May 8, 2009
Mercedes E-Class Coupé 250 CDI BlueEfficiency review
Craig McAlpine
Mercedes knows that thanks to tighter emissions regulations and the increasing price of fuel, mpg is as important as bhp these days. So that’s why the new E-Class Coupé looks so sleek. It just so happens to be the most aerodynamic series production car on sale. The new diesel unit in the car I drove produced 500nm of torque from just 1600rpm, so this thing pulls like a train! Check out the full review here.
April 16, 2009
Aston Martin 4.7 V8 Vantage Roadster
Craig McAlpine
When Vantage owners told Aston Martin that their car needed more ‘oomph’ Aston listened. Say hello to the new 4.7-litre 420hp V8 Vantage. From the outside there was certainly nothing wrong with the V8 Vantage—it’s a stunning-looking car, no matter which angle you look at it. I reckon it looks even better than its big brother, the DB9, too. Check out the full review with tons of pics!
April 10, 2009
Baghdad Motor Racing On Video
Craig McAlpine
A BBC correspondent has discovered a new uprising in Baghdad near Jadriyah Lake in the south of the city, but this time it’s motor racing. Featured in the video are a couple of Pontiac Firebirds, a Chevy Camaro, Toyota Celica and an old BMW 5-series. They might not be the ultimate racing machines, but considering the situation over there it’s pretty awesome that they have started racing as a pastime. Check out the video!
April 9, 2009
Nissan GT-R Upgraded Hennessey Style
Craig McAlpine
Hennessey Performance has modified the Nissan GT-R to be even quicker than it already is. How fast? How about 0-60mph in 2.8 seconds without launch control!
April 1, 2009
VW To Sell Clothes Made From Golf GTI Tartan
Craig McAlpine
Volkswagen is planning to sell a range of clothes made out of the tartan fabric from the seats of the new Golf GTI MKVI. The material will also be offered in rolls so that fans will be able to use it to make kilts, caps and, well, anything they like from it.
Just to clarify this is not an April Fools! We found this out last week on the launch of the new Golf MKVI GTI, where one of the VW press guys said “We had lots of requests from enthusiasts for the trim out of the Golf GTI MKV but it wasn’t possible to offer it as an accessory. However, we are hoping to be able to with the new car. At the moment we are looking into the production process to see if it is possible to set up a system where we can get the fabric off the production line and sell it to the public.” I think this might just end up on the aftermarket scene with people trimming seats with the fabric–maybe you could upgrade an old GTI with the new tartan!
March 30, 2009
Time For A Swap: My Peugeot For The New Aston Martin Vantage 4.7 V8
Craig McAlpine
Owners of earlier-generation 4.3L V8 Vantage complained that it didn’t have enough grunt, so Aston made it a 4.7 and added a few tweaks. So I went up to Aston Martin to take one for a few days–and now, parked outside a stunning building in a sea of Aston development cars, is my Peugeot 306. The Vantage sounds awesome with a butterfly valve in the exhaust that engages at 4000 rpm. I’ll keep you posted on how I get on with the new Vantage, and if I actually give it back…
March 27, 2009
Spot the Difference: The VW X-Ray
Craig McAlpine
Some people have said about the new Golf 6 that it’s more like the Golf 5.5, due to the similar looks to the outgoing model. However, aside from the exterior cosmetic tweaks, the new Golf is actually hiding most of its changes under the skin. So what better way to check it out than to use this cool draggable X-Ray? We also did a comparative video review to highlight the changes with the new model. Enjoy!
February 23, 2009
Save Chrysler! Check Out Our New Game!
Craig McAlpine
We decided to make our new game topical for issue 13 and give you a chance to help Chrysler from going bankrupt. You get money from bailouts, movie deals, good reviews and twinning up with Fiat! Click here to play the game!
February 4, 2009
Aston Martin V12 Vantage: Exclusive gallery
Craig McAlpine
Last week I managed to get taken for a ride in this in the V12 Vantage, and although the video is not out yet I can share this awesome exclusive gallery of images taken by our photographer, along with all the details.
Hyundai i20 Video Review
Craig McAlpine
The i20 is the new supermini that has been designed to take on the likes of the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa and actually it sort of looks like a mash up between the two. The i20 I drove even came in a ‘lively’ green colour similar to that offered on the Ford Fiesta and Mazda 2.
The top spec Style version has alloys and optional half leather on the comfortable seats. The dash is well laid out and has a solid feel, apart from the bit you can plug your USB or iPOD into. It wobbles about like it’s not actually attached and as if it was added as an afterthought.
The 1.4-litre petrol is the most powerful version you can get, with 100hp, but it certainly isn’t fast. Hyundai, like most manufacturers at the moment is fighting to get higher mpg figures and this means the gearing is longer and you really have to drop through the gears to get any decent acceleration.
The steering gives you good feedback from the road, but feels artificially heavy at speed. If you try to thrash the i20 it really doesn’t like it – drive it hard and as you bang it into 2nd the steeringwheel wriggles with torque steer.
The i20 range starts at £8,645 and of course you get Hyundai’s five-year warranty. It’s not quite as fun to drive as the market leaders but many supermini drivers won’t really care or notice. With that warranty and reasonable price the i20 should do well for Hyundai.
