Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Mercedes-Benz R-class
YOU may have drivers on your fleet who, buried within them, have a deep-seated subconscious desire to drive around in a grand sports tourer.
They will not know it yet, but the appearance of the Mercedes-Benz R-class could trigger this dormant urge and send them to your door. car rental uk
That’s because the R-class is the answer to a question not yet posed. It is an estate/MPV/saloon/hearse hybrid, with six seats, four-wheel drive, big engines and lots of space. Mercedes-Benz calls it a Grand Sports Tourer, or GST.
We were here with the Renault Vel Satis and Avantime a few years back – minus one seat – and nobody could work them out then. car rental uk
But Mercedes-Benz has ploughed on with its own crossover vehicle and there is enough early evidence to suggest that, on a global basis at least, it will be a success.
That’s because the R-class is designed with the US in mind. Its size, six chairs, huge cupholders, blacked-out windows and drivetrain configuration suggest it is pitched at Americans tiring of SUVs. It is even built in the US, at the Tuscaloosa plant, home of the M-class.
Apparently, US buyers want four-wheel drive for the extra safety it brings and that is why this odd choice is the only option, rather than Mercedes-Benz’s more traditional rear-wheel drive set-up. car rental uk
The fact is that the heavier, thirstier four-wheel drive system makes no sense at all, until you consider that the US market will take most of the volume, and it is a lot cheaper to build it on the M-class platform in the States rather than ship S- or E-class modules over from Europe.
Mercedes-Benz reckons on selling 1,800 in a full year in the UK with half of these being the diesel version, but by the very nature of the car this has to have been somewhat plucked out of thin air. True, there is nothing like it on the market but, after spending some time with the R, the multitude of abilities it has slowly dawn on you. car rental uk
For a start, anything of this vastness is going to find some friends looking for ultimate carrying ability.
At more than five metres long and nearly two metres wide for the long wheelbase version, the R-class is a big hulking piece of metal and head-turning elegance is certainly not a strength. car rental uk
They will not know it yet, but the appearance of the Mercedes-Benz R-class could trigger this dormant urge and send them to your door. car rental uk
That’s because the R-class is the answer to a question not yet posed. It is an estate/MPV/saloon/hearse hybrid, with six seats, four-wheel drive, big engines and lots of space. Mercedes-Benz calls it a Grand Sports Tourer, or GST.
We were here with the Renault Vel Satis and Avantime a few years back – minus one seat – and nobody could work them out then. car rental uk
But Mercedes-Benz has ploughed on with its own crossover vehicle and there is enough early evidence to suggest that, on a global basis at least, it will be a success.
That’s because the R-class is designed with the US in mind. Its size, six chairs, huge cupholders, blacked-out windows and drivetrain configuration suggest it is pitched at Americans tiring of SUVs. It is even built in the US, at the Tuscaloosa plant, home of the M-class.
Apparently, US buyers want four-wheel drive for the extra safety it brings and that is why this odd choice is the only option, rather than Mercedes-Benz’s more traditional rear-wheel drive set-up. car rental uk
The fact is that the heavier, thirstier four-wheel drive system makes no sense at all, until you consider that the US market will take most of the volume, and it is a lot cheaper to build it on the M-class platform in the States rather than ship S- or E-class modules over from Europe.
Mercedes-Benz reckons on selling 1,800 in a full year in the UK with half of these being the diesel version, but by the very nature of the car this has to have been somewhat plucked out of thin air. True, there is nothing like it on the market but, after spending some time with the R, the multitude of abilities it has slowly dawn on you. car rental uk
For a start, anything of this vastness is going to find some friends looking for ultimate carrying ability.
At more than five metres long and nearly two metres wide for the long wheelbase version, the R-class is a big hulking piece of metal and head-turning elegance is certainly not a strength. car rental uk
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Lexus RX400h
IMAGINE a world where you really could have your cake and eat it... where you could enjoy all of the good things in life but didn’t have to put up with the associated downsides. car rental uk
It sounds like an impossible dream, and in most cases it still is. However, if you narrow down the parameters to cars, things start to look more promising. And if you want to drive a big, luxurious premium SUV, but don’t want to choke the planet with your noxious exhaust emissions, then the answer is staring you (literally) in the face. car rental uk
Lexus’ new RX400h is the ‘have your cake and eat it’ SUV. You get all of the traditional SUV attributes – high seating position, premium badge and ‘out of my way’ styling, yet you also get a petrol engine with an additonal electric motor. This means you get petrol performance with diesel economy. Perfect.
