Kieron Fennelly test drives Alfa’s Giulia saloon – practical but with a sporty heart beating beneath its suave exterior… One of the earliest and most revered names in the auto industry, Alfa Romeo was founded in 1910. Its halcyon days were the pre-and post-war periods when it dominated European motor racing. Aided by Italian styling houses, the company produced some of the most attractive cars of … [Read more...]
Alfa Romeo Giulia 2.0 Super – Road Test
Distinctively sleek styling, excellent performance and character in keeping with generations of Alfa Romeo classics, today’s Giulia provides all this and more… …Kim Henson test drives 2.0 litre petrol-powered Super version. (All words and photographs by Kim). Through the years Alfa Romeos have always been highly regarded for their high performance credentials and rewarding driving dynamics. … [Read more...]
Volvo S60 T8 Plug-in Hybrid saloon – Road Test
THE NEW VOLVO S60 T8 TWIN ENGINE PLUG-IN HYBRID SALOON… …tried and tested by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). The new Volvo S60 premium mid-sized saloon range was introduced in the Spring of this year and its arrival heralded two important moves. Firstly it is the first modern day Volvo car range not to include a diesel engine. Secondly it is the first model to be built in Volvo’s US … [Read more...]
Toyota Camry – Road Test
TOYOTA BRINGS THEIR CAMRY BACK TO THE UK AFTER 15 YEARS ABSENCE.. …here the latest model is assessed by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Increasing demand for hybrid vehicles has prompted Toyota to return the Camry mid-sized four-door saloon back into its UK line-up after an absence of 15 years. This is the all new eighth generation Camry. The original model went on sale first in … [Read more...]
Revised VW Passat – First Impressions
LATEST GENERATION VW PASSAT DEBUTS IN THE UK. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). From its launch in 1973 The Passat is now Volkswagen’s longest-lived name-plate after the Beetle went out of production this year. With over 30 million sold worldwide in 46 years, the Passat is the best-selling mid-size car in the world after eight versions have been launched. In the UK the Mark 8 models … [Read more...]
Latest BMW 3 Series – Road Test
ALL-NEW BMW 3 SERIES SALOON SETS THE STANDARD AGAIN… …says David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). The BMW 3 Series has been a two ‘marks’ model. Firstly it’s the ‘hallmark’ core model range in the extensive BMW model line-up. Secondly it’s the ‘benchmark’ model that other manufacturer’s models in the upper medium sized ranges of saloon and estates are compared to. The new BMW 3 Series Saloon … [Read more...]
Volvo S60 – Road Test
VOLVO S60 SPORTS SALOON CONTINUES THE BRAND’S NEW MODEL ONSLAUGHT… …says David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). In five years the Swedish Volvo premium brand has more or less completely transformed its range of vehicles from roomy but solidly built conservatively styled models appealing to older buyers to a dynamic range of SUVs, estates and saloons with much more kerb appeal, whilst retaining … [Read more...]
Alfa on the up
Turning the corner with Alfa Romeo… …Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency) reports. Car sales are a series of twists and turns but there are strong signs that Alfa Romeo has turned the corner this year. A recent independent survey of owners who have used their models for some time concluded that the sporting Italian brand was second only to Lexus in terms of overall satisfaction with … [Read more...]
Kia Optima saloon – Road Test
KIA Optima 1.6 CRDi 2 ISG Saloon… …put through its paces by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). From being an also-ran when launched in the UK in 1991, Kia has become a serious challenger to the best from Japan and mainland Europe and the latest Optima D-segment saloon is a good example of why their rivals should worry. Built for a target audience, and not necessarily down to a … [Read more...]
Lexus ES 300h – Road Test
FINALLY IN THE UK – THE EXECUTIVE CLASS LEXUS ES 300H SALOON… …Road-tested by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). The new seventh generation front wheel drive ES 300h self-charging petrol-electric hybrid D-segment executive class saloon is the first ES range ever to be sold in the UK and Western and Central Europe. It has replaced four generations of the GS rear wheel drive … [Read more...]
