Kieron Fennelly puts the CX 30 through its paces – and describes its clever, innovative SkyActiv engine… Mazda is one of the smaller manufacturers, rather like Volvo. However, unlike the Swedish company which is part of the Chinese concern Geely, Mazda continues to plough an independent furrow. For many years, Ford was a major shareholder, but Dearborn gave up its 33% in 2010 when it also sold … [Read more...]
Features by Kieron Fennelly
Vauxhall Astra Mk 7 1.2 petrol – First Impressions
Kieron Fennelly drives, and gives his views on, the latest Astra, in 1.2 litre petrol form… In 2019 Vauxhall/Opel’s Astra celebrated its 40th birthday (and Kim adds that he was at the UK launch of the Opel version, at Donington Park in the autumn of 1979, and remembers just how much the attending motoring writers were impressed with the new model). Many readers might recall the original Mk 1 … [Read more...]
Ferdinand Piëch: 1937-2019
Ferdinand Piëch: 1937-2019. Kieron Fennelly looks back at an extraordinary and crucially important career in the motor industry… Ferdinand Piëch died suddenly on August 25th. Once the most powerful man in the auto industry, he was also instrumental in the early development of the Porsche 911 and on more than one occasion, its reprieve. From his earliest days where he worked with Hans Mezger … [Read more...]
Book review – Triumph Cars – The Complete Story (New Third Edition)
Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly Title: Triumph Cars – The Complete Story (New Third Edition) Author: Graham Robson/Richard M Langworth Published by: Veloce; Veloce.co.uk 256 pages; hardback Price: £40 UK; $65US ISBN: 978-1-787112-89-6 The Triumph story, as this book shows, goes back as far as the nineteenth century and bicycles, later succeeded by the motorcycles for which the … [Read more...]
Book review – MGB – The Illustrated History
MGB – The Illustrated History (4th edition). Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Authors: Jonanthan Wood/Lionel Burrell Published by: Veloce; veloce.co.uk 248 pages; hardback Price: £35 UK; $50 US ISBN: 978-1-787113-62-6 Over half a million MGBs were built during the model’s eighteen year life and the rorty MG remains one of the most popular and useable of classic cars. Veloce’s reprint … [Read more...]
Book review – Land Rover Design – 70 Years of Success
Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: Land Rover Design – 70 Years of Success Author: Nick Hull Published by: Veloce; veloce.co.uk 240 pages; hardback Price: £50 UK; $80 US ISBN: 978-1-845849-87-0 There are many technical and historical books about the ubiquitous Land Rover, but Nick Hull takes a different approach, celebrating its seventieth birthday by charting its styling … [Read more...]
Book Review – Schlumpf
Schlumpf – a new book reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: Schlumpf The intrigue behind the world’s most beautiful car collection Author: Arnoud & Ard op de Weegh Published by: Veloce Publishers www.veloce.co.uk 160 pages; hardback Price: £35 UK; $60 USA. ISBN: 978-1-787113-09-1 The authors, Dutch father and son enthusiasts, set out to correct versions of the so-called … [Read more...]
Book Review – The Perfect Car
The Perfect Car... Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: The Perfect Car (The Biography of John Barnard) Author: Nick Skeens Published by: Evro Publishing www.evropublishing.com 591 pages; hardback Price: £40 UK; $60 USA. ISBN: 978-1-910505-27-4 John Barnard’s remarkable design career encompassed two periods at McLaren, plus two stints at Ferrari as well as working for the Americans Parnelli … [Read more...]
Book Review – Derek Bell: All My Porsche Races
Book Review – Derek Bell: All My Porsche Races. Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: All My Porsche Races Author: Derek Bell and Richard Heseltine Published by: Porter Press International: https://porterpress.co.uk/ (...and signed by Derek Bell if purchased direct). 304 pages; hardback Price: £45.00 UK ISBN: 978-1-907085-65-9 Derek Bell’s long career divides into two parts: … [Read more...]
Book Review – Racing Colours (Motor racing compositions 1908-2009).
Book Review – Racing Colours (Motor racing compositions 1908-2009). Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: Racing Colours (Motor racing compositions 1908-2009). Author: Simon Owen Published by: Veloce Publishing Ltd; www.veloce.co.uk 188 pages; hardback Price: £14.99 UK; $24.95 USA. ISBN: 978-1-787111-94-3 Musician and artist, Simon Owen’s penchant for painting racing cars dates … [Read more...]
