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A few years ago I tested BMW’s 555 horsepower X5 M and concluded that its ostentatious power and price was only for the super wealthy, utterly demented and rock stars. Sad but true, when nothing else matters and only the memory remains, you too may want to park such a car in your heated garage.
Whenever we learn of a new car, its brag sheet is usually a sea of improvements and additions over the outgoing model. In most cases, daring new shapes hide bigger dimensions and more powerful engines. Although peppered with improvements, the new Honda CR-V is no bigger or meaner than before.
Mercedes-Benz is straddling two chairs at the moment. One it refuses to relinquish possession of which serves conservative and mostly existing clients. The other is of the most stylish and daring variety to attract new customers with younger wallets to their showroom.
Alles verander, elke dag. Oor dekades heen word die verandering soms dramaties en amper onherkenbaar, dit woel en werskaf en niks bly dieselfde nie. Wat wel behoue gebly het is simbole en handelsmerke waarmee ‘n mens groot geword het en goed vertroud geraak het.
If my television is anything to go by, American vocabulary has decreased to just two overused phrases; “Ermegherd” and “ahhsum”. While the first one is slightly blasphemous, I’d be happy to use the second to describe this week’s test car: Chrysler’s new 300C.
The Honda CR-V enjoys quite a strong following in our neck of the woods, primarily due to its versatility, comfort, quality and incredible reliability. As the fourth generation ties its laces in the starting block, you may even find first or second generation cars still motoring around your neighbourhood.
Mercedes-Benz is one of the most innovative automotive brands on the planet, never mind the oldest, so it’s rather surprising that they have a monster lurking in their pricelist. A rugged, uncompromising, almost backwards machine called (insert sounds of thunder) Der Geländewagen.
Yesterday while cruising through some bustling and café-laden side streets, I realised that my current test vehicle must nudge the upper limits of cool and trendy. Some may disagree but I’ve experienced plenty of rubber-necking and made two new friends thanks to the Volvo V40.
Whether you subscribe to the idea of global warming or not, dwindling resources and exploding populations don’t exactly make for a rosy car future. So, irrespective of your (or my) views, the increased pace in automotive development is most welcome as it gives us cars like the Mercedes-Benz ML250 BlueTEC.
I’ve bought quite a few cars over the years and my shortlists usually included some or other derivative of a car which I believe to be a sensible and beautifully engineered hatchback. It’s never been the most affordable and I’m yet to own one so my admiration of the Audi A3 lives on.