Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 factory, the benchmark naked bike, only makes 120nm torque.

Suspension is top of the line, quality stuff. Marzocchi 43 mm, fully adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping.

At the rear there’s a very nice Bitubo rear mono shock, also fully adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping. It’s a quality setup and does a brilliant job.

Brakes are very impressive. Brembo front and rear with awesome feel and very strong.

Front brakes are Brembo double floating 330mm discs with big 4 pistons radial callipers.

The rear brake is a single 240mm disc with 2 piston calliper.

Tyres are Pirelli Phantom which are a good all-rounder but I would consider something more performance-oriented personally. The front is pretty typical 120/70 ZR17 and the rear is 180/55 ZR17.

As is typical on top-end motorcycles, there are a host of electronics.

Switchable Bosch ABS is standard and there are 4 Riding Modes: Eco, Urban, Rain, Sport.

Energica, like some other electric motorcycles and cars, have regenerative braking. This generates electricity when you are on overrun or braking. It genuinely makes a difference too. I saw the battery % rise a couple of times! Regenerative braking is adjustable on this bike; 4 regenerative maps: Low, Medium, High, Off.

Advanced traction control has six levels of intervention so you can dial it right back if you’re brave. Cruise control is standard too and uses the electronic brake to maintain speed and increase braking energy.

A couple of the key differences between the Energica EVA EsseEsse9 on the competition are the oil cooled electric motor, meaning the motor temperature is controlled and there is less chance of thermal overload under heavy load. The controlled is water cooled for the same reason.

That’s all great but what’s it like to ride?

Honestly, it’s amazing.

The cycle parts are all excellent. Brakes, suspension and steering are all superb. This bike corners hard and stops very well.

When you first pull off it’s pretty odd. More or less silent apart from some electric motor whine which is more pronounced on the Energica than on some other electric motorcycles. It has a chain drive too rather than the belt drive on most competitor bikes. I certainly feel safer with a chain taking 190Nm torque.

There are no gears and no clutch so you just twist and go…..and it really goes.

Acceleration is breathtaking and relentless.

On the Energica EVA EsseEsse9, from the moment you twist the throttle, you have maximum torque. It’s the way electric motors deliver their power.

It means that every time you accelerate, you have an unrelenting, jaw-dropping acceleration. It just doesn’t stop.

Overtaking a car, for example, just wait for a gap, snap the throttle open and hold on’

A conventional bike would have to change down a gear or two which takes precious seconds. In no time, the Energica is just a dot on the horizon. It’s like you’re always in the right gear at the right revs.

It accelerates as hard at 80 mph as it does at 40 mph too. It’s like nothing you’ve ever ridden.

It is absolutely brilliant and completely addictive. Accelerating out of corners, away from lights, in fact anywhere, it’s outrageous. I doubt many conventional bikes could live with it.

The two main criticisms of electric motorcycles are usually the lack of noise, and range/charging Infrastructure.

Noise is a double-edged sword. Anti-noise pollution legislation is becoming increasingly stringent, but it’s not an issue on an electric motorcycle.

Riding through a local village, I was completely unheard and didn’t interrupt anyone’s day. The same goes for track days; no issues with noise pollution if you’re on an electric bike.

However, On a quiet country road, I passed some dog walkers and cyclists. Neither heard me coming until I was basically on them.

As for charging, the Energica with recharge from 0-85% in just 20 min with a level 3 34kW fast charger. Or you can charge 0-100% on a level 2 charger in 3.5hrs.

With a full charge, you can get around 70-120 miles, depending how you ride. Motorways on high load, higher speeds use more battery power and around town and on b road blasts, you get much more range.

What about the cost?

It’s not cheap. You need to factor in that this is a very well built motorcycle with top quality components. You also need to remember you have very low running costs as there are hardly any moving parts, but most significantly, you don’t have to buy petrol ever again.

The EsseEsse9 Standard is £20999 OTR* (*includes £1500 government subsidy)

The EsseEsse9 Special is £21999 OTR* (*includes £1500 government subsidy) English Electric Motor Co have a demonstrator EsseEsse9 Standard for sale at the moment with only 960 miles on it for just £18990 (0% finance available)

If this is the future then I can’t wait. It’s brilliant.