Book Review – The Good, the Mad and the Ugly
Book Review – The Good, the Mad and the Ugly. Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: The Good, the Mad and the Ugly Author: Peter Dron Published by: Veloce Publishing Ltd; www.veloce.co.uk 256 pages; hardback Price: £14.99 UK; $24.95 USA. ISBN: 978-1-787111-84-4 The author looks back over 40 years’ motoring journalism and reflects, hardly surprisingly that that fings ain’t what … [Read more...]
Audi Q2 1.0 TFSI – Road Test
Kieron Fennelly assesses Audi’s compact SUV, in three cylinder 1.0 litre form… It has become almost impossible to keep up with the range of Audis now available – the company currently offers no fewer than 53 models in Britain and says it will launch 21 new models in the next couple of years. A much faster rate, it claims that its rivals at Mercedes and BMW. It has also gone from 0.5% of the UK … [Read more...]
Subaru XV Lineartronic – First Impressions
Subaru XV Lineartronic – First Impressions As far as Europeans are concerned, Subaru, like Suzuki is one of the more esoteric Japanese car brands. If Suzuki is seen as a small car specialist, Subaru is associated with all wheel drive and a slightly more rugged nature. Twenty years ago the Subaru brand was synonymous with the rally-winning Impreza, a car which incidentally, went on to illustrious … [Read more...]
Book Review – Porsche Boxster and Cayman – The 987 Series 2004–13
Title: Porsche Boxster and Cayman – The 987 Series 2004–13 Author: Brian Long Published by: Veloce; www.veloce.co.uk 180 pages; hardback Price: UK £40.00; US $60 ISBN: 978-1-787110-81-6 Kieron Fennelly reviews a new title covering Porsche’s well-liked mid-engined modern classics… The appearance in 1976 of Paul Frère’s definitive 911 Story, now in its ninth edition, started an … [Read more...]
Book Review – Jaguar XJR-9: Owner’s Workshop Manual
Title: Jaguar XJR-9: Owner’s Workshop Manual Author: Michael Cotton Published by: Haynes Publishing; haynes.com 164 pages; hardback Price: £25.00 (but at the time of writing, currently on offer on the Haynes website at £18.75) ISBN: 987-1-785211-13-3 Kieron Fennelly delves into a volume covering the history and development of Jaguar’s iconic XJR-9, and the races in which it … [Read more...]
Book Review – The Volvo estate car: Design icon and faithful companion
Title: The Volvo estate car: Design icon and faithful companion Author: Ashley Hollebone Published by: Veloce Publishing; www.velocebooks.com 160 pages; hardback Price: £19.99 ISBN: 978-1-787110-75-5 Kieron Fennelly investigates a new book about the oh-so-solid and wonderfully spacious Volvo estate cars… To devote a book to a car that was neither a style icon nor had any sporting … [Read more...]
Book Review – Ford GT 40 – The Autobiography of 1075
Kieron Fennelly reviews a comprehensive and fascinating new book about Ford’s GT40 and in particular, the history of the famous No. 1075… Title: Ford GT 40 – The Autobiography of 1075 Author: Ray Hutton Published by: Porter Press International; www.porterpress.co.uk 320 pages; hardback Price: £60.00 ISBN: 978-1-907085-68-0 The sportscar racing of the mid-1960s remains enduringly … [Read more...]
Book Review – France: The Essential Guide for Car Enthusiasts
Planning a trip to France? If so, this book may enhance your visit... Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: France: The Essential guide for Car Enthusiasts Author: Julian Parish Published by: Veloce; www.veloce.co.uk 248 pages; soft covers Price: £14.99 UK/$24.95 ISBN: 978-1-787110-57-1 France: The Essential guide for Car Enthusiasts France, says Julian Parish, is the most … [Read more...]
Book Review: “BMC Competitions Department Secrets”
Kieron Fennelly reads the amazing story of what actually happened in BMC's Competitions Department in the 1950s and 60s, written by those who were there at the time... Authors: Marcus Chambers, Stuart Turner and Peter Browning Published by: Veloce: www.veloce.co.uk 640 pages (hardback) UK Price: £25.00 ($39.95 US) ISBN: 978-1-845849-94-8 This book is essentially a pictorial history of … [Read more...]
Book Review: “Stirling Moss: the Definitive Biography, Volume I 1929–1955”
Kieron Fennelly reviews Volume One of a huge, in-depth two part biography of Stirling Moss, written by Philip Porter... Author: Philip Porter (with forward by Murray Walker) Published by: Porter Press Ltd: www.porterpress.co.uk 640 pages (hardback) UK Price: £35.00 ISBN: 978-1-907085-33-8 Philip Porter has undertaken the daunting task of writing the ‘definitive’ biography of Stirling … [Read more...]
