Freelance motoring writer and member of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers with a love of cars, motorbikes and running.
I lied about the love of motorbikes. They scare me to death - although I would like to own a Ducati 996 in red which I would just look at but never ride. No, not ever.
SUZUKI hit on a winner when they buddied-up with Toyota to bring us the Swace – a practical, frugal hybrid Estate which is well-equipped and also benefits from being extremely easy to live with.
The fact that it is a re-badged Toyota Corolla Touring Sports matters not a jot. If it means savings are made that can be passed onto … Read the rest
IT was only last week that I was contemplating the merits of the traditional pick-up against a good-sized SUV and, as if to force the point, I was delivered a smart-looking Kia Sorento ‘Edition’ by the same chaps who took away the Ford Ranger Wildtrack.
Both had rather plush, leather upholstery (the cars, not the chaps), 4-wheel-drive, and plenty of … Read the rest
WHO says you need to be a farmer or construction worker to crave a pick-up truck? it seems we still have an appetite for the high-stance, flat load-bed 4×4 that is simply known as the “Pick-up”.
Granted, many would-be buyers have been lured away by the ever-expanding market in all-wheel-drive SUVs and is probably the reason why some manufacturers no … Read the rest
Now, I don’t know about you, but I see a heck of a lot of Ford Pumas on the roads these days – so there must be something about the Fiesta-platformed SUV that is floating a lot of boats.
I completely understand the appeal of the fiery ST model (Ford Puma ST Review) and I also enjoyed the … Read the rest
Kia Drive day, Thursday, October 12
THE Scottish Borders is a part of the country I have rarely visited, so it was a bonus that Kia had arranged a driving day based at the magnificent SCHLOSS Roxburghe Hotel and Golf Course in Kelso.
A chance to drive the latest models from South Korea’s finest manufacturer is not to be sniffed … Read the rest
AS first-world problems go, this has got to one of the better ones. A line-up of brand new cars and PR folk who are willing to allow – nay, positively encourage you, to drive them as you seem fit for as long as you like; so long as you don’t take all day and make the effort to bring the … Read the rest
PARENTS worried about their kids’ screentime this summer are being offered reassurance from two professional race drivers who’ve developed childhood skills from playing motorsports video games into successful careers.
Nissan Formula E Team race driver Sacha Fenestraz and sim driver Luca Ghiotto both say that time spent playing driving games when they were younger have helped them hone essential skills … Read the rest
NEVER one for simply following accepted convention, Mazda have introduced an all-new engine to their flagship CX-60 range – and it’s a diesel. A bold move indeed, considering how many manufacturers are gearing up for an ICE-free future (irony fully intended).
However, recent events point to a future that may see the Internal Combustion Engine survive (nay, even THRIVE) beyond … Read the rest
FOLLOWING the positive feedback on the one-off presented in summer 2022, MINI is going ahead with a small series of all-electric MINI Convertible (power consumption combined: 17.2 kWh/62 miles according to WLTP; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km, Energy Consumption – 3.6 miles/kWh), representing another big step in the direction of electric mobility.
“Three years ago, we launched the MINI … Read the rest
I MUST admit to feeling a little torn when it comes to Electric Vehicles. I love the way EVs drive but I hate the charging infrastructure in the UK, which is utterly shocking (pun intended).
And it’s not just the lack of forward-planning that tarnishes the EV-experience. Selfish individuals that park their diesel Audi A3 in the only charging bay … Read the rest