I would recommend anyone goes to their local dealer for a chat and a ride. In the UK give English Electric Motor Co a call. They’re awesome and really friendly.

English Electric Motor co

Twitter; https://twitter.com/EngElecMotCo

Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/englishelectricmotorco/

24th September 2019
CAR REVIEW | Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – Too good to be true?

★★★★★ | Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

With increasingly stringent legislation, manufacturers are being squeezed and challenged to meet changing goals for reduced emissions and an ever more environmentally friendly footprint.

By January 2018 there were more than 100,000 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV sales across Europe, making it the most popular plug-in vehicle. In fact, despite a growing number of competitors, it remains the best-selling plug-in vehicle – hybrid or electric – in the UK.

Which brings me to the next point.
For the layman, the hybrid sector is a little confusing. There are several different types. Self-charging, plugin, parallel, range-extended and more.

Mitsubishi have a very interesting way of delivering their Hybrid solution.

The Outlander PHEV has an electric motor for each axle. That means one motor powers the rear wheels, one powers the front wheels, so 4X4.

Electricity for these motors comes from either the battery, which ideally should be charged from the mains for maximum efficiency, or can be charged by the engine while you are driving (not very efficient though). When you are driving, if you use up all of the battery power, or you need more power than the battery can supply (say an overtake or spirited drive) the engine kicks in and generates more electricity. In extreme cases, if you accelerate hard or really labour the vehicle, the engine will also provide drive to the front wheels to assist the electric motors.

The petrol engine is a 2.4-litre petrol engine, which uses MIVEC variable valve timing system. It’s very quiet and smooth and is surprisingly efficient.

The battery capacity has been increased and is now 13.8kWh and in electric-only mode, the Outlander will now do 84mph on a private road.

Another interesting feature is that it has only one forward gear as it is essentially an electric drivetrain. This means progress is seamless and driving it is absolute simplicity.

In electric-only mode, in real-world driving conditions, the Outlander should do up to 28 miles on a charge. It doesn’t sound like much, but remember that this is a hybrid and this is more than enough for a lot of people’s daily commute.

The theory is, you charge up on cheap electricity overnight, drive to work, charge up at work, usually for free (if you need to) and drive home, all on electric only. On longer journies, you can travel without range anxiety as you have the security of the petrol engine to generate power.

It’s not uncommon for owners to go months without having to top up the petrol tank, as most of their journeys are fully electric, or mostly electric.

What’s the Mitsubishi Outlander like?
In brief, it’s a very well-engineered, well built, roomy and practical, luxury SUV.

The current model has had a host of improvements and additions, making it a beautiful car, very well appointed.

The updated Outlander benefits from new LED headlamps and all-new 18” alloy wheel design as well as super-All Wheel Control system with new SNOW and SPORT driving modes.

Higher body rigidity through the use of structural adhesive welding plus a quicker steering rack with SPORT mode remapping means improved handling and safety. There are larger front brake discs (vented) for improved feel and stopping power too.

As you would expect there are a full suite of advanced safety features and technologies, such as;

Five-star NCAP safety rating, Automatic headlamps, Rain-sensing wipers, Reversing camera,
Electronic handbrake with auto hold. There are also excellent LED headlights and daylight running lights with automatic high-beam, a very effective 360-degree camera with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning system with lane-change assist and even more.

With this level of electronic assistance, it would seem like the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV might be a bit cold and emotionless but actually, despite all of the electronics, it’s very easy to drive and feels very familiar. You don’t notice any intrusion and I found I felt instantly at home driving it.
The luxurious Interior was a very nice place to be with quality leather and high-grade plastic throughout.
Our test car had gunmetal grey leather seats with 8-way electric adjusted front driver’s seat and matching door upholstery and centre armrest, premium Alpine audio system with remote smartphone app compatibility (apple carplay and android auto), heated front and rear seats, power tailgate and heated steering wheel.

In summary, it’s hard to review the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV because there is so much to it.