But the best thing is that this is alternative fuel technology which isn’t intimidating or time-consuming. car rental uk
Unlike a pure electric car, you haven’t got to recharge it at night and, unlike a dual-fuel car, you haven’t got to hunt around for a petrol station which has got an LPG tank.
Simply fill the Lexus with unleaded fuel and off you go. When you’re starting off or travelling slowly, only the electric motor is used, with the petrol engine chiming in as more power is required to boost acceleration. Brake or take your foot off the accelerator and the engine shuts down to save fuel. At the same time, generators use braking energy to recharge the batteries.
But the only way you notice you’re driving a hybrid is by looking at the various digital read-outs which monitor which power plant is turning the wheels and tell you how much energy you have regenerated. You just need to resist the temptation to keep looking at these readouts and focus on the road instead. car rental uk
Other than that, it’s just like driving the petrol RX300, which means you’re at the wheel of one of the best-handling SUVs, although the angular styling isn’t to everyone’s taste. Body roll is well contained and the RX turns in to corners very sharply for such a car. The ride can get a bit bouncy, but that’s the downside to having a car with such long suspension travel.
And bizarrely for a car with such environmentally-friendly pretensions, the RX400h is quicker than the RX300. With 208bhp, it has 7bhp more, but the headline figures don’t tell the whole story.
When you really stand on the RX400’s accelerator the 165bhp electric motor joins in, offering a surge of acceleration. It acts like a diesel engine, with the electric boost replacing diesel’s wall of torque.
It’s also diesel-like in its fuel consumption, returning a claimed average of 34.9mpg and CO2 emissions of just 192g/km (the same as a Vauxhall Astra 1.8 SRi). And that’s the beauty of this Lexus. It is a car of the future, available today, which requires no compromises. With the RX400h, you really can have your cake and eat it. car rental uk
It sounds like an impossible dream, and in most cases it still is. However, if you narrow down the parameters to cars, things start to look more promising. And if you want to drive a big, luxurious premium SUV, but don’t want to choke the planet with your noxious exhaust emissions, then the answer is staring you (literally) in the face. car rental uk
Lexus’ new RX400h is the ‘have your cake and eat it’ SUV. You get all of the traditional SUV attributes – high seating position, premium badge and ‘out of my way’ styling, yet you also get a petrol engine with an additonal electric motor. This means you get petrol performance with diesel economy. Perfect.
But the best thing is that this is alternative fuel technology which isn’t intimidating or time-consuming. car rental uk
Unlike a pure electric car, you haven’t got to recharge it at night and, unlike a dual-fuel car, you haven’t got to hunt around for a petrol station which has got an LPG tank.
Simply fill the Lexus with unleaded fuel and off you go. When you’re starting off or travelling slowly, only the electric motor is used, with the petrol engine chiming in as more power is required to boost acceleration. Brake or take your foot off the accelerator and the engine shuts down to save fuel. At the same time, generators use braking energy to recharge the batteries.
But the only way you notice you’re driving a hybrid is by looking at the various digital read-outs which monitor which power plant is turning the wheels and tell you how much energy you have regenerated. You just need to resist the temptation to keep looking at these readouts and focus on the road instead. car rental uk
Other than that, it’s just like driving the petrol RX300, which means you’re at the wheel of one of the best-handling SUVs, although the angular styling isn’t to everyone’s taste. Body roll is well contained and the RX turns in to corners very sharply for such a car. The ride can get a bit bouncy, but that’s the downside to having a car with such long suspension travel.
And bizarrely for a car with such environmentally-friendly pretensions, the RX400h is quicker than the RX300. With 208bhp, it has 7bhp more, but the headline figures don’t tell the whole story.
When you really stand on the RX400’s accelerator the 165bhp electric motor joins in, offering a surge of acceleration. It acts like a diesel engine, with the electric boost replacing diesel’s wall of torque.
