Kim Henson briefly samples a variety of Kia models… (All words and photographs by Kim, with the exception of the front and rear images of the Stonic; these two courtesy of Kia). In recent years interest in Kia motor cars has steadily gained ground, as the company’s available range in the UK has increased in terms of model type and ‘desirability’. This, coupled with a standard seven year … [Read more...]
Features by Kim Henson
In life, sometimes there are things that you just have to do. In my case many of them relate to my twin loves of 1) motoring, and 2) using writing to convey to others (and share with) my fascination for the subject.
I have been passionate about cars for as long as I can remember, and have always had a thirst for knowledge concerning how and why they work, and how to keep them operating as they should. In addition, I’ve always enjoyed driving, and trying to fairly assess and compare the various good and bad points of different makes and models.
Taking your car abroad? Let there be light – but ensure that your headlamps are legal and don’t dazzle others…
Venturing overseas with your vehicle? If your headlamp beams are not properly converted for driving in other countries, this can have serious and expensive consequences… Kim Henson reports. As with so many things in automotive life, things have become more complex in terms of modern headlamp design and operation, compared with the units of a few years ago. In turn this impacts on what you can do … [Read more...]
New Suzuki Jimny – on its way
‘The one-and-only small, lightweight 4WD vehicle’, as Suzuki describes it, will soon be available here… Kim Henson reports. The first Jimny made its debut in April 1970, and has always been widely regarded as a compact yet competent showcase of Suzuki’s 4WD technology. For the last 48 years the model has been an authentic off-roader that is small and lightweight, but providing the on and … [Read more...]
Book Review – The Test (Testing Times).
An absorbing novel centred on motor sport in the 1970s – Reviewed by Kim Henson. Title: The Test (Testing Times) Author: Jeremy Walton Published by: Independently published 320 pages; paperback Price: £7.00 UK ISBN-10: 1976989779 ISBN-13: 9781976989773 How to Buy: Shop in Amazon UK-books-Jeremy Walton-The Test (Average customer review 4.5 out of 5 stars, eight customer … [Read more...]
Beaulieu’s 2018 Spring Autojumble warms up the season…
Beaulieu’s 2018 Spring Autojumble warms up the season… Kim Henson and Chris Adamson were at this year’s Beaulieu Spring Autojumble. (Photos by Kim, Chris, and courtesy National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, as individually credited). Although not quite as large as Beaulieu’s famous September Autojumble, the Spring event is loved by many enthusiasts who welcome the fact that the whole event can be … [Read more...]
Latest Suzuki Swift Sport – First Impressions
Kim Henson samples the new Swift Sport… Suzuki’s eagerly-awaited new lightweight sports supermini goes on sale on 1st June with big savings for U.K. buyers during the first month… (All words and photographs by Kim Henson). News: Suzuki sales increasing… Before talking about the latest Swift Sport, it is interesting to take a brief look at how Suzuki is doing in the UK. In fact the firm is … [Read more...]
Hydrogen powered Toyota Mirai saloon – Brief First Impressions
Kim Henson test drives the future… (All words and photos by Kim) ‘Bringing the future into the present’ is how Toyota headlines its revolutionary Mirai, the company’s hydrogen fuel cell vehicle – and the world’s first to be mass-produced – that represents the culmination of 22 years of research and development. Of course Toyota is already long-famous for its pioneering work with hybrid models … [Read more...]
Book Review – An Austin Anthology
A fascinating new book about Austins – with a different historical approach... Reviewed by Kim Henson. Title: An Austin Anthology Author: James ‘Jim’ Stringer Published by: Veloce Publishing Ltd; www.veloce.co.uk 112 pages; hardback Price: £14.99 UK; $25 USA. ISBN: 978-1-787111-91-2 All motor car manufacturers have interesting and often offbeat aspects to their history, many of … [Read more...]
Ferrari: Under the Skin – Enlightening exhibition now on in London
Kim Henson visits a unique exhibition of interest to anyone who likes motoring history in general, sports/racing cars and Ferrari in particular… (All words and photographs by Kim). For most motoring enthusiasts the Ferrari name conjours up thoughts and images relating to speed, style, technical prowess, motorsport success and a unique sporting character. Celebrating all of these aspects and … [Read more...]
60 Not Out!! ‘Car Mechanics’ magazine still helps motorists get the best from their vehicles… Special celebratory issue out on 15th March.
Kim Henson reports on one of the longest-running motoring magazines – going strong after 60 years, despite huge changes in car technologies and fashions. In the spring of 1958 a new motoring magazine caused something of a stir; the first issue of ‘Car Mechanics’ appeared, with the cover date April 1958. Like its long-established rival ‘Practical Motorist’, it aimed to help advise readers on how … [Read more...]