This is not a straightforward luxury car review. The PHEV side of the vehicle is so clever and well-engineered and has some significant benefits over a conventional car or SUV. It’s not a one size fits all car. If you are a high mileage driver, this probably isn’t the best choice for you. However, in most other respects, the Outlander PHEV offers some great benefits. During our time with the car, we genuinely saw well over 200mpg averages. That’s not fake journalist talk either. The batteries were charged and we were driving the car as we normally would. Over a couple of days of running kids around, commuting to work and usual duties like shopping and so on, we regularly saw 200+mpg journeys. It really showed how effective this Outlander PHEV is if used correctly. Obviously, many journeys are completely petrol free.

I would strongly urge you to call into your local dealer and arrange a test drive. The staff will talk you through the technology and the Hybrid powertrain and I’m sure you will be very impressed.
Prices start at £36,755

24th September 2019
CAR REVIEW | Mercedes E220d convertible AMG line

★★★★★ | Mercedes E220d convertible AMG

Mercedes are masters at creating luxurious and stylish convertibles. They have a long and distinguished history of making beautiful and timeless convertible cars.

One of their latest is the E Class convertible. We were fortunate to have been given an E220d AMG line recently for a week of effortless and stylish cruising in the lap of luxury.

Mercedes currently offer 3 convertible models. The C class, E Class and S class. The E Class sits right in the middle with a starting price of £45,960.

Our test car was the E220 convertible diesel, which means it was powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine producing 194 hp and 400 Nm. 0-62 mph takes 7.7 seconds and the combined mpg is quoted as 57.7 mpg. I wouldn’t dispute this, it was great on fuel, particularly at motorway speeds. For the company car users, the E220d emits 126 g/km of CO2.

A modern Mercedes is a very nice place to be and with ours being the AMG line with a few of the optional packages ticked; Premium package, parking package, driving assistance package, night package.

It was very well equipped and particularly well appointed car.

Premium package includes; memory package (Memory package allows the driver’s seat, front passenger seat, steering column and exterior mirrors to all be electrically adjusted & stored), parking package (searches for a suitable parking space for you and then helps you with accurate parking) including 360° camera, comand online (media interface, widescreen 12.3-inch cockpit display and touchpad), multibeam led intelligent Light System (To ensure the best possible vision, the LED Intelligent Light System adapts automatically to the prevailing weather, light and driving conditions) and wireless charging.

We also had the benefit of the driving assistance package, including: active brake assist, active distance assist distronic, active speed limit assist, active lane keeping assist, evasive steering assist and pre-safe plus (initiates occupant protection measures if a rear-end collision is imminent).

Our car was the AMG line and in addition to the AMG bodystyling had the night package, which included: 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels painted high-gloss black with high sheen finish, diamond radiator grille with integral, Mercedes‑Benz star and a single louvre and some high-gloss black exterior highlights.

A really neat feature of the E220d Cabriolet AMG line is the way the multi-layer acoustic fabric roof can be folded down on the move. It can be operated at speeds up to 31 mph and opened or

closed in just 20 seconds. It’s great if you’re in traffic and the weather takes a turn for the worst.

Mercedes airscarf neck-level heating and aircap are standard on this car and another welcome feature for when the sun doesn’t have his hat on.

How does it drive?

There are a few engine options across the range; In the diesels the E220 that we had, had the 1,950cc, 4-cylinder diesel which produces 194hp/143kW. There’s also a 2,987cc, 6-cylinder diesel producing 340hp/250kW in the E400

In petrol form there’s a 1,991cc, 4-cylinder petrol engine producing 245hp/180kW in the E300 or 299hp/220kW with EQ Boost of 14hp/10kW in the E350, and a 2,996cc, 6-cylinder petrol producing 367hp/270kW in the E450. If this doesn’t quench your thirst for power, there’s a 2,999cc, 6-cylinder petrol, 435hp/320kW with EQ Boost of 22hp/16kW in the AMG E53 4MATIC+.

Our test car also had the the excellent 9G-TRONIC PLUS 9-speed automatic gearbox which was great, particularly when cruising and so smooth.

Mercedes make beautiful cars with stunning interiors and this is no exception. Our AMG line car had a black artico leather/dinamica microfibre upholstery and black open-pore ash wood trim on dashboard and centre console. Brushed aluminium highlights and accents such as the air vent nozzles, door handles and seat controls.