It’s also diesel-like in its fuel consumption, returning a claimed average of 34.9mpg and CO2 emissions of just 192g/km (the same as a Vauxhall Astra 1.8 SRi). And that’s the beauty of this Lexus. It is a car of the future, available today, which requires no compromises. With the RX400h, you really can have your cake and eat it. car rental uk
Friday, August 26, 2005
Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDi DSG
I HAVE driven a heck of a lot of cars in my time as a motoring journalist – big ones, small ones, fast ones, slow ones, good ones and awful ones.
But I reckon that of all the different vehicles tested, I have driven more Volkswagen Golfs than any other model – I even owned one a few years back. car rental uk
So stepping into the latest addition to our long-term test fleet – the Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDI – was rather like meeting an old and trusted friend again.
That solid, functional dash was there to greet me – it’s not a lot different from the one in my old G-reg model, in fact – and those hard flat seats were as supportive as ever. As this model is a Sport version, it also has some nice side supports for when the going gets a bit racey. carrental uk
And – joy of joys – Volkswagen has sent us a Golf equipped with the new six-speed automatic DSG gearbox, so there will be no need to mess around with a clutch. A few years ago, you could almost count on one hand the number of fleet autobox cars on the roads but they seem to be gradually creeping into the British psyche, although it’s a slow process.
I got used to driving automatics while I was a resident of California a few years back and I can’t understand why anyone would want a manual – or stick shift, as the Yanks call them – in this day and age. car rental uk
This DSG box is a bit special. Unlike normal auto set-ups, there is no loss of power or fuel economy. It could prove a real boon to any driver who normally operates in a city or spends a lot of time sitting in traffic jams.
Our test car is clad in diamond black pearl effect paint, which gives it a more upmarket look than some of the pastel shades on offer, and has a smart set of 17-inch alloy wheels, which turned out to be a £445 option. Other paid-for extras are cruise control at £270, bi-xenon headlights with washers and automatic range adjustment at £725, rear parking sensor at £295, rear electric windows at £150 and a six-CD auto-changer at £395. car rental uk
This little lot adds £2,280 to the price of the car and increases a 22% taxpayer’s benefit-in-kind tax bill by £7.52 a month. Personally, if I was choosing this Golf as a company car, I’d have the alloys and parking sensor and not bother with the rest.
The Golf’s 103bhp 1.9-litre common rail turbodiesel unit is a nice middle-of-the-road choice. It’s nippy enough, with 0-60mph coming in 11 seconds and a top speed of 115mph, but doesn’t have the raw power of the bigger 2.0-litre GT diesel units which offer 138bhp and more feisty handling. An ideal fleet choice, I’d say. car rental uk
Fuel economy is reckoned to be a frugal 48.7mpg on the combined cycle. As the car is still on its first tankful of fuel after being delivered, we have yet to carry out a detailed fuel consumption analysis, but the fuel gauge seems to be holding up well so far.
After a couple of weeks behind the wheel of our new car, I can easily see why the Golf has become such an icon of style and reliability. It’s one of those vehicles in which the whole is much more than the sum of the parts. Quite what it is that makes the Golf better than its rivals isn’t exactly obvious, but when all the bits are screwed together, the Golf seems to work just perfectly.
But I reckon that of all the different vehicles tested, I have driven more Volkswagen Golfs than any other model – I even owned one a few years back. car rental uk
So stepping into the latest addition to our long-term test fleet – the Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDI – was rather like meeting an old and trusted friend again.
That solid, functional dash was there to greet me – it’s not a lot different from the one in my old G-reg model, in fact – and those hard flat seats were as supportive as ever. As this model is a Sport version, it also has some nice side supports for when the going gets a bit racey. carrental uk
And – joy of joys – Volkswagen has sent us a Golf equipped with the new six-speed automatic DSG gearbox, so there will be no need to mess around with a clutch. A few years ago, you could almost count on one hand the number of fleet autobox cars on the roads but they seem to be gradually creeping into the British psyche, although it’s a slow process.
