by Liz Turner So what do you need to know about the Audi TT Roadster? First the TT has been a style icon since the first ‘Bauhaus’ coupe in 1999. This is the third incarnation and it could still enter the Rear of the Year competition with its … [Read more...]
THE MAZDA2 GOES UPMARKET
by Liz Turner I love talking to Japanese car designers. The Germans are all about precision and detail, but the Japanese seem to be gazing into another dimension. They talk about natural forms and the pent-up energy of a predator, and they … [Read more...]
ULTIMATE LUXURY: RANGE ROVER SPORT AUTOBIOGRAPHY
by Liz Turner There are SUVs, and then there’s the Range Rover. The original, the Daddy. And if you have a Range Rover, the absolute top of the range is the Autobiography. I recently clambered into the driving seat of a £82,650 Range Rover … [Read more...]
SPORTY AUDI A3 E-TRON PROMISES 188MPG
by Liz Turner The tide of cars using electric power is finally turning from a drip to a steady flow. The e-tron (nothing to do with Jeff Bridges) is Audi’s first. It’s a plug-in hybrid with a small petrol engine and a battery working in … [Read more...]
AN ELECTRIC EXPERIENCE IN THE TESLA S P85+
by Liz Turner As I start up the Tesla S P85+ electric super-saloon, I can’t help waiting for an unctuous voice from the speakers: Car: “I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Me: My name’s not Dave.” Car: “No, no, of course not, … [Read more...]
AUDI TT: A CHIC CAR NAMED DESIRE
by Liz Turner The Audi TT is an object of desire, like an Eames chair or a vintage Cartier watch. Even people who claim not to care about cars know what is, and will give a nod of approval. The first chunky ‘Bauhaus’-style TT changed the … [Read more...]
SAFETY FIRST IN THE NEW MERCEDES B-CLASS
by Liz Turner My mission was drive a brand-new Mercedes B-class into the rear of another car at 25mph. OK, so that one was actually a giant Mercedes-shaped balloon, but it had a trailer under it – and a real car towing it. Plus, I was being … [Read more...]
VW GOLF SV GT: A ROUND OF GOLF
by Liz Turner I was heading to Cliveden House, famous location for the sex, lies and spies scandal of the 1960s that made Christine Keeler a household name, also previously the opulent home of Nancy and Waldorf Astor and now an elegant … [Read more...]
GOODWOOD REVIVAL: AN OASIS OF CHARM
by Liz Turner Elegance and style aren’t words usually associated with motor racing, but then the Goodwood Revival is to motor racing as tea at the Ritz is to a scone and jam with your gran. This year’s event on 12 to 14 September included … [Read more...]
MAZDA MX-5: NO MORE MR CUTE GUY
by Liz Turner The latest generation of the world’s favourite sports car was revealed simultaneously in California, Barcelona and Japan today on the 4th September 2014. The global excitement was comparable with the launch of a new iPhone, and … [Read more...]
MADONNA’S MERC GOES UNDER THE HAMMER
by Liz Turner The luxurious Mercedes-Benz Sean Penn gave to Madonna has just been sold by Bonhams Auctions for £55,319. Oscar winner Penn gave the material girl the gorgeous 560SL convertible in 1987, the year she embarked on her Who’s That … [Read more...]
DENISE VAN OUTEN ON THE ROAD TO SMELL
by Liz Turner So how did I find myself hanging with Denise Van Outen at the UK’s premier car event in the grounds of Goodwood House, home of the Earl of March? Well, it’s a bit of a shaggy dog story – a wet, smelly shaggy dog story. The … [Read more...]
HONEY, THEY SHRUNK THE QUATTRO!
by Liz Turner I hate the word 'icon'. Like 'awesome' and 'decimate', its true meaning has vanished. But if we’re going to use its current meaning, then the Audi Quattro is an icon. Think Philip Glenister roaring around in Ashes to … [Read more...]
BEAUTY AND A BEAST: MERCEDES SL 63 AMG
by Liz Turner Good looks are always more alluring if there’s a hