Tom Scanlan reports... Fiat’s 500L Trekking is one of three bigger types of 500, alongside the 500L and the longer 500L MPW (Multi Purpose Wagon). The idea behind the Trekking is to hint at its potential to be a car that is ideal for the countryside, without compromising its performance in the city. It could perhaps be described as purposeful, rather than pretty like the 500. It has, … [Read more...]
Features by Tom Scanlan
Tom has been writing and broadcasting about cars since 1973, originally with the British Forces Broadcasting Service. More recently, for ten years he was the motoring writer for the Reading Evening Post. He now freelances and has contributed to a wide variety of magazines and newspapers. He is a member of The Guild of Motoring Writers and of the Southern Group of Motoring Writers. Tom, although from a family that didn’t own a car, fell in love with vintage cars and bought a 1931 Alvis 12/60 before he’d even passed his test. That was fifty years ago and, many classics later, he now runs an American 1960 V8 powered Ford Galaxie.
Audi A3 1.8 TFSI Saloon
by Tom Scanlan Audi’s A3 saloon was launched last Autumn in the UK, filling a gap in the company’s range. Thus, it’s their first compact saloon, rivalling BMW’s 120, Lexus IS and Mercedes-Benz CLA, for example. This car is lower, longer and wider than its A3 Sportback counterpart. Of the four engine varieties available, the 1.8-litre TFSI petrol engine offers the most power; its 180PS … [Read more...]
Volvo V40
Tom Scanlan selects three from Volvo’s V40 range Volvo’s record as leaders in the field of safety continues with its V40 cars. The V40 indicates how the Swedish company’s designs are heading, whilst continuing with ever-evolving technologies aimed at making driving safer not only for the driver and passengers, but for pedestrians as well...hence the airbag system that will cushion the impact … [Read more...]
Nissan Note
New Notes from Nissan Tom Scanlan compares two brand-new models... Nissan’s new Note is altogether more purposeful-looking and loaded with new features. Two engines are on offer: the 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol and 1.5-litre diesel. The diesel comes at a £2000 premium, so which do you go for? First of all work out how you’re going to use the car. Will it be mainly short trips, or will you be … [Read more...]
Audi Q3
Tom Scanlan tries a range of Audi’s popular Q3 SUV, including the very latest, and very fast, RS Q3 The two particular Q3 versions I tried made for an interesting comparison. The first was the more powerful of two 2.0-litre TDIs on sale, with a seven-speed auto gearbox as standard. The diesel engine has 177 PS and performs typically of such diesels; that’s to say, it’s pretty refined, smooth and … [Read more...]
Mazda6 Tourer
Tom Scanlan's 500 miles in Mazda's estate car impressed him... At £24,115, the test car – a 2.2D SE-L Nav 2WD – offered a lot of car for the money, not that nearly £25K isn’t a sizeable chunk in anyone’s book. Mazda’s ‘Skyactive’ technology, involving carefully designed engine mechanicals combined with digital technology and the use of light weight but super-strong construction, produces a … [Read more...]
Mercedes-Benz CLS 250 CDi Blue Efficiency Shooting Brake
The Shooting Brake – originally a car that carried shooting parties -– is Mercedes’ name for their eye-catchingly sleek CLS estate car. It’s expensive, but great to drive and impressively frugal. I drove the 250 CDI Blue Efficiency version almost 1500 miles. Quite a fair amount of this was on motorways in the UK, France and Belgium and along German Autobahns. That meant much time was spent at … [Read more...]
Audi RS4 Avant
by Tom Scanlan What is the point in a car like this, with a potential of 174 mph? I put that very question to the car’s design chief in Germany. His answer would never convince the green lobby, but he made the point at the end that, although this car would not save the world neither would it harm it. It is indeed a clever, if not superlative, piece of engineering. Under the bonnet is the … [Read more...]
Citroën DS5 Hybrid 200 DSport
Tom Scanlan tries Citroën’s range-topping diesel-electric executive express... In its white pearlescent paint, with polished metal blade-like embellishments, this big Citroën certainly cuts a dash. Then you get inside and it’s ‘Blimey! I need a Private Pilot’s Licence to operate this thing!’ There are so many controls, switches, knobs, levers and buttons around and above you that the proper … [Read more...]
The Most Expensive and the Cheapest VW Golfs!
Tom Scanlan tries Golf R Cabriolet 2.0 TSI and the Golf S 1.2 TSI 3-door... Golf R Cabriolet £38,770 for a Golf? Really! Alright, it is a cabriolet, it has a mighty 265 PS 2-litre TSI engine and all sorts of smart equipment – except electric seats. What’s it like then? Well, it sure goes, of course; it’s the fastest-ever production open Golf. The car has VW’s 6-speed DSG automatic … [Read more...]
Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX Manual
Honda has put on sale its latest 1.6-litre 120PS Diesel engine in the popular Civic range. As seems to be customary, the technology in this engine has been given a name: ‘Earth Dreams’. Broadly speaking, it hints at eco-friendliness, through efficiency in frugal fuel consumption and low emission pollution, but without reducing accelerative performance (0-62 mph in 10.5 seconds). The range … [Read more...]
MG6 DTi-Tech TSE
MG: Classic British name and design, Chinese company; MG6 appraisal by Tom Scanlan You don’t see many around, because there aren’t that many on the road, but are we missing a trick? The MG6 has been around a couple of years and the range includes a diesel. This could be the one to go for. Starting price for the diesel is £16,995. Look around at other cars of this price and you don’t always get … [Read more...]
BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo and Facelifted Z4 Roadster
BMW’s latest twin car launch introduces the 3-series Grand Turismo and face-lifted Z4 two-seater . By Tom Scanlan The 3 Series GT is all new and is both longer and taller than the saloon and the Touring estate. Cars given this body treatment may possibly end up looking a bit gawky, or, at least, unusual, like a coupe on steroids. BMW’s effort is a matter of personal taste, but the overall result … [Read more...]
Ford Kuga, Fiesta and B-Max
Three new Fords appraised by Tom Scanlan There may be a recession, but it doesn’t seem to stop the motor industry from churning out endless new models. Just look at Ford. In the last three months, they’ve given us the B-Max, the new Fiesta and now the Kuga. That’s a compact SUV, a small hatchback and a further 4-w-d SUV (SUVs have now taken over the traditional family car in terms of numbers … [Read more...]
Fiat Panda 4×4 and Trekking
Brief drives in two new compact Fiats... by Tom Scanlan To get straight to the point, what excellent little cars! The 4x4, while aimed primarily at anyone who wants a small car, will certainly suit anyone who also needs regularly to traverse difficult terrain. Panda’s Trekking is a 2-w-d car (front-wheel-drive) that has some of the body characteristics of the 4x4, but is not a regular … [Read more...]
Fancy a BMW?
Tom Scanlan dips into BMW’s current line-up and reckons there’s one for everyone... provided you’ve got at least £17,300. BMW’s cheapest car is the 114 (with a 1.6 engine) available from £17,300. Yes, you could go the HP or leasing route if funds are not readily at hand, but just over seventeen grand isn’t bad for a BMW. Oh, I forgot: I bet you couldn’t actually get one for so little. Why? The … [Read more...]