Kim’s Tips: Extreme Winter Motoring – Take care; don’t be a Chilly Billy…
Colder and colder… don’t get caught out… Kim Henson advises: Stay safe, keep mobile and warm, and look after your car. With temperatures already low and forecast to plummet still further, and with predicted heavy snowfalls across the U.K. this week featuring prominently in all the weather forecasts that I have seen/heard in the last few days and hours, now is the time to think seriously about … [Read more...]
Book Review – Reliant Three-Wheelers; The Complete Story
Reliant Three-Wheelers; The Complete Story. Reviewed by Kim Henson. Title: Reliant Three-Wheelers; The Complete Story Author: John Wilson-Hall Published by: Crowood; www.crowood.com 176 pages; hardback Price: RRP £25.00; Crowood website price £20.00; also available new on the internet for £10.00 or less. ISBN: 978-1-84797-806-6 Three wheels on your wagon? Three-wheeled vehicles … [Read more...]
Drivers put safety at risk (and burn more fuel) by ignoring their tyre pressures!
Michelin and Kwik Fit find that four out of 10 motorists are driving on “Dangerous” or “Very Dangerous” tyres… Almost 40 per cent of cars in the UK are running on at least one tyre that is “dangerously” or “very dangerously” underinflated. The figures come after Michelin and Kwik Fit inspected more than 500 vehicles in Tesco car parks around the UK. Michelin classifies tyres that are … [Read more...]
UK car hire company battles Amazon Rainforest deforestation – and its CEO wins an outstanding achievement award…
How a UK car hire company is fighting Amazon Rainforest deforestation – and its CEO wins a major outstanding achievement award… A leading low-emission vehicle rental company has made progress in its plans to help prevent deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest. The Amazon Rainforest supplies more than 20 per cent of the world’s oxygen. However, deforestation by commercial logging and … [Read more...]
Our Grumpy Old Mechanic underlines the benefits of regular maintenance…
Cam belt catastrophes and other (usually avoidable) horrors... Our Grumpy Mechanic says what he thinks about ignored maintenance. Every day I see the expensive results of vehicle maintenance being ignored. Notably these include engines that are clogged up internally because the oil and filter are not changed frequently enough, also written-off valves and cylinder heads because the cam (timing) … [Read more...]
‘Golden Oldies’; Retrospective Road Test No. 2 – 1991 Peugeot 205 1.1 Trio S.
Peugeot 205 – “le sacré numéro”… In the second of our new series on Wheels-Alive, Kim Henson test drives Peugeot’s 205, in this case a 1991 1.1 litre Trio S three door version. (All words and photographs by Kim). Note: "Wheels-Alive gives you more..." If you would like to turn back time 26 years (on a temporary basis!), at the end of this feature are direct 'interactive' links to enable you … [Read more...]
Cars in Films – A website that will help you search for your favourites!
Find your favourite cars/movies within a fascinating website (microsite) taking you to a wealth of motoring adventures from the big screen... Kim Henson is your guide... For motoring enthusiasts, there is always something special about the multitude of iconic cars used in films, and the scenes in which they appear. To cater for these, this 'Pop Culutre Cars' website (please click HERE) provides … [Read more...]
Kim’s Tips: Haven’t the foggiest? Take extra care if visibility is poor…
Driving in fog? It’s vital to see and be seen, and not to be mesmerised by the murk… advises Kim Henson. Driving in fog can be a frightening and potentially dangerous experience, but foggy weather is not unusual (in the UK at least), especially in winter, and it is worth taking extra care to try to ensure that you stay safe if you are obliged to drive in such conditions. These tips for … [Read more...]
Winter weather news: TAKE CARE OUT THERE; it’s more slippery than you think…
As freezing, snowy weather arrives with a vengeance, Bridgestone hopes flurry of winter driving messages will stick... With the temperatures plummeting across the UK in recent days and heavy snow falling in parts of the UK, Bridgestone is urging motorists to take some simple driving tips to stay as safe as possible. With a marked drop in temperatures now being felt, Bridgestone’s managing … [Read more...]
SERIOUS DANGER!!! Zafira rust nightmare revealed by our Grumpy Old Mechanic!
If you drive an older Zafira, you NEED to read this. Our Grumpy Old Mechanic reports... Our Grumpy Old Mechanic avoids sensationalism but feels it important to reveal a safety-critical problem of which most Zafira owners/operators are almost certainly unaware… Last week a very tidy-looking first generation (‘A’ Series) Vauxhall Zafira 2.0 DTi dating from late 2003 was brought in to our … [Read more...]
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