Ride and handling are superb as you would expect. The AMG line has AMG ride control sports suspension, based on air body control air suspension. The multi-chamber air suspension system with a sporty spring/damper set-up continuously adjusts damping to ensure excellent driving dynamics and a high level of ride comfort.

In combination with AMG dynamic select, three pre-set modes (Comfort, Sport and Sport+) are available to deliver a tailored driving experience.

In summary, the E220d convertible is a beautiful, stylish and very well engineered car. It’s great to drive, looks amazing and is a practical 4 seat car with the added bonus of being a stunning convertible when you want it to be.

Prices for the E class convertible start at £45,960.00

18th September 2019
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Rover 200

GBU Rover 200 R8

1989 – 1995

Back in the 1980s, I remember being confused about the Triumph Acclaim. It replaced the Dolomite that I really liked and in the line up was no sporty Sprint. I didn’t understand the Acclaim.

Via the pages of CAR magazine, I soon discovered it was a Honda and I didn’t like Honda taking over our British car industry. To a 6-year-old Stuart, British Leyland was ours. I must also add that I wasn’t aware back then of Red Robbo and the strife and struggle British Leyland were in at the time.

The Japanese stepped in and gave us their Honda Ballade. And what a turn around this car was. Imagine if you like, model makers Tamiya and Airfix making you model kit of the same car. The Airfix would be badly moulded with instructions devoid of any real detail. You couldn’t go wrong with the Tamiya kit. It was meticulous in its moulding and it was difficult to assemble it incorrectly. That was pretty much what Honda brought to BL at Cowley. Beautifully precision made parts.

Fast forward to 1989 and we end up with the Rover 200 (R8) and the K series engine in particular and yes dear reader, you know where this is going, so pop on the kettle, get that water HOT.

This then was an actual Rover that people wanted to buy. And that they did in their droves. Half of the sales went to UK buyers and we couldn’t get enough of the redesigned Honda Concerto. We designed a 3 door hatchback, coupe and estate. These were not available on the Concerto. This was our Rover and we, the British were once again proud.

The 3 R’s were all there. Reliability, Ride and Refinements were high on the agenda. The fit was like nothing before from Austin or Rover or whoever they were at the time. To be honest, in the years between the Acclaim and this R8 Rover, it felt like they had gone through more reinventions than Madonna or Madge X or like a Virgin up the duff, preaching about it to song and dance.

Now there was a snag. It just so happens that certain models with a certain engine weren’t as reliable as others in the range. Call it a historic flash back to the past. You see, BL had a tendency to make cars with engines that were known for head troubles.

Those with a Rover 214 or 216 were pretty much at the mercy of one day coming to their car and finding the bores full of water, which to be frank was the better option. The other was to have the car turn into a boiling kettle on the way to Cornwall for the yearly summer holiday. Stuck at the roadside turning into a game of wishing well all those with a K series fitted in their car as they went by.

The Rover 200. A Good car turned Bad by its heart.

16th September 2019
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Jidori, London

★★★★ | Jidori, London

£72 for 10 dishes, with one dish better than the next, with cocktails? Where does one find a restaurant like this? Japanese restaurant Jidori, that’s where.

Now with two branches, one in Covent Garden and one in Dalston, Jidori is a yakitori restaurant (skewered chicken) whose name is taken from a special breed of free-range chickens renowned for their flavour and freshness – and after having eaten there, I can attest that Jidori’s chicken is just simply flavourful and delicious. But Jidori is also more than just chicken, they have lots and lots of other incredible dishes, starting out with their House Pickles dish. How can pickles be so good and different? Well, Jidori’s comes beautifully presented and also includes mushrooms, cauliflower, white radish and carrots – a very good selection and a steal at only £5.

On our visit, I and my dining companion had bits and pieces from the varied menu, including the Karaage from the small plates menu. These were four nicely-sized chicken wings (more meat and less bone) which were deep-fried in sake and ginger, cooked with katsu bread crumbs, and were just absolutely sumptuous, with a mustard and mayo dip that only added to the flavour. These were absolutely delicious (£7). Another star dish that was so unlike anything I’ve ever had before (no chicken here!) was the Tuna Tostada. It consisted of tuna, avocado and jalapeño on top of a crispy fried rice shell, and where the tuna was not very tuna-tasting, but overall it was an amazing blend of food and flavour in a small package – highly recommended (£9). Dish number 4 was the Gyoza (prawn or vegetables) dumplings (£6), onions sprinkled on top, with a black vinegar dipping sauce. These were your standard run of the mill dumplings and the least overwhelming of the 8 dishes we tasted, a bit pricey at £9 but they were still very good.

