Wacky Record Breakers – out in force at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. By Chris Adamson. Edd China, best known as the technical boffin half of television series Wheeler Dealers, returned to his roots, the world of weird car creations, when he helped to launch a new summer exhibition at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. Edd was on hand to meet fans at the New Forest attraction and to … [Read more...]
Features by Chris Adamson
Chris Adamson BA, 57, has been a journalist for 30 years, since 1989 he has been a full-time motoring correspondent writing for national and regional publications and websites. He is a former winner of the Jet Regional Motoring Journalist of the Year title and currently an executive committee member of The Guild of Motoring Writers. As well as a modern car, he also owns and regularly drives a 1952 MG YB 1.25 litre saloon, a 1972 MGB Roadster and a more recently acquired 1998 MGF.
MG XS – First Impressions
Motoring journalist and classic MG owner Chris Adamson has been taking a close look at the forthcoming MG XS – but sadly without the opportunity to drive it… (Words and photos by Chris) MG made its name worldwide with its range of practical and affordable two-seater sportscars so it’s somewhat frustrating for an MG enthusiast like myself to see the marque’s new Chinese owners developing a line … [Read more...]
Peugeot 3008 GT Line PureTech 130 Road Test
Chris Adamson gives his views on the European Car of the Year 2017, and assesses whether the car lives up to this accolade... (Words and Photos by Chris) ‘European Car of the Year 2017’ is a pretty tough title to live up to, but that’s the challenge facing the new Peugeot 3008, having beaten off some stiff opposition to claim the crown earlier this year. Visually it is hard to really … [Read more...]
Classic prices achieved at South Western Vehicle Auctions sale…
Some ‘modest’ classic commercials and cars, as well as more exclusively machinery, fetched far more than anticipated at the recent classic vehicle sale arranged by South Western Vehicle Auctions in Poole. Chris Adamson was there with his camera and notebook… (Words and photographs by Chris). A bid of £21,000 for a classic car is not normally the stuff of headlines – but it was at the recent … [Read more...]
BMW M240i Convertible Road Test
Looking ahead to sunny days in the New Year, Chris Adamson assesses a fast four seater drophead from BMW… Speeding to 60 miles an hour in just six seconds obviously isn’t quite enough for BMW’s compact 2 Series convertible – so for 2017 the boffins are throwing in another 95 horses and clipping the sprint time down to well under five seconds. Welcome to this year’s bright new young drop-top … [Read more...]
VW Passat GTE Hybrid Estate Road Test
Chris Adamson test drives Volkswagen’s spacious plug-in hybrid Passat estate... Volkswagen is fighting back from the emissions rigging scandal and the latest Passat shows that they are returning to their technological best with a stylish and hugely practical plug-in hybrid. First unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September 2014 – before all the ‘diesel-gate’ crisis – the Passat GTE Hybrid … [Read more...]
Peugeot Traveller Road Test
Chris Adamson test drives a Peugeot MPV bearing a name many will remember from the days of Morris… I am of an age where the name Traveller, in the automotive context, is one I automatically associate with those wood-clad wonders that were the stretched versions of the Morris Minor and Mini back when Britain was among the world’s leading car producers. So it is a bit of a throwback … [Read more...]
Going, Going… Sold! – South Western Vehicle Auctions Classic Sale, 28th October 2016.
Much Interest as Buyers Galore Flock to this October’s Quarterly SWVA Classic Car Sale… Chris Adamson reports for ‘Wheels-Alive’ (and didn’t come home with another classic…). MGs dominated at the recent South Western Vehicle Auctions quarterly classic car and motorcycle sale in Poole Dorset, with no les than 12 of the 75 lots carrying the Octagon badge. Pride of place went to an immaculate … [Read more...]
McLaren 650S Spider Road Test
‘If you want a convertible McLaren road car then there is only one option – the £220,000 650S Spider and Chris Adamson has had the privilege of driving one’. Words and all photos by Chris. The McLaren name will always be associated with motor racing, historically that has been through Formula One although, at the moment, the Woking team is struggling at the back of the grid. But the brand has … [Read more...]
