Test reviews
Driven! The all new BMW 5-Series
The all new 6th generation 5-Series is just slightly over two months old and I must say that it has a huge responsibility to carry. The previous 5-Series which is also known as the E60 did really well for BMW and became the most successful 5-Series to date. Although I feel that there is nothing to boast about the E60’s design, it did very well in the driving and comfort departments.
I feel that the exterior design is a little too different for a BMW. The cherry on the rather tasteless cake is the mundane interior. It is spacious enough but lacks appeal. It is definitely not something you can show off to your friends.
However this did not stop people from buying it. Now back to the all new 5 which drops the ‘E’ designation in its code name and is now called the F10 (which sounds a lot like the designations used to identify fighter jets).
We finally have the all-important test drive report to share with you as we flew all the way to Portugal to have a go in it. We also had the chance of driving the new premium mid-sized sedan at the Estoril Circuit. Continue reading to find out more! Read the rest of this entry.
Driven! Proton Exora 1.6 H-Line Automatic
The very, highly anticipated Proton Exora MPV was recently launched and thus far, it has taken the MPV market by storm, thanks to its attractive design, practical interior and most importantly, thanks to its extremely competitive price tag. The new 7-seater MPV is set to bring Malaysian auto maker Proton to a whole new level with this ground-up-new people mover. For now, there are two trim levels to choose from including the base M-Line as well as the top-of-line H-Line. It took 18 months for the auto maker to get the Exora on the road, and lets see how the Exora lives up to its high expectations.
Design.
The Proton Exora is a good looking MPV from what ever angle you look at it from, and Proton has done a pretty good job in this side of things, especially when the auto maker has to balance out high practicality and a competitive price point. At the front, its features a grille design that is inspired by the Proton Persona sedan and a V-shaped low slung hood with triangular-styled head lights. The lower bumper is flanked out with fog lamps, although this is only available on the range topping H-Line variant.
The side profile looks as good as the front, with a shoulder line that angles upwards towards the rear and a roof line that stabilizes towards the rear as well. Both the shoulder line and roof line help give the Exora a lowered look, which is something important, as the MPV would look taller otherwise. There is also a nice stroke along the door handles. More character is given with wheel arches that are slightly flared and character lines at the lower side of the car which are also consistent on the front and rear bumpers. The side mirrors also feature LED indicators and are also electrically operated. Continue reading for the rest of the report and to view an image gallery. We have also performed a fuel consumption test. Read the rest of this entry.
2009 Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer: Quick Drive in the U.K!
Our man in the UK managed to get behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer recently. Continue reading to check out his findings! The Editor.
It is said that there are six degrees of separation between everyone on this planet, and that hasn’t been as clear as when I test drove the new Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer. My connection was to the pint-sized host of a popular car show, that all of you will know. Vauxhall offers a few engine options for the Vauxhall Insignia, the most interesting would be the 2.0 CDTi ECOTEC diesel engine and next up on the list would be the range topping 2.8-liter V6 turbo which is good for 260PS.
The V6 wasn’t available for the day as I was told, that it had to be sent back to the shop for mending or something along those lines, but I later read an article by this same host (with a rodent-like nickname), reviewing the 2.8-liter V6 turbo, which by the way is the only one in the GM press fleet. There you go, my six degrees of separation. Interestingly enough, we the common people as he described us, got to test out the cars that were more relevant to the market which is the 2.0 CDTi ECOTEC, along with the 1.6 TURBO ECOTEC.
I guess its commendable of a company that is really focusing on restructuring their organization not to give into pressure by big (as big as they are in the UK) TV stars. While I write this, Vauxhall has also announced that they will be pulling out of the British Touring Car Championship in 2010, which doesn’t come as a surprise. As successful as Vauxhall is in the championship, the racing world is a black hole for cash thus it was another smart move, as did Honda, to concentrate on producing cars of the future. By now you could probably tell that I’m slightly in favor of that griffin-like animal holding of a flag that says V, (or an electric bolt going through a circle for our European readers), because they have been producing cars that have been decent looking and affordable for some time now. Continue reading for the rest of the report and to view an image gallery. Read the rest of this entry.
Driven! Honda City 1.5 LX Automatic
The new Honda City has helped raise the bar in the B-Segment vehicle class with its sheer good looks and a bag full of features, all packed in a rather affordable package. Honda has upped its ante with this new Honda City and we have recently got our hands on the LX version of this hot piece of cake. Lets find out how it lives up to our expectations.
Design.
The first thing you would look at when you lay your eyes on something, is the object’s exterior design. This is nature, for us, human beings, and Honda understands that, very, very well, which is why it has successfully come up with a design for the new City which has put its rivals to shame. It doesn’t matter from what angle you look at it, the new Honda City is a good looking compact sedan, giving us the ability to own a car that is good looking, without burning a hole in our wallets.
The new City looks much more premium and aggressive at the same time, compared to its very down to earth predecessor. Up front is the very distinctive futuristic grille design with head lights that feature hints of the equally gorgeous Kia Cerato Forte. Measuring 1715 mm wide, 4395 mm long, and 1470 mm high, with a wheel base of 2550 mm, the premium feeling of the new City is further enhanced thanks to large chrome handles that help give it a luxury mid-size sedan feel. The lower part of the side profile is also highlighted thanks a curvature that is coordinated with the lower front and rear bumpers.