Brand new Toyota Corolla – First Impressions
GOODBYE TOYOTA AURIS – HELLO AGAIN TOYOTA COROLLA. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) explains and drives the new line-up… 14 years after the Toyota Auris name replaced the Corolla we see the return of the World’s best-selling car brand name – Corolla –å and it’s on sale in the UK from the new registration plate change month of March. The range is priced from £21,300 up to £30,340 with 21 … [Read more...]
Classy Mercedes-Benz C 200 – Road Test
Mercedes-Benz C 200 AMG Line 4MATIC Saloon Tried and Tested. By Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). You should rightly expect something special from the world’s oldest car-maker and you wouldn’t be disappointed with the Mercedes-Benz C-class range, particularly the highly popular C 200 4Matic AMG Line saloon automatic tested here. Almost 100 years after the company was created from the … [Read more...]
Honda Civic Saloon – Road Test
Honda adds another string to the Civic’s bow… … says David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). With no Estate version in the tenth generation Honda Civic range, until now only available in five door Hatchback form, now Honda has extended the Civic’s appeal by adding four door Saloon versions. Unlike the … [Read more...]
Low mileage 1968 Ford Anglia donated to the British Motor Museum
A fine example of an Anglia goes on show for the nation to see and enjoy... A rare, low mileage 1968 Ford Anglia 123E Super has been kindly donated to the British Motor Museum by Chris and Michael Gates. The car, which is in fantastic condition with only 32,000 miles on the clock, has been in their family since new and was originally owned by Chris's Grandmother. It is now located on the Museum’s … [Read more...]
Mazda6 2.5 GT Sport saloon – Road Test
Keith Ward test drives the latest Mazda6 saloon, in potent 2.5 litre Sport form… THIS has been a busy year for Mazda, with almost every model updated, including the respected Mazda6 looked at here. Priced from £23,195 to £33,585, the latest combined Saloon and Tourer 6 range runs to 25 models across four trim levels, in ascending order: SE-L Nav+, SE-L LUX Nav+, Sport Nav+ and GT Sport … [Read more...]
New Audi A6 – First Impressions
New Audi A6 Saloon and Avant estate tried and tested... By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Audi’s success has been built on the sum of its parts, whether that’s quattro technology, TT-style or out-and-out performance through the wheels of the R8, but it’s also been piling up sales with estates. In the UK last year the A6 range saw an approximate 55/45 split between Saloon and … [Read more...]
Audi A8 – Road Test
Audi A8’s autonomous driving technology – but it’s not faultless... ...says David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) The new range flagship Audi A8 luxury saloon, in standard or long wheelbase forms, arrived in the UK earlier this year and it’s the first car in the world to be built for the forthcoming age of autonomous driving, claims Audi. All that’s required is legislation changes to allow … [Read more...]
New Audi A8 – First Impressions
Here now but ahead of its time – the all-new Audi A8. By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The new fourth generation Audi A8 really is ahead of its time. Launching now, the flagship of the premium brand is the first car in the world to be built for the forthcoming age of autonomous vehicles which don’t require driver interaction in traffic at up to close to 40 mph, the so-called … [Read more...]
Latest Audi RS 3 saloon – Road Test
New Audi RS3 saloon road-tested – Slowly! By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). As I sat in yet another stationary long line of traffic I wondered just how useful or practical in modern day motoring conditions my new test drive 174 mph Audi RS 3 Saloon actually was. Official figures recently released by the Department of Transport show UK drivers faced on average a delay of 46 seconds … [Read more...]
Volvo S90 – Seasonal Road Test
Keith Ward gives his assessment of Volvo’s executive saloon… LIVING in the snow-prone Pennines and planning a winter weekend among the peaks of the Lake District, I was comforted by the 4WD capability of this version of the Volvo S90. It was also good to see it came with a £525 optional Winter Pack – electrically heated windscreen, heated steering wheel and washer nozzles, plus a headlight … [Read more...]
