Now, if Volkswagen is the people’s car, then Skoda, which comes under the Volkswagen Group, should be the people’s VW. Coming from the ex-Communists Czech Republic, Skoda is tasked to be the most accessible brand under the group, representing such egalitarian virtues as honesty and value. With Volkswagen nudging itself upmarket, Skoda’s positioning seems perfectly sound and appealing.
The proposition is perhaps best illustrated by the Octavia vRS. First launched in early 2008, the car’s underpinnings can be traced to the Volkswagen Golf. Its 2-litre engine is turbocharged like the Golf GTI’s. For 2009, the vRS picked up one other GTI-esque ingredient: the dual-clutch transmission. It replaces the 6-speed manual. +Continue Reading
Despite being the biggest sports utility vehicle in our roads, the Audi Q7 hasn’t been noticed and has generally been flying under the radar in the three years it’s been around. To address this, it’s just been given a visual fillip. The facelift is a subtle one, with the addition of Audi’s now-customary look-at-me daytime running lights in the headlamps. The indicator lamps and some bits of the tail lamps now feature LED.
Perhaps more significantly, equipment level is up and all Q7s come with gigantic 20-inch wheels, along with an S-Line body kit, all to sharpen the Q7′s looks and reduce its hulking mien, although it’s still not svelte by any means. There aren’t any major changes inside either – just the judicious addition of some chrome bits and improved MMI graphics. Otherwise, the cabin ambience and layout remain as before: unadventurously styled but cohesive. The Q7 remains the big, comfy all-purpose luxury liner that it has always been. It’s considerably bigger than the SUV norm (it’s up there in A8 territory length-wise). +Continue Reading
By now, many have, rightly or otherwise, decided that the new E-Class Coupe is better looking creature than its sedan siblings. But there’s is something more significant about the 2-door E-Class than just being easy on the eyes; Mercedes has built it to last a long, long time. It’s not just about the car ability to hold up but how it has been conceived to mature gracefully with the owner.
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The new car is significantly quicker than the previous model, with the century sprint dispatched in 6.2 seconds versus 7.6 seconds. But it sounds slower, because the dramatic racket that used to accompany hard acceleration in the old “Power Ranger” has been toned down, well, dramatically. The turbine whine of the supercharger has been replaced by a cultured hum, while the V8 has a smoother bass and a sweeter treble compared to the earlier number. The exhaust burble, meanwhile, is even richer now.
So this ship is actually an oversized speedboat, but can it stop in good time? Yes, thanks to uprated Brembo brakes which are bigger and gripper than the superseded set. But these anchors have to earn their keep hauling the giant down from the high velocities it’s capable of. +Continue Reading
The latest 2010 edition of the Range Rover Sport, with its significant improvements, aims to replicate the success of its predecessor, and not just within the ball-kicking ranks of the English Premier League elite. Range Rover Sport, the fastest and in many ways the most fun car in the Land Rover line-up today. Vivid orange paintwork is no longer available, but the palette of 12 different colours, including regal Buckingham Blue, ought to satisfy even the fussiest buyer. There is also more paint per se, with the side mirror housing now colour-coded.
The rest of the exterior, like that of the regular Range Rover and Discovery 4, has been given an upmarket update. The xenon headlamps, now with LED “high-lights”, and more attractive and also more effective than before. The “cheese grater” grille has been tastefully redesigned, along with the bumper (sleeker), air dam (larger) and fog lamps (better intergrated). Frontal aerodynamics must have had an influence on the revised aesthetics. On the flanks, the functional vents with their slightly tacky twin strakes have been refreshed, while the generous fenders arch over handsome alloy wheels available with a choice of designs; two 19-inch and five 20-inch options. At the back of the vehicle, you get more LED lighting, a rear bumper that mirrors the front bumper (but “upside down”), and a pair of exhaust pipes poking out purposely. +Continue Reading
Now, if Volkswagen is the people’s car, then Skoda, which comes under the Volkswagen Group, should be the people’s VW. Coming from the ex-Communists Czech Republic, Skoda is tasked to be the most accessible brand under the group, representing such egalitarian virtues as honesty and value. With Volkswagen nudging itself upmarket, Skoda’s positioning seems perfectly sound and appealing.