Continue reading for the rest of the report and to view an image gallery. We have also performed our own “within the city” fuel consumption test. Read the rest of this entry.
Fiat 500: Quick Drive in the U.K!
UK correspondent Jacob had the chance to drive the new Fiat 500, hope this will will help you in the purchase of your next car. The Editor
I recently had the chance to test drive the Fiat 500 and was impressed by the package. The particular model in question was the 1.4 Lounge, which features a permanent glass roof that gives the small car an air of roominess. Once you’ve got your rear end comfortably placed on the 500’s cushion seats you’re then wrapped into a pseudo retro world of the 500. As you glare at the speedometer you try and wrap your head around what every single digit and alphabet symbolizes, while watching the speedometer light up. My hands are then wrapped around the very rustic leather of the steering wheel, giving the impression of taking the reins of a pony on speed.
The interior was very well designed, as the 1.4 lounge had the black cheqeured cloth and classic ivory dash. Which at first glance gives a marble-chess-piece-like feeling, and is even further apparent in the full ivory interior which is the most popular. All that’s left to do is to start engine and hear that engine whirl into life which calms down to a flat note. Funnily enough, the car was slightly jumpy at start but seemed to cool down after a quick burst of acceleration followed by a stop at the traffic lights.
With 90 miles on the clock I started to give the car its punishment, and with restrictions around me meant that I was allowed to do 40mph, I proceeded to do most of my driving in first and second but unfortunately the last time I glanced at the speedometer the maximum I was doing was 4000rpm, coming in at about 35 to 40mph in first gear. Very noticeable was the roar of the engine, as you would in any engine of this disposition, but it never felt strained at any time, like a mule born to take the beating of heavy loads.
Continue reading for the rest of the report and to view an image gallery. Read the rest of this entry.
Ford Focus RS: Quick Drive in the U.K!
Our man in the UK had a chance to test drive the Focus RS in and around Leeds recently, have a look to see what you think of the new RS. The Editor
The Ford Focus RS will go on sale in the UK in May which so far, has received 2000 + orders, is expected to produce just over 4000 units in their Saarloius factory in Germany. I had the opportunity to drive the RS and the first thing you will notice is the fact that it stands out. Yes, the only colours available with the RS are Performance Blue, Frozen White and Incredible Hulk green (official name electric green) which symbolizes the partnership between BP and the Focus’s rally efforts.
I slipped into the fully kitted out Focus RS (Luxury Pack 2) which includes keyless start, a digital central console which controls all the car’s non driving functions, auto dim rear-view mirrors and tyre deflection systems. It was an interesting moment in my life, as for once I actually took my time to savour the idiosyncrasies of the car before jumping in to start that 2.5-liter Duratec. Click goes the start button and boom! Now that was an orgasm.
Pulling out there was a sense of calm and refinement under the gurgling of the engine, as the car made no qualms getting into gear and snaking away. Steering controls were set at standard which gave it a good level of feedback you would expect from any road going car, through the console in between the rev and spedometer. This basically means that you let the techno-gadgetry of the car do all the corrections and cancellation. The sport mode steering felt heavy and connected directly to the front tyres very much like a Cooper S apart from the fact that its constantly turned on in the Mini. The other option was the standard which i would imagine is more suited for city driving.
Continue reading for the rest of the report and to view an image gallery. Read the rest of this entry.
Driven! Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 Luxury – with videos of the interior!
Jaguar has upped its game by launching the gorgeous looking XF to take on German’s finest, including the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes E-Class mid-sized premium sedans. With three models to choose from in Singapore, lets find out where does the sexy leaping cat nestle in comparison to Munich’s and Stuttgart’s representative.
As mentioned earlier, the Jaguar XF landed in Singapore with three models choices to choose from, including the Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 Luxury, the slightly up market Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 Premium Luxury and the range topping Jaguar XF SV8.
We recently got our hands on the base V6 Luxury variant, so please continue reading to check out the test review. Read the rest of this entry.
Driven! 2009 Porsche Boxster S with PDK in Sicily, Italy
German based sports car maker Porsche has officially unveiled the new, refreshed Porsche Boxster to the motoring press in a certain gorgeous island situated somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea and home to a number of beautiful Roman and Greek ruins such as the Roman amphitheatre and the Greek temple at Selinunte, and yes, I am talking about Sicily, Italy!
Just like its Porsche 911 big brother, the Boxster series, which includes the standard Boxster and more powerful Boxster S, has received a face lift on the outside, while under the hood, Stuttgart engineers have worked their magic by replacing both the 2.7 liter engine in the Boxster and the 3.4 power plant in Boxster S with revised motors.
Many other improvements were made on the new version including new transmission options, uprated suspension, mildly reworked interior and so on. I was given the opportunity to test drive the new Boxster S on breathtaking winding roads along vineyards and mountainous locations.
Continue reading to allow me to share the experience with you. Read the rest of this entry.