From the Kushiyaki menu (poultry and non-poultry items, skewered and grilled) we had the Nasu – Miso glazed aubergines on a stick, with sesames and onions sprinkled on top, were gentle and good and a nice dish to have in between the chicken dishes (£4.5). Dish number 6 was the Tsukune (Yakitori) – minced chicken with egg yolk as a dipping sauce. The chicken here (two pieces – both on sticks) tasted like meat as it was in the shape of a sausage – very good and very different, and very hardy (£5.5). Also from the Yakitori menu, we had the Momo – 6 small chicken thighs – 3 on each stick – which were flame-grilled and had a distinctive flavour and were just absolutely juicy, moist and the miso and coriander added quite intensely to the flavour – these are highly recommended at a bargain price of £5.20. Dish 8 was a side of the Rice, egg yolk, sesame & nori.

Desserts were not to be missed! For something a bit different go for the Ginger ice cream with miso caramel and, to give it a twist, sweet potato crisps and sesame seeds on top – very yummy – and I was a bit jealous as my dining companion had ordered it :(. We didn’t try the Milk pudding, strawberries, shiso and cucumber granita but I had the Yuzi & lemon sorbet with unpasteurized sake – very refreshing on what was a very very hot day.

Also refreshing were the drinks. The Ginger Ninja was what was desperately needed on that hot day – it was a blend of gin, fresh ginger juice, yuzu and Asahi beer. Yellowish in colour, the mixture of the ginger juice and beer was just perfect (£7.5). My dining companion had the Umeshu Spritz. He likes wine so he enjoyed it which included Japanese plum wine, Aperol, gin, ume bitters and soda. For me, it had a strong wine taste but for him, it was just perfect (£6.50).

Also perfect is the restaurant itself and the waitstaff. As we didn’t know what to order as most of these dishes we had never heard of before, the waiter gave us his suggestions and we went with them, and we were glad we did! The restaurant is cosy in a Japanese sort of way with several rooms and floors (in Covent Garden) with plenty of space for singles, couples and larger parties, with a Karaoke room that is available to hire for groups of 8-12 where Jidori offers a tasting menu which covers a lot of the Jidori classic dishes, plus use of the room, powered by Lucky Voice (for 2.5 hours) all for £40 per person. On weekends they offer 2 sittings per evening of 6.30pm – 9pmAND 9.30pm – midnight. On weeknights, they offer one sitting per evening.

The Dalston branch has a bit of a different menu but no doubt the quality of the food, and the prices, are just as good as Covent Garden. Jidori is excellent value for the money, and where the food is different yet delicious.

https://www.jidori.co.uk

8th September 2019
RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Hayden, London

★★★★ | The Hayden, London

There are lots of pubs in London that serve food but only a small handful where the food is excellent. The Hayden is one of these.

The Hayden is serving classic pub and is well worth the trip to Westbourne Grove. Their menu is a superb take on many classics, but of higher quality.

The slow-cooked BBQ Ribs were perfect! 2×6 pork ribs (12 in total) where the meat literally was very easy to tear off from the bone with a fork (no need to get your fingers messy), was very succulent, tender, and came with sumptuous bourbon BBQ sauce (tasty and yummy), and were the best ribs I’ve had in years. The ribs came with a large bowl of skin-on fries and a small salad for a bargain £17. I have been craving ribs for a long time and these filled the bill! My dining companion had the Pan-Fried Sea Bass. They were two smallish chunks served over tomato & mascarpone sauce, with asparagus and saffron braised fennel, and for him, it was a nice summer dish – not too heavy and no bones which made it easy to eat (£17.50). A man at the table next to us had the mouth-watering looking Sirloin 8oz steak – it was nicely grilled and nicely sized – and he looked like he was enjoying it (£19.50)!