Audi S1 2.0 TFSI quattro Road Test
A happy-smile-producing 'pocket rocket' from Audi, assessed by Chris Adamson. (All words and photos by Chris). The best things they say come in small packages and that is certainly my experience having been let loose in Audi’s baby pocket rocket, the latest S1 quattro. Earlier this year I was given the opportunity to blast around parts of Northamptonshire in a selection of high performance … [Read more...]
Audi SQ5 TDi Plus 3.0 quattro Tiptronic Road Test
Audi’s 'Go Faster' SQ5 reviewed by Chris Adamson. (All words and photos by Chris). For my money the Q5 model is the best off-roader that Audi has made so far, thanks to a combination of performance and functionality. This year, the flagship SQ5 version has been given an extra boost with the installation of a new 90 degree, 3 litre, bi-turbo V6 diesel heart that promises more power, more … [Read more...]
Toyota Mirai (Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car) Test-driven
Chris Adamson tests the 2016 World Green Car – the new hydrogen powered Toyota Mirai… (Words and photos by Chris). Dwindling and increasingly expensive reserves of petroleum products and increasing pollution of our planet from burning fossil fuels means that a cheaper, cleaner and more efficient way of using the earth’s resources is needed if we are to retain our access to personal transport… ie … [Read more...]
A Matter of Opinions… MG Owners Give Their Views of the New MG GS
MG owners tend to be very loyal to the marque, but what do they make of the company's new GS family sports utility vehicle (SUV), and in particular, would they buy one? Chris Adamson found out, when he showed the top-spec version to potential buyers who are already MG owners. Report and all photos by Chris. The new GS family car, MG’s brave debut entry into the highly competitive world of … [Read more...]
Citroën Berlingo Van Road Test
A Versatile Load Carrier from Citroën… Words and Photos by Chris Adamson. Napoleon Bonaparte reputedly described the English as a ‘nation of shopkeepers’ and in today’s modern economy it’s small businesses that keep the country working and, in turn, they need an efficient and practical form of transport to keep their company operating. One vehicle that is helping to do this, ironically, is … [Read more...]
SsangYong Tivoli XLV First Impressions
More space is provided by the latest version of the Tivoil from SsangYong… Words and all photos except the main heading shot (from SsangYong), by Chris Adamson. After successive offerings from SsangYong were roundly ridiculed for their styling and construction, the Korean car maker finally started to get things right last year when it unveiled the Tivoli, a good looking compact sports utility … [Read more...]
New MG GS First Impressions
An SUV from MG? Oh yes... and here it is. Words and photographs by Chris Adamson, who shares his thoughts after his first drive of the newcomer. Which car manufacturer would you associate with making a family-sized sports utility for under £15,000? – certainly not MG, yet that is exactly what we have with the new MG GS. On top of the bargain basement price you can add in a five year … [Read more...]
New Land Rover Evoque Convertible – a view from Chris Adamson
Impressions of the new Land Rover Evoque Convertible. Chris Adamson shares his thoughts, illustrated by some of his own photographs of the vehicle he used during his test drive... Britain’s unpredictable weather means that motorists on our island want to make the most of any day that brings clear blue skies – and it’s blue sky thinking that has created the new Land Rover Evoque … [Read more...]
Audi R8 Coupe V10 Plus First Impressions
Who says supercars have to be Italian? Certainly not Audi – who keep on improving their head-turning R8 Coupe. Author: Chris Adamson (who also photographed the blue car driven for this article). The second generation R8 is even more dynamic and go-getting than its predecessor, being faster, lighter and more responsive; it’s also laden to the rooftop with goodies. Visually the V10 example can … [Read more...]
Wheels-Alive News – New MG Sports Utility Revealed
Words and photos by Chris Adamson A new era for MG was unveiled in Battersea Park when the covers came off the marque’s first ever sports utility vehicle – the attractive and contemporary styled all-new GS. The brand’s forthcoming capacious flagship model was the star reveal during press preview day at the first modern day London Motor Show (for more from Chris about the Show, please click … [Read more...]
The (new) London Motor Show 2016
Report by Chris Adamson on the latest Motor Show to be held in our capital city... Battersea Park, bathed in spring sunshine, was the venue for the first all-new London Motor Show that showcased the best of British automotive design, engineering and pioneering work in road safety. HRH Prince Michael of Kent officially opened the event and took the opportunity to try out the Stop the Crash … [Read more...]