I got used to driving automatics while I was a resident of California a few years back and I can’t understand why anyone would want a manual – or stick shift, as the Yanks call them – in this day and age. car rental uk
This DSG box is a bit special. Unlike normal auto set-ups, there is no loss of power or fuel economy. It could prove a real boon to any driver who normally operates in a city or spends a lot of time sitting in traffic jams.
Our test car is clad in diamond black pearl effect paint, which gives it a more upmarket look than some of the pastel shades on offer, and has a smart set of 17-inch alloy wheels, which turned out to be a £445 option. Other paid-for extras are cruise control at £270, bi-xenon headlights with washers and automatic range adjustment at £725, rear parking sensor at £295, rear electric windows at £150 and a six-CD auto-changer at £395. car rental uk
This little lot adds £2,280 to the price of the car and increases a 22% taxpayer’s benefit-in-kind tax bill by £7.52 a month. Personally, if I was choosing this Golf as a company car, I’d have the alloys and parking sensor and not bother with the rest.
The Golf’s 103bhp 1.9-litre common rail turbodiesel unit is a nice middle-of-the-road choice. It’s nippy enough, with 0-60mph coming in 11 seconds and a top speed of 115mph, but doesn’t have the raw power of the bigger 2.0-litre GT diesel units which offer 138bhp and more feisty handling. An ideal fleet choice, I’d say. car rental uk
Fuel economy is reckoned to be a frugal 48.7mpg on the combined cycle. As the car is still on its first tankful of fuel after being delivered, we have yet to carry out a detailed fuel consumption analysis, but the fuel gauge seems to be holding up well so far.
After a couple of weeks behind the wheel of our new car, I can easily see why the Golf has become such an icon of style and reliability. It’s one of those vehicles in which the whole is much more than the sum of the parts. Quite what it is that makes the Golf better than its rivals isn’t exactly obvious, but when all the bits are screwed together, the Golf seems to work just perfectly.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
New Launch Mercedes-Benz R class
YOU may have drivers on your fleet who, buried within them, have a deep-seated subconscious desire to drive around in a grand sports tourer.
They will not know it yet, but the appearance of the Mercedes-Benz R-class could trigger this dormant urge and send them to your door. Car Rental uk
That’s because the R-class is the answer to a question not yet posed. It is an estate/MPV/saloon/hearse hybrid, with six seats, four-wheel drive, big engines and lots of space. Mercedes-Benz calls it a Grand Sports Tourer, or GST.
We were here with the Renault Vel Satis and Avantime a few years back – minus one seat – and nobody could work them out then. car rental uk
But Mercedes-Benz has ploughed on with its own crossover vehicle and there is enough early evidence to suggest that, on a global basis at least, it will be a success.
That’s because the R-class is designed with the US in mind. Its size, six chairs, huge cupholders, blacked-out windows and drivetrain configuration suggest it is pitched at Americans tiring of SUVs. It is even built in the US, at the Tuscaloosa plant, home of the M-class.
Apparently, US buyers want four-wheel drive for the extra safety it brings and that is why this odd choice is the only option, rather than Mercedes-Benz’s more traditional rear-wheel drive set-up. car rental uk
The fact is that the heavier, thirstier four-wheel drive system makes no sense at all, until you consider that the US market will take most of the volume, and it is a lot cheaper to build it on the M-class platform in the States rather than ship S- or E-class modules over from Europe.
Mercedes-Benz reckons on selling 1,800 in a full year in the UK with half of these being the diesel version, but by the very nature of the car this has to have been somewhat plucked out of thin air. True, there is nothing like it on the market but, after spending some time with the R, the multitude of abilities it has slowly dawn on you.
For a start, anything of this vastness is going to find some friends looking for ultimate carrying ability. car rental uk
At more than five metres long and nearly two metres wide for the long wheelbase version, the R-class is a big hulking piece of metal and head-turning elegance is certainly not a strength.
But interior adaptability is. In the long-wheelbase version we drove, with the four rear seats doubled over to create a flattish floor, there is an incredible 2,385 litres of volume with a load length of 2.2 metres. The E-class estate, previously the leader in the space race, manages 1,910 litres.
Unfortunately, there are to be none of the clever load restraints and rails offered in the E-class, so stopping shopping bags from rolling about the cavernous interior could be a problem.
