Kia first brought the Sorento to Europe in 2002 as a mid/large sized 4x4. Revised in 2007 it had a separate chassis, beam rear axle and high/low ratios via transfer box.
Sorento II in 2009 (now a joint project with Hyundai’s Santa Fe) traded separate chassis and transfer box for front wheel drive with rear axle ‘kick-in’ if slip detected. Variable up to 60-40 front-rear, drive can be locked 50-50 (to 25 mph) if needs be. This and Hill Descent control meant a decent degree of ability off-road was retained.
Unitary bodywork with independent rear suspension brought improved steering, cornering and ride quality – it was lighter too benefitting fuel consumption and emissions. Sorento II also came with Kia’s 7-year/100,000-mile warranty.
Sorento II in 2009 (now a joint project with Hyundai’s Santa Fe) traded separate chassis and transfer box for front wheel drive with rear axle ‘kick-in’ if slip detected. Variable up to 60-40 front-rear, drive can be locked 50-50 (to 25 mph) if needs be. This and Hill Descent control meant a decent degree of ability off-road was retained.
Unitary bodywork with independent rear suspension brought improved steering, cornering and ride quality – it was lighter too benefitting fuel consumption and emissions. Sorento II also came with Kia’s 7-year/100,000-mile warranty.
cVille de Chartres – Guillermo Osorio.jpg
Chartres – The Chartres 1254 festival in May sees the whole place in mediæval guise, people dress up, and a marche artisanal recreated selling food, drink and other local produce. Period military hardware (siege machines, etc.) and aspects of soldiering are on show and there’s also a fair featuring games and competitions.
This is where Louis IX of France (1214-1270) and Henry III of England (1207-1272) met in 1254 to bring decades of hostilities to an end - it’s re-enacted. Although Louis had won on the battlefield things went well leading to a Peace Treaty in 1259.
Henry’s father, King John (1166-1216), managed to lose Normandy, Brittany, Maine and Anjou to the French leaving only Gascony and Poitou under English rule. Henry’s two attempts to recover the territories failed. He had to deal with a revolt in Gascony and a domestic situation where the barons, as in John’s reign, were on the point of rebellion. Peace with France made sense.
This summit was arranged by the two kings’ wives: Eleanor (Henry) and Margaret (Louis) - both sisters of the House of Provence. Henry’s older half-sister Siwan (1191-1237), ‘Lady Joan of Wales’ was the wife of Llywelyn Fawr (the Great; 1173-1240). She too was politically astute preventing a number of disputes from igniting war between Wales and England. Not the image of a “woman’s place” at the time.
Siwan’s great grandson, Owain Lawgoch (Yvain de Galles, 1330-1378), last of the Gwynedd royal princes, died in the service of Charles V of France (1338-1380) – his remarkable military career in exile was covered in last year’s trip.
By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the Farmers' Union of Wales
This is where Louis IX of France (1214-1270) and Henry III of England (1207-1272) met in 1254 to bring decades of hostilities to an end - it’s re-enacted. Although Louis had won on the battlefield things went well leading to a Peace Treaty in 1259.
Henry’s father, King John (1166-1216), managed to lose Normandy, Brittany, Maine and Anjou to the French leaving only Gascony and Poitou under English rule. Henry’s two attempts to recover the territories failed. He had to deal with a revolt in Gascony and a domestic situation where the barons, as in John’s reign, were on the point of rebellion. Peace with France made sense.
This summit was arranged by the two kings’ wives: Eleanor (Henry) and Margaret (Louis) - both sisters of the House of Provence. Henry’s older half-sister Siwan (1191-1237), ‘Lady Joan of Wales’ was the wife of Llywelyn Fawr (the Great; 1173-1240). She too was politically astute preventing a number of disputes from igniting war between Wales and England. Not the image of a “woman’s place” at the time.
Siwan’s great grandson, Owain Lawgoch (Yvain de Galles, 1330-1378), last of the Gwynedd royal princes, died in the service of Charles V of France (1338-1380) – his remarkable military career in exile was covered in last year’s trip.
By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the Farmers' Union of Wales
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