Author: Dan (Page 1 of 2)

This is a car that took the supercar rule book, and tore it in half!

You see, before the NSX hit the streets, supercars were difficult to control, with recalcitrant gearboxes, awkward driving positions and intractable powertrains. Take the Lamborghini Countach, for example. It’s difficult to get in and out of, rear visibility is almost non-existent, and whether you’re pushing on or just pootling around, it’s generally a handful to tame.

I’ve been extremely quiet on the blog front recently. Not a bad thing, except for watching my website analytics steadily fall through the floor.

However, just because I haven’t been rambling about cars in the last few weeks doesn’t mean I’ve been in hibernation. Quite the opposite really. Those of you who follow my Instagram would have noticed I’ve been across the pond in the land of the free. America.

Forgive me, because this writeup isn’t only about the banana-looking Renault 5 EV beaming proudly on your screen. It’s ended up being a review of where we are with electric cars as a whole right now, and it revolves around the theme of personality.

Personality is one of those things that’s easy to notice when it’s loud, but strangely hard to define. It’s not about being quirky or different, it’s about leaving an impression, for better or worse. It’s the reason we remember certain people, places, objects, or even cars for that matter, while others blur into a forgettable grey.

Let me ask you this: if you could only have a two-car garage, what two cars would you have in it? Before anyone throws out something wild like pairing an SVJ with an 812 Superfast, let’s think about this logically. An ideal two-car garage should strike a perfect balance between practicality and passion. It should include one versatile daily driver and maybe a weekend fling. I think I’ve found the ideal solution, lying right in front of me.

Ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have taken to a different kind of track.

Set at a secret off-road filming location for INEOS Automotive, a subsidiary of INEOS Group and proud partners of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team since 2020, Russell and Antonelli are initially seen finishing their lines to camera, following the director’s instructions.

That is, until they sit down for a break…

What do you think of when I say the word “4×4?” I think this designation has become slightly diluted over recent years, expanded to include anything with a slightly raised driving position and ground clearance just big enough to conquer one of those cushion speed bumps.

And where do you find these so-called off-roaders? Probably steamrolling down a countryside lane, or parked outside a school at pickup time, ready to collect their one child and head home via the busiest and narrowest street in town.

Come 2008, Mercedes were in a period of transition. They’d just canned their troubled DaimlerChrysler era (1998–2007) and were now focused on rebuilding independence and restoring their reputation for quality. The ‘soft luxury’ vibe of the ’90s and early 2000s was out and replaced by a sharper focus on performance, modern design, and younger buyers.

Ah, the humble Land Rover Defender. Never before has a car existed with such a strong, clear purpose, yet such a conflicted and confused identity in the eyes of others.

Everyone has their own opinions about the plucky Defender. Forum dwellers believe they are the salt-of-the-earth, a no-nonsense staple of British farming life. Others believe they’re lifestyle accessories, used for hopping curbs in the city or taking the kids to school. Collecting Cars bidders believe they’re the next 250 GTO, and actual farmers seem to prefer the Toyota Hilux.

It’s not every day you get to visit a rockstar’s home, especially one belonging to Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason. Yet here I am, standing in a makeshift car park in a field in front of his leafy Cotswold abode. Amid all the rare metal on display, it was this 1973 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super that caught my eye.

You see, I’m very lucky that with this so-called ‘job’ I get to see a lot of cars, and I think that’s shifted my perspective slightly on what I find interesting in a car. A younger version of me would have gone head over heels for a Lamborghini. These days, it’s the unique, characterful cars with a story to tell that really tickle my palate.

Is it just me who thinks Bentley is one of the only OEMs whose design language has improved year on year? This is the new Bentley Continental GT, and it frankly looks fantastic.

It looks so much more aggressive than its predecessor. Gone is the quartet of headlights, replaced, for the first time since the 1950s, by a twin headlamp setup featuring ‘eyebrow’ running lights. This isn’t just highly distinctive; in my opinion, it also makes the car look wider and gives it real road presence. However, you’re still not beating the bug allegations.