The seats all slide and fold simply to create more or less legroom depending on what you need, to the point that those of a leggy frame in the second row can have nearly a metre of legroom.
Three engines will be available: two petrol and one diesel. The most powerful is the 306bhp 5.0-litre V8, followed by the 272bhp 3.5-litre V6. Both are fantastically thirsty, tasked as they are with heaving 2.2 tonnes about and drivers will be lucky to see the right side of 20mpg. Even gentle driving got us nowhere near that claimed figure. car rental uk
This should make the diesel the most popular choice, as is the case with most big luxury vehicles, and the R-class will be offered with the 224bhp 320 CDI unit, which it is claimed will do 30mpg. None were available at the launch but even hitting a real-world 25mpg will be a big improvement over the petrol cars.
The R-class will go on sale in spring next year and although prices are likely to be between £42,000 and £55,000, specifications are not yet finalised. Long-wheelbase models should be around £1,500 more expensive. car rental uk
They will not know it yet, but the appearance of the Mercedes-Benz R-class could trigger this dormant urge and send them to your door. Car Rental uk
That’s because the R-class is the answer to a question not yet posed. It is an estate/MPV/saloon/hearse hybrid, with six seats, four-wheel drive, big engines and lots of space. Mercedes-Benz calls it a Grand Sports Tourer, or GST.
We were here with the Renault Vel Satis and Avantime a few years back – minus one seat – and nobody could work them out then. car rental uk
But Mercedes-Benz has ploughed on with its own crossover vehicle and there is enough early evidence to suggest that, on a global basis at least, it will be a success.
That’s because the R-class is designed with the US in mind. Its size, six chairs, huge cupholders, blacked-out windows and drivetrain configuration suggest it is pitched at Americans tiring of SUVs. It is even built in the US, at the Tuscaloosa plant, home of the M-class.
Apparently, US buyers want four-wheel drive for the extra safety it brings and that is why this odd choice is the only option, rather than Mercedes-Benz’s more traditional rear-wheel drive set-up. car rental uk
The fact is that the heavier, thirstier four-wheel drive system makes no sense at all, until you consider that the US market will take most of the volume, and it is a lot cheaper to build it on the M-class platform in the States rather than ship S- or E-class modules over from Europe.
Mercedes-Benz reckons on selling 1,800 in a full year in the UK with half of these being the diesel version, but by the very nature of the car this has to have been somewhat plucked out of thin air. True, there is nothing like it on the market but, after spending some time with the R, the multitude of abilities it has slowly dawn on you.
For a start, anything of this vastness is going to find some friends looking for ultimate carrying ability. car rental uk
At more than five metres long and nearly two metres wide for the long wheelbase version, the R-class is a big hulking piece of metal and head-turning elegance is certainly not a strength.
But interior adaptability is. In the long-wheelbase version we drove, with the four rear seats doubled over to create a flattish floor, there is an incredible 2,385 litres of volume with a load length of 2.2 metres. The E-class estate, previously the leader in the space race, manages 1,910 litres.
Unfortunately, there are to be none of the clever load restraints and rails offered in the E-class, so stopping shopping bags from rolling about the cavernous interior could be a problem.
The seats all slide and fold simply to create more or less legroom depending on what you need, to the point that those of a leggy frame in the second row can have nearly a metre of legroom.
Three engines will be available: two petrol and one diesel. The most powerful is the 306bhp 5.0-litre V8, followed by the 272bhp 3.5-litre V6. Both are fantastically thirsty, tasked as they are with heaving 2.2 tonnes about and drivers will be lucky to see the right side of 20mpg. Even gentle driving got us nowhere near that claimed figure. car rental uk
This should make the diesel the most popular choice, as is the case with most big luxury vehicles, and the R-class will be offered with the 224bhp 320 CDI unit, which it is claimed will do 30mpg. None were available at the launch but even hitting a real-world 25mpg will be a big improvement over the petrol cars.
The R-class will go on sale in spring next year and although prices are likely to be between £42,000 and £55,000, specifications are not yet finalised. Long-wheelbase models should be around £1,500 more expensive. car rental uk
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDI sport
I HAVE driven a heck of a lot of cars in my time as a motoring journalist – big ones, small ones, fast ones, slow ones, good ones and awful ones.
