1. BMW M2Even though it’s set to be the cheapest M car in the BMW range, it wont come as any surprise if it ends up being the most popular. Continuing where the brilliant 1-Series M Coupe left off, it too comes with a turbocharged straight-six engine, although with a single twin-scroll turbocharger rather than a twin-turbo setup. It has 370hp (30hp more than the 1M), and a seven-speed double-clutch gearbox is now optional. Examples of starting prices for the M2 are CHF 69,900 in Switzerland, £44,070 in the UK, or €56,700 in Germany.
It’s hard to believe that it has already been two years since I reviewed the last Kia Sorento, but the new one is here now and is promising to be better than the car it replaces. It looks like it’s off to a good start – it definitely looks good from the front, and its new grille is aggressive-yet-subtle, something even premium-brand SUVs have a hard time pulling off. Its side profile is not bad either, with the roof sloping downwards at the rear to give a sportier look. The rear lights did leave me scratching my head though, to my eyes they strongly resemble those of the 2011-2013 Dodge Durango. It’s got less of a butch look than the previous Sorento but it’s still a well-executed design.
There was a time in Europe when sedans used to be the default choice when it came to choosing an everyday car. But with crossover SUVs and hatchbacks being as popular as they are today, affordable-brand sedans are often overlooked. But that hasn’t stopped Kia from putting the Optima on sale, giving a much-needed extra choice to the segment. But while having an extra choice is a good thing, the question is whether the Optima has what it takes to sway buyers away from the likes of the Ford Mondeo, Peugeot 508, Toyota Avensis or Mazda 6.
The new Transit Courier is not so much a van, but a small two-seat vehicle that has a very big boot in the back. When I say this, I mean it with the highest regards possible, as it feels nothing like a commercial vehicle when you’re on the road. In fact, in terms of the driving experience, it’s not much different to a standard Fiesta, which shouldn’t be a surprise really because they share the same platform. But apart from being car-like, does the new Transit Courier have anything else to offer that would make it a standout car? I had two weeks to find out.
The Ford Transit is one of those vehicles that sell in huge numbers, but they never really catch your attention when you’re going about your day. Until, that is, you have one within an inch of your rear bumper on the highway. Apart from its ability to draft on other cars like a NASCAR racer, its versatility is what has made the Transit one of the most popular commercial vehicles in Europe for nearly 50 years, and having spent two weeks with the new one, it looks set to continue being just that.
I was never planning on writing anything about this rental car, and as such I didn’t pack my SLR camera as I left for vacation to North America. But such was the driving experience that I had to make do with my smartphone, and at least write a little something. Also, the fifth-generation Mustang recently went out of production after nearly ten years of service. So in short, this is my goodbye to the best generation of Mustangs yet.
The Kia Soul never struck me as a standout car when it came out in 2008, and after six years of being in the market it has received a facelift. On first impressions, the Kia Soul is meant to be a stylish alternative to a hatchback or small MPV, but to be honest I never was smitten by the looks of the previous Soul. The interior wasn’t that nice either, what with low-rent materials scattered throughout. However, going with Kia’s new-found mojo of designing good-looking cars, things look a lot better for the new Soul, which might just make my job of convincing you that it’s a good car that bit easier.
Ferrari F12 TRSFerrari are rather good at making good-looking cars, but they’ve gone a step further and made the stunning F12 TRS for a special customer. The one-off car is rumoured to have cost around $4.2 million, and for that you get the same 6.3-litre V12 producing 740hp and 690Nm of torque as in the F12 Berlinetta, allowing it to get from 0-100km/h in 3.1 sec and from 0-200km/h in 8.1 sec. You also get one of the rarest cars ever, and a car that will be very sought after by collectors. Ford Focus STThe Ford Focus ST has received a few updates, the biggest of which is the availability of a diesel engine. The turbocharged 2.0-litre EcoBoost with 250hp is carried over from the previous version, but it now comes with a stop-start function – improving fuel efficiency by a claimed six percent. As mentioned before, a new diesel engine is available – a 2.0-litre TDCi unit producing 185hp and 400Nm of torque, with CO2 emissions being 114g/km. Acceleration from 0-100km/h is 6.5 sec for the petrol option and 8.1 sec for the diesel option. Other updates include new chassis control technologies, tuned suspension and steering, and bespoke tyre specification. The exterior gets new headlamps, grille, bumper design, and 19-inch wheels. The interior now gets a new SYNC 2 connectivity system with a high definition 8-inch touch screen. Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Le Mans winning D-type, Jaguar will be building a special edition F-TYPE called the Project 7. The car will come with a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine producing 575hp and 680Nm, propelling the 1,585kg roadster from 0-100km/h in 3.9 sec and on to an electronically limited top speed of 300km/h. The Project 7 name pays homage to Jaguar’s seven Le Mans titles, and will be limited to 250 examples. An eight-speed Quickshift automatic transmission is standard, as well as an Electronic Active Differential, Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes, and Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVbB). Other items found on the Project 7 are carbon-fibre aerodynamic aids and a different suspension set-up to the standard F-TYPE.
When the current Kia Sportage made its first appearance in 2010, it struck me as one of the best-looking crossover SUVs I’ve seen in a long time. Fast forward to this mildly facelifted 2014 version, and things are much the same. Competitors such as the Toyota RAV4 and Ford Kuga have since been newly released, but despite them being a bit younger, I personally think the Sportage still beats them in the looks department. The only car I can think of that’s in the same segment that looks better is the rather more expensive Range Rover Evoque. Apart from looks though, my two weeks with the Sportage revealed other reasons for why it’s a rather good car to live with.
What do you buy when you just want a cheap run-around, that you don’t mind bearing a few small scratches from other careless drivers coming out of parking spots? Most people would go for a small hatchback and then call it a day. Me? I’ve bought an 18-year-old E36 BMW 320i, and considering that it was just a regular run-of-the-mill 3-Series in the ‘90s, convincing you that it’s a standout car might be a bit difficult.
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