We actually started the meal with, I failed to mention, starters, and both were just perfect. The Original Popcorn Shrimp, well cooked and plentiful, served with sweet chilli sauce, is highly recommended (£9). Very tasty and very good quality. The Pulled Chicken quesadillas – four, nicely-sized, browned all over and not too cheesy (mature cheddar), with a few jalapeños (not spicy), and a side of guacamole was a large portion, (and cheaply priced at £7), and was also very very good.

At times cocktail menus at pubs all blend into one, however, The Hayden has a special cocktail that will satisfy your thirst and knock your socks off! You have to, have to, try the Chora (it’s NOT on the online menu but on the drinks menu at the pub). It’s a beautiful-looking vodka drink made with lime juice, egg whites, cinnamon & almond syrup (producing a luscious foam froth) with Skinis Mastiha Liqueur (white Greek spirit made from resin). The Chora was just divine. The little flower on top of the foam added to the beauty of the drink (it was almost, I say almost, too beautiful to drink). Very sweet, beautiful burst of colours, delicious, refreshing and superb to say the least (£10.50). I also had the Watermelon Refresher (£7.50) and it tasted more icy and watery then watermelony (is that even a word)? My companion had the Red Pinot Noir with his dinner, he said it was fine, and a small glass is nicely priced at £7.25).

Now on to the desserts. My companion is an expert at cheesecake – and he simply devoured his. It was light and lively and a nice size, served with raspberry jam (£5), while I had the Eton Mess which had chunks of strawberries and chunks of meringue. It was cream heavy which I find most desserts are (£6). I long for the days when I will see healthy desserts (fruit dish & sorbet anyone?). Desserts are always creamy, dairy, and very full of chocolate, but the desserts at The Hayden were again, very good.

The Hayden has a cool pub look; dark interiors, with plenty of tables, a nice size fireplace – and a private area if you have a semi-large party and want some privacy. The night we were there there were lots of customers with American accents – I guess being in the vicinity of Notting Hill it’s a bit of an American enclave. But the pub is not just for locals. It’s on a strip where there are lots of cheap dining options (Nando’s is next door, Tinseltown Diner a block away, and a Gourmet Burger Kitchen across the street). Just bypass these and go directly into The Hayden.

I guarantee you The Hayden will have better chicken (Half corn-fed Rotisserie Chicken @ £16.50), better burgers (various types at between £14.50 and £16.50, with skin on fries), and The Hayden will sure beat the diner food they serve down the road.

And if you go to The Hayden Mon-Wed, you get 30% off your food. Or there is a set menu Mon – Fri until 7 pm where you get 2 courses for £16.50. And there are 2-4-1 cocktails from 5-7 pm Mon-Wed and Thurs & Friday 12 noon to 7 pm.

There is plenty on the menu at The Hayden to keep wanting to go back for more. It’s a cool pub that’s also a perfect spot for drinks at the bar – but eating there is a must. With very staff, a trendy but not too trendy vibe, and great food and drinks – what more from a pub could you ask for?

https://www.haydennottinghill.com

30th August 2019
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Nissan Micra K11 1992 – 2002

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Nissan Micra K11 1992 – 2002

NISSAN UK

This second-generation Micra, for those in the UK at least, was a bit of a dullard. Thankfully the ’90s saw the rise of the grey import. Japanese spec’d cars with a host of goodies that were devoid from our options list. Thanks for nothing Nissan UK!

What came over was the camp as tits Figaro with an equally gay name. There was also the utilitarian styled Pao but these were based on Micra K10. So nothing really great was to come of the K11.

Or was it? Thankfully we have the Mitsuoka Viewt. A half-arsed attempt at making a Micra look like Morse’s Mk2 Jaguar. It was both awful and eye-catching at the same time. Sort of what BMC did to the Mini in making it the Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet but less successfully.

The 1.3 engine gave the Micra K11 a bit of a useful shove. The same could not be said for the 1 litre. It was typical in its behaviour of Nissan’s other NA engines of the time. Drive it like it’s a Sunday, don’t rev it. It didn’t make a rats arse of a difference if you did and if you did, it sounded as exciting as sticking your head under the water in a bath and farting.

The K11 Micra with 338 points, won “Car of the Year 1993”, beating its competitor, the Cinquecento by 34 points. Renault’s flop, the Safrane came third.

1993 was a quiet year for the motor industry.