But I reckon that of all the different vehicles tested, I have driven more Volkswagen Golfs than any other model – I even owned one a few years back.
So stepping into the latest addition to our long-term test fleet – the Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDI – was rather like meeting an old and trusted friend again. Car rental uk
That solid, functional dash was there to greet me – it’s not a lot different from the one in my old G-reg model, in fact – and those hard flat seats were as supportive as ever. As this model is a Sport version, it also has some nice side supports for when the going gets a bit racey.
And – joy of joys – Volkswagen has sent us a Golf equipped with the new six-speed automatic DSG gearbox, so there will be no need to mess around with a clutch. A few years ago, you could almost count on one hand the number of fleet autobox cars on the roads but they seem to be gradually creeping into the British psyche, although it’s a slow process. Car rental uk
I got used to driving automatics while I was a resident of California a few years back and I can’t understand why anyone would want a manual – or stick shift, as the Yanks call them – in this day and age.
This DSG box is a bit special. Unlike normal auto set-ups, there is no loss of power or fuel economy. It could prove a real boon to any driver who normally operates in a city or spends a lot of time sitting in traffic jams.
Our test car is clad in diamond black pearl effect paint, which gives it a more upmarket look than some of the pastel shades on offer, and has a smart set of 17-inch alloy wheels, which turned out to be a £445 option. Other paid-for extras are cruise control at £270, bi-xenon headlights with washers and automatic range adjustment at £725, rear parking sensor at £295, rear electric windows at £150 and a six-CD auto-changer at £395. Car rental uk
This little lot adds £2,280 to the price of the car and increases a 22% taxpayer’s benefit-in-kind tax bill by £7.52 a month. Personally, if I was choosing this Golf as a company car, I’d have the alloys and parking sensor and not bother with the rest.
The Golf’s 103bhp 1.9-litre common rail turbodiesel unit is a nice middle-of-the-road choice. It’s nippy enough, with 0-60mph coming in 11 seconds and a top speed of 115mph, but doesn’t have the raw power of the bigger 2.0-litre GT diesel units which offer 138bhp and more feisty handling. An ideal fleet choice, I’d say. Car rental uk
Fuel economy is reckoned to be a frugal 48.7mpg on the combined cycle. As the car is still on its first tankful of fuel after being delivered, we have yet to carry out a detailed fuel consumption analysis, but the fuel gauge seems to be holding up well so far.
After a couple of weeks behind the wheel of our new car, I can easily see why the Golf has become such an icon of style and reliability. It’s one of those vehicles in which the whole is much more than the sum of the parts. Quite what it is that makes the Golf better than its rivals isn’t exactly obvious, but when all the bits are screwed together, the Golf seems to work just perfectly car rental uk.
But I reckon that of all the different vehicles tested, I have driven more Volkswagen Golfs than any other model – I even owned one a few years back.
So stepping into the latest addition to our long-term test fleet – the Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDI – was rather like meeting an old and trusted friend again. Car rental uk
That solid, functional dash was there to greet me – it’s not a lot different from the one in my old G-reg model, in fact – and those hard flat seats were as supportive as ever. As this model is a Sport version, it also has some nice side supports for when the going gets a bit racey.
And – joy of joys – Volkswagen has sent us a Golf equipped with the new six-speed automatic DSG gearbox, so there will be no need to mess around with a clutch. A few years ago, you could almost count on one hand the number of fleet autobox cars on the roads but they seem to be gradually creeping into the British psyche, although it’s a slow process. Car rental uk
I got used to driving automatics while I was a resident of California a few years back and I can’t understand why anyone would want a manual – or stick shift, as the Yanks call them – in this day and age.
This DSG box is a bit special. Unlike normal auto set-ups, there is no loss of power or fuel economy. It could prove a real boon to any driver who normally operates in a city or spends a lot of time sitting in traffic jams.
