THE last time I had a ride in an Audi S1, rally legend Hannu Mikkola was in the drivers seat (no, honestly, he was) and he was holding the drivers door shut while changing gear, steering, and hooning round Goodwood race track for all he was worth.

Thankfully Audis flex significantly less these days so you and I needn’t worry about bits opening when they shouldn’t.  The latest S1 is therefore a worthy successor to that short wheelbase S1 quattro from the 1980s that Mr Mikkola and I found ourselves in that day.

Continue reading →

IT might not have had a rear wiper when it first went on sale, but it wasn’t long before the new Hyundai i10 was wiping the floor with some of its serious opposition.

Now there’s Son of i10, and it’s an even better proposition for anyone looking for a small, tidy, well equipped family car.

Continue reading →

COULD any self-respecting non-Arsenal footy fan ever consider buying a car called the Venga?

Actually, there are probably some Gooners who wouldn’t buy one either at the moment, but they’d be missing a trick.

Because Kia’s family orientated supermini currently has the edge when it comes to results. It delivers on pace, practicality, efficiency (in terms of fuel), and as it doesn’t do a lot wrong, there’s not a lot of need for excuses…..

Continue reading →

SPACE and running costs – two of the biggest factors facing the family car buyer.
And the other dilemma is whether to plump for a hatchback or a mini MPV.
Nissan’s latest Note is a car for those who crave practicality. It might not be hugely stylish or brilliant fun to drive but there’s a range of economical engines, as well as a decent amount of space.

Continue reading →

Skoda’s latest model to hit UK shores could quite adequately sum up the Czech firm’s progress over the past few years – rapid.

Enjoying rising sales in a period of doom and gloom is not to be sniffed at, and their latest model revives a name that first appeared on one of their cars way back in 1935.

Continue reading →

LOOKS like Nicole is getting her bus pass – ZOE is set to be the Renault name on the lips of motorists in the future.

And while Nicole certainly added a touch of glamour to the ad campaigns of old, the looks in this instance unreservedly belong to the car itself.

Continue reading →

FANCY a bit of extreme motoring? Then Audi’s blisteringly quick ‘light the blue touch paper’ TT RS is the car for you.

It’s a car that has been successively honed and improved since its debut in 1999  as a real jaw dropper – so much so that there was a hefty trade in left hand drive models from abroad for those who couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel of a pukka RHD version.

Continue reading →