It was a car that was devoid of emotion and that appealed to the new motoring masses made up of learner drivers. Driving schools couldn’t get enough of them and chances are, if you were born in the ’70s, you came of age learning to drive one.

In 1992 a school friend got one and her mother took great delight in telling me that “Sarah has a new Micra-dot” I had an old 1986 Citroen, it cost me nothing so fuck off Jenny! To be honest, I couldn’t have thought of anything worse than having a Micra back then. Even now, I shudder at the thought.

Micra K11 isn’t good, bad or ugly. It’s a nothing car. Now, in 2019, if it goes wrong, you thrown it away. Trouble is, they NEVER went wrong. Buy one and use it as a chicken shed. At least it’ll have a purposeful use.

27th August 2019
Motorcycle gear review

For my day to day riding, I’ve been wearing my old textile gear until recently. The old jacket and trousers have seen many, many miles in wind, rain and shine. To be honest, they were well past their best and not only did they leak, but I looked like a tramp in them.

The final straw was when the seam on the arse of the textile trousers split.

Design, trends and materials have moved on significantly since I bought my old gear.

Most of the motorcycles I ride these days are naked bikes and I’m not the same guy I was then. I’m older and carry a few more kg’s.

I don’t often ride for just pleasure these days either. I visit customers, so need to be reasonably presentable.

Boots: Tucano Urbano Marty Boots

This was easy. I saw a guy wearing some Tucano Urbano Marty Shoes while I was wearing my old, clumsy sports bike boots recently. Decision made.

These look a bit like leather Converse, casual but smart enough to wear to customers I know.

100% waterproof is a massive bonus and the ankle bone padding works well.
Overall the Marty shoes are great. They look really good, they’re waterproof, strong and well built.

They’re great to wear, not too heavy, although they are reinforced around the heel, ankle and across the front which adds some weight. Superb boots that I’ll wear until they fall off.

CE Certified model – category 2 compliant with EN13634:2017 directive. £129.99

Trousers: Richa Original Jeans

Generally, I’ve always worn textile trousers which are usually bulky and sweaty. Mine were well past their best and the protection wasn’t up to current standards either.
I’ve never tried motorcycle jeans so thought I’d try some Richa Original jeans in black.

These are obviously not waterproof but tick all the other boxes. I’ll probably get some new textile trousers at some point too.

Richa jeans are a mix of denim Cordura, cotton & polyester for the outer so are strong but soft, and have poly-cotton soft lining so are nice and warm too.

Safety stitching is standard everywhere and importantly, they have D3O knee & hip protection should the worst happen.

I actually found these came up a little small, so went for a size bigger than usual. They fit well, are really comfortable and I wish I bought some ages ago.

They’re perfect for day to day riding. I can visit customers as they’re black, and they look great on stuff I’m riding at the moment; Ducati Scrambler, Triumph Street scrambler and the like.

CE certified. £149.99

Jacket: Richa Infinity 2 Jacket

This was a big decision. I ride in all weathers and technology and materials have improved so much since I last bought a jacket.
I chose the Richa Infinity 2 Jacket.

Richa says it’s a four-season jacket and to support that claim, it comes with 2 zip outliners. One is a thermal, quilted liner and the other is a waterproof liner.

I took both out because I find the jacket is fine on its own for me. I have used the waterproof liner a couple of times, but haven’t needed the thermal liner yet. I’m sure I will though.

We’ve been fortunate enough to have had some lovely weather this year. When it’s been hot, the air vent system has been a huge benefit. You can unzip vents to let the airflow through. They are excellent, well placed and really make a difference.

It’s pretty waterproof too. It leaks after a while in continuous rain but it’s really not bad at all, and that’s what the waterproof liner is for.
It’s not a long jacket, it’s more of a hip-length jacket, kind of an in-between sports jacket and touring jacket. That really works for me and looks great.

The Infinity 2 jacket is a quality piece of clothing. Well made and comfortable, helped by the wide range of adjustability.

Armour and protection is a particularly strong point of this jacket. D30 armour sits in the shoulders, back and elbow, extending down your forearm.

As a jacket for all year use, it’s a great buy. Lots of pockets, very comfortable, great protection and it looks good too. £239.99

27th August 2019
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Bōkan, London

★★★★ | Bōkan, London

Three floors of great food, drinks, and a spectacular view is what Bōkan is all about.

