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Remembering what the future used to be like

04/13/2011

Talk of CO2 emissions at just 80g/km and 83mpg on the combined cycle, would suggest I'd been driving the latest hi-tech economy model.

Other figures of note were 11 and 290,000: the former being the age of the car in years and the latter, its mileage.

The figures belong to a Honda Insight I drove recently – not to be confused with the Honda Insight five-door hatchback launched in 2009.

This is one of the original Insight coupés launched in 2000, and is being retained by Honda UK for promotional purposes to demonstrate the reliability and durability of hybrid technology.

I drove the car recently to remind me what the future used to be like.

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On Team Wales in the RAC Future Car Challenge

11/19/2010

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Earlier this month I represented Wales in a demonstration run of high-tech low- or zero-emission vehicles from Brighton to central London.

Toyota had organised a 'cup of nations' between journalists from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales driving Auris Hybrids.

It was part of the RAC Future Car Challenge, which included more than 60 vehicles using conventional internal combustion engines, hybrids, battery electric or hydrogen fuel cells, and it would have been good to find out which of these power sources had the lowest environmental impact.

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Putting cold weather tyres to the test

10/23/2010

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The first frosts of this winter experienced by many of us this month has perhaps done enough to remind us if the disruption caused by last winter’s snow.

Switching to cold weather tyres (merely calling them winter tyres doesn’t do justice to their breadth of ability) is high on the agenda of the tyre companies and fast-fit giants, even if it’s appearing much lower in the list of priorities of motorists.

I’ve decided to take the plunge on a car I’ve been running on long-term test since June for Fleet News, courtesy of ATS Euromaster.

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Paris Motor Show: three new saloons, one stands out

10/03/2010

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Three new upper-medium cars made their debuts at the Paris Motor Show.
Highest profile, it being in France, was the Peugeot 508.

Then, perhaps more important in terms of volume, was the so-called ‘new’ Volkswagen Passat.

Finally, but arguably the most impressive of the three, was the Kia Optima.

The Peugeot 508 was shown as a four-door and SW estate. Peugeot has said the 508 saloon will sell more units in China than saloon and SW combined in Europe

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Titanic Ghost of the past lives 100 years on

09/27/2010

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The change of registration letter means there will be more cars sold about now than at any other time of the year.

So often what make and model to choose exercises lots of thought and discussion. Two of the main attributes we look for are reliability and longevity.

These days with mechanical warranties of five and seven years becoming almost the norm and a dozen years anti-corrosion warranties not uncommon, any car we buy is likely to last long enough for us to at least save towards its replacement.

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Representing Wales at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

07/15/2010

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Some of us are car enthusiasts and some of us aren’t.

One of the United Kingdom’s top annual events for car enthusiasts – and has been since 1993 – is the Goodwood Festival of Speed, held in the grounds of Goodwood House, in West Sussex.

Many Welsh people make the pilgrimage, and in 2010 its status as one of the big events where the public can see cars for the first time generated renewed interest.

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Overcoming range anxiety, or how I learned to love the electric car

06/03/2010

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For the last few days I’ve been driving to and from the office in an electric car.

They’ve been in the news a lot recently, especially since Nissan announced prices in May of its Leaf electric car due on sale in 2011.

I’ve been driving the Mitsubishi i-MiEV – an electric car based on the Mitsubishi i city car.

It uses a 63bhp electric motor driving the rear wheels, and has a maximum torque output of 133lb-ft – perhaps similar to a small turbodiesel engine.

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Jaguar XJ makes wood 'cool' again

07/11/2009

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At some point during the 1990s, although I don’t exactly remember the precise moment, wood ceased to be fashionable as part of a car’s interior.

The premium German brands (BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi) were never very good at doing wood in a tasteful way back then, but perhaps it was their diversification into alternative finishes such as aluminium or lacquered carbon fibre that made wood seem firmly rooted in the 20th century.

Then perhaps Rover’s dogged persistence in having slices of tree adorning the dashboard and doors, when as a brand it was seen as past its sell-by date, that finally seemed to consign wood trim to the scrapyard.

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