BMW has big ideas for new Mini May 5, 2014 Richard Aucock discovers the sophisticated side of the Cooper S on a test drive around Mallorca MINI, that most celebrated of British icons, played a blinder when it launched the /new model earlier this year. It held the event on Puerto Rico, a tiny Caribbean island hardly famed for its amazing driving routes. It then [...]
Not convinced? May 5, 2014 CHECK OUT THESE ALTERNATIVES… AUDI A1 1.4 TFSI 140 S LINE PRICE: £18,760 0-62MPH: 7.9 secs TOP SPEED: 132mph CO2 G/KM: 109g/km MPG COMBINED: 60.1mpg THE VERDICT: DESIGN Three Stars PERFORMANCE Three Stars PRACTICALITY Three Stars VALUE FOR MONEY Two Stars RENAULTSPORT CLIO 200 TURBO PRICE: £18,995 0-62MPH: 6.7 secs TOP SPEED: 143mph CO2 G/KM: [...]
It’s loud and fast, but wide of the mark April 28, 2014 Peter Burgess failed to fall in love with the original F-Type – can the coupé version convince him otherwise? WE’VE HAD our issues, Jaguar and I, over the F-Type. Like the Emperor’s new clothes, all the press seemed bowled over, except for me. Sure, it’s mighty fast and incredibly sexy. But does it really need [...]
Not convinced? April 28, 2014 CHECK OUT THESE ALTERNATIVES… ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE COUPE SPORTSHIFT PRICE: £91,080 0-62MPH: 4.8 secs TOP SPEED: 180mph CO2 G/KM: 299g/km MPG COMBINED: 21.9mpg THE VERDICT: DESIGN Three Stars PERFORMANCE Four Stars PRACTICALITY Two Stars VALUE FOR MONEY Two Stars MASERATI GRAN TURISMO V8 SPORT PRICE: £90,390 0-62MPH: 4.9 secs TOP SPEED: 183mph CO2 G/KM: 354g/km MPG COMBINED: 18.6mpg [...]
A mean, green, plug-in machine April 22, 2014 The new Mitsubishi Outlander lasts and lasts – it might just be the SUV to clean up the City BATH is a beautiful spa town with World Heritage City status. But its traffic is terrible. If you thought the City was bad, try Bath at 8am on a weekday. It’s the perfect place to sit [...]
Not convinced? April 22, 2014 CHECK OUT THESE ALTERNATIVES… NISSAN LEAF PRICE: £21,490 (after grant) 0-62MPH: 11.5 secs TOP SPEED: 87mph CO2 G/KM: 0g/km MPG COMBINED: N/A THE VERDICT: DESIGN One Star PERFORMANCE Two Stars PRACTICALITY Two Stars VALUE FOR MONEY Two Stars TOYOTA PRIUS PLUG-IN PRICE: £28,395 (after grant) 0-62MPH: 11.3 secs TOP SPEED: 112mph CO2 G/KM: 49g/km MPG COMBINED: 134.5mpg THE VERDICT: [...]
A Great British beast of a sports car April 14, 2014 It may not be in the same league as the P1 but the 650S is the best consolation prize anyone could hope for THE McLaren P1 hyper-hybrid might just be the greatest car in the world right now. But it costs nearly a million quid, only 375 are being made and I haven’t been allowed [...]
Not convinced? April 14, 2014 CHECK OUT THESE ALTERNATIVES… FERRARI 458 SPECIALE PRICE: £208,000 0-62MPH: 3.0 secs TOP SPEED: 202+ mph CO2 G/KM: 275g/km MPG COMBINED: 23.9mpg THE VERDICT: DESIGN Four Stars PERFORMANCE Five Stars PRACTICALITY Two Stars VALUE FOR MONEY Three Stars LAMBORGHINI HURACAN PRICE: £200,000 (est) 0-62MPH: 3.2 secs TOP SPEED: 202mph CO2 G/KM: 290g/km MPG COMBINED: 22.3mpg THE VERDICT: DESIGN Three [...]
How to be the envy of the golf club April 7, 2014 The new Mercedes C-Class has finally emerged from the shadow of its big brother, the S-Class THE battle for golf club car park supremacy remains alive and well. And this year, to trump your fellow members, you’re going to have to get one of these: the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class. It’s that simple. Emerging from the [...]
10-Week fitness challenge the get-fit diary of an out of shape office worker April 7, 2014 Steve is undertaking a 10 week “total body transformation” programme with No.1 Fitness, which involves four sessions at the gym a week, a strictly controlled diet and absolutely no alcohol under any circumstances whatsoever (not even a little bit, just to take the edge off…). Here’s how it’s going: BEFORE I started I thought giving [...]