Located across the water from the Heron Quays DLR stop in the Southwestern section of Canary Wharf, Bōkan is on top of the Novotel hotel building – it’s a bit hard to find and a bit in the middle of nowhere, but once you arrive you will be rewarded.

Bōkanis on the 37th, 38th and 39th floors of the hotel, and as you can imagine, the views facing west (and south and north) are simply stunning, with the Thames almost literally at the foot of the hotel, and the buildings of the Shard and the City, along with Tower Bridge, straight ahead, and the new high rises of Vauxhall in the distance. The views are superb in either cloudy or sunny weather, day or night. The early evening we were there it was still light on a cloudy day but as it got darker the clouds added a cool effect to the view.

Start your evening with a cocktail in the bar (38th floor). Their cocktail menu is limitless. We had two amazing drinks – the delicious Flying Dutchman (orange in colour, with unique ingredients including mandarin with ginger beer, and Peroni, with lime and corn wine topped with a cherry and a lemon skin twist), and the other was the Dark Whale – which was a notch better than the Dutchman and included rum, lime, mandarin, mint, ginger beer, and aromas of cinnamon, dark chocolate and unmistakable Angostura aromatic bitters for an explosion of flavours. Their cocktails are unique and tasty and very affordable in a bar that is laid back and not stuffy at all – very cool, just like the drinks!

We were given a filo pastry over a mix of beetroot and apple as a pre-meal treat – it was interesting and inventive and tangy. One starter was a chilled dish, light and fresh: steamed organic hen’s egg which was well complemented by fresh tomatoes and creamy goats cheese and perfect for a summer evening, and was a beautiful looking and very colourful dish, while the courgette cannelloni with a small slice of watermelon was adventurous and quite different, but the bisque foam sauce did not enhance the dish.

Dinner was a struggle to chose. Bōkan offers a sunset menu (£37) and an a la carte menu. We chose the Sunset menu (served before 6 pm every night) and we were glad we did as it’s excellent value with three courses. My main course of Osso Bucco (Short rib) was just perfect. Tender and succulent meat was accompanied with perfectly cooked mash and was topped with gorgeous baby carrots and strips of lemongrass. Every bite was mouthwatering. My dining companion had the Josper grilled cod with vegetables. The sugar snap peas contrasted perfectly with the saltiness of the samphire, all further enhanced by the rich butteriness of the hollandaise sauce. The dish was chunky, juicy and very flavoursome.

As one would expect desserts were fantastic. The creme brulee with fresh blackberries and ice cream was one of the best – a thin caramel shell to break over the creamy brulee filling combined with a fruity coulis and the burnt toffee flavour of the sugar shell made it special. Meanwhile, the Ivory chocolate mousse, crunchy coconut, pineapple & ginger compote with coconut sorbet was a perfect way to end a dinner – it was not heavy and the crunchiness was a nice change – and it was not that filing.

With Bōkan being an upscale modern European restaurant, the wines are très fabuleux! We were served the Asiato wine – Portuguese wine – which was a bit sweet but not too much – it went down very well and was a great accompaniment to our main courses. Other wines Bōkanserve include wines from every region imaginable – UK, Italy, New Zealand, Spain – the list goes on. The Graham’s port is a great way to end the meal – they have several so pick one – anyone!

After our dinner, we retired to the 39th floor which is the outdoor space, and the very top of the building. It’s nice and cosy and, as you can imagine, it’s all about the views. If you do nothing more when you go to Bōkan and just have a drink in the outdoor terrace then you’re missing out on a great experience of both the 37th and 38th floors.

Executive Chef Guillaume Gillan (protégé of the late Joël Robuchon) succeeds in bringing delicious dishes to Canary Wharf, with the added pleasures for cocktail lovers to enjoy the 38th-floor bar and 39th-floor rooftop terrace for a tranquil escape from the buzz of city life. Bōkan is a true experience in dining and drinking, with each floor a destination in itself. It is a place I want to experience again.

Bōkan
Floor 37-39, 40 Marsh Wall, London E14 9TP
T: 020 3530 0550E: hello@bokanlondon.co.uk

27th August 2019