Maserati Levante GranLusso: grace and pace from a ‘real’ motor car

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By Nigel Wigmore

THERE is hope yet for those of us that appreciate what was once called a “real motor car”.
That might sound a bit sad to a new generation of drivers that know nothing but nippy hatchbacks and all-electric vehicles.
There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with all-electric vehicles. But EVs have some way to go before they prove to be a totally satisfactory mode of transport.
On the satisfaction level for matching comfort and power the Maserati Levante GranLusso scored highly.
Of course, the magic is already there in the name. Maserati has a kudos that no online accessed new car brand can hope to match. Continue reading →

Jaguar I-Pace: going electric in the greatest of style

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By Nigel Wigmore

If you are going to go electric — and indications are that many more motorists this year will buy an EV (electric vehicle) — then you might as well do it in style.
And probably one of the most luxurious electric cars available to buy today is the new Jaguar I-Pace.
Luxurious it certainly is, and therefore consummately comfortable, as the interior displays the expected hallmarks of any upmarket Jaguar Land Rover model.
The ride is not so much a rumble along with the familiar fuel-powered engine upfront as an electrically driven glide through the byways of Britain. Continue reading →

Toyota C-HR self-charging hybrid eclipses range anxiety

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By Nigel Wigmore

THIS week I have been driving a car that eclipsed the range anxiety associated with all-electric cars.
Range — how many miles an electric car can go before the battery runs out — has been improved on all- electric cars now coming on stream.
Carmakers had to do this to entice motorists to buy electric cars. We are told repeatedly that electric cars are the future.
However, for distance driving and what I would term “normal” driving habits, the Toyota C-HR self-charging hybrid at present seems a much better bet.

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Renault Clio: the ultimate stayer in the hugely competitive world of superminis

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By Nigel Wigmore

The Renault Clio has proved itself the ultimate stayer in the hugely competitive world of modern superminis.

The model of Clio I have been driving this week was aptly named the Iconic, for few cars attain the true status of iconic today.

But the antecedents are all there. The Clio has been with us forever, it seems. It was launched in 1990, and was in its fourth generation by 2012. Continue reading →

Škoda Kamiq: all the attributes of the smaller SUV but with power to match

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By Nigel Wigmore

As challenges to the British economy begin to bite, new car buyers might be setting their sights on smaller more compact models.

The SUV (sport utility vehicle) is an import from the United States but it has proved to be hugely popular in recent years in Britain and Europe.

Most carmakers now have a line-up of large, medium and small SUV models. Škoda, the Czech car manufacturer, is no exception with its range of SUVs. Continue reading →

Still a powertrain choice with Peugeot’s accomplished all-new 2008 SUV

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By Nigel Wigmore

WHILE carmakers pitch head-long into producing the all- electric vehicle as our collective car of choice for the future, you might be happy to know there is still an alternative.
Peugeot, for example, offers the all-new 2008 SUV (sports utility vehicle) I have been driving, with a choice of four PureTech petrol engines, an efficient BlueHDi diesel engine plus a fully electric powertrain version.
David Peel, managing director of Peugeot UK, explained: “The inclusion of an electric variant in our all-new 2008 SUV range marks a huge milestone in our electrification strategy.”
Peel said that the SUV market was “incredibly popular” and Peugeot, he said, had full confidence in the new 2008 range and the carmaker was “extremely excited to see driver’s reactions to all powertrain variants, especially the e-2008”. Continue reading →

Volvo’s hybrid engine plus gives great pulling power

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Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine Polestar Engineered

By Nigel Wigmore

A MYRIAD and sometimes mystifying choice of engines, body and interior specifica- tions is on offer to new car buyers today.
The emphasis now of course is on sales of all-electric cars. This has been given fresh impetus by the Green Alliance think tank’s suggestion that the 2040 ban on new diesel and petrol car sales be brought forward by a decade.
Meanwhile, back in the 2020 world of cars, this week I have been driving a Volvo XC60 SUV (sport utility vehicle) powered by one of a new mild-hybrid range of engines.
It has a diesel designated B5, combines an established 2.0-litre 235hp diesel engine with a 48-volt battery, a “kinetic energy recovery system” and an integrated starter generator. Volvo says the system improves fuel economy by up to 15 per cent in “real-world driving” terms and produces lower NOx emissions. Continue reading →

Singing and dancing Nissan Juke dazzles once more

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By Nigel Wigmore

THE pleasantly aesthetic design of the first generation Nissan Juke — launched in 2010 — gave the car its indi- viduality and flair.
There was something about this first Juke that reminded me of Ferrari’s famous prancing horse logo.
Apocryphal or not, Enzo Ferrari is supposed to have told Ferrari to put his son’s prancing horse on their cars’ logo to bring them good luck.
My take on the visual impact of the early Juke may be in the minority but Nissan cannot complain about its sales record.
This crossover SUV (sport utility vehicle) has sold well. In Japan at launch orders totalled 10,943 units in its first month, beating Nissan’s target of 1,300. European and US figures also exceeded expectations. The Juke made its debut at the 2010
Geneva Motor Show and was introduced in the United States at the 2010 New York International Auto Show.

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