Our test car is clad in diamond black pearl effect paint, which gives it a more upmarket look than some of the pastel shades on offer, and has a smart set of 17-inch alloy wheels, which turned out to be a £445 option. Other paid-for extras are cruise control at £270, bi-xenon headlights with washers and automatic range adjustment at £725, rear parking sensor at £295, rear electric windows at £150 and a six-CD auto-changer at £395. Car rental uk
This little lot adds £2,280 to the price of the car and increases a 22% taxpayer’s benefit-in-kind tax bill by £7.52 a month. Personally, if I was choosing this Golf as a company car, I’d have the alloys and parking sensor and not bother with the rest.
The Golf’s 103bhp 1.9-litre common rail turbodiesel unit is a nice middle-of-the-road choice. It’s nippy enough, with 0-60mph coming in 11 seconds and a top speed of 115mph, but doesn’t have the raw power of the bigger 2.0-litre GT diesel units which offer 138bhp and more feisty handling. An ideal fleet choice, I’d say. Car rental uk
Fuel economy is reckoned to be a frugal 48.7mpg on the combined cycle. As the car is still on its first tankful of fuel after being delivered, we have yet to carry out a detailed fuel consumption analysis, but the fuel gauge seems to be holding up well so far.
After a couple of weeks behind the wheel of our new car, I can easily see why the Golf has become such an icon of style and reliability. It’s one of those vehicles in which the whole is much more than the sum of the parts. Quite what it is that makes the Golf better than its rivals isn’t exactly obvious, but when all the bits are screwed together, the Golf seems to work just perfectly car rental uk.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Nissan Micra
UNFORTUNATELY, the ‘160’ tag in this new range-topping Nissan Micra’s name doesn’t refer to its power output – instead it refers to the fact that this car has a 1.6-litre engine. Car rental uk
It means this is no scorching pocket rocket, more of a nippy sports model designed to inject some fun into the Micra range and, if you believe Nissan, challenge the might of the MINI One in the hearts and minds of user-choosers. Car rental uk
Ultimately, the little Nissan just doesn’t have enough presence to bother the hugely popular MINI, but it can give it a run for its money in terms of driving fun. With 108bhp and a kerb weight of just over a tonne to lug about, the Micra 160SR offers zesty performance in a fun chassis.
With lowered and stiffened suspension over standard Micras, and a steering rack with more feel engineered in, it offers a real fun drive.
While it is not blisteringly quick, the chassis and steering let you have a lot of fun behind the wheel without reaching silly speeds. Car rental uk
It also looks pretty cool, thanks to its 16-inch alloy wheels finished in a graphite grey colour, front, side and tailgate spoilers and dark tinted headlamp lenses. The sporty theme continues inside, with aluminium pedals, bespoke instruments, while there’s a generous list of standard equipment featuring a CD player, automatic wipers and air conditioning.
The price is pretty good, too. The three-door version costs £9,995 on-the-road, which undercuts the MINI One by £785. car rental uk
If it’s affordable, fun driving you want, the Micra 160SR is worth considering. But if it’s street cred you’re after, spend the extra on the MINI.
It means this is no scorching pocket rocket, more of a nippy sports model designed to inject some fun into the Micra range and, if you believe Nissan, challenge the might of the MINI One in the hearts and minds of user-choosers. Car rental uk
Ultimately, the little Nissan just doesn’t have enough presence to bother the hugely popular MINI, but it can give it a run for its money in terms of driving fun. With 108bhp and a kerb weight of just over a tonne to lug about, the Micra 160SR offers zesty performance in a fun chassis.
With lowered and stiffened suspension over standard Micras, and a steering rack with more feel engineered in, it offers a real fun drive.
While it is not blisteringly quick, the chassis and steering let you have a lot of fun behind the wheel without reaching silly speeds. Car rental uk
It also looks pretty cool, thanks to its 16-inch alloy wheels finished in a graphite grey colour, front, side and tailgate spoilers and dark tinted headlamp lenses. The sporty theme continues inside, with aluminium pedals, bespoke instruments, while there’s a generous list of standard equipment featuring a CD player, automatic wipers and air conditioning.
The price is pretty good, too. The three-door version costs £9,995 on-the-road, which undercuts the MINI One by £785. car rental uk
If it’s affordable, fun driving you want, the Micra 160SR is worth considering. But if it’s street cred you’re after, spend the extra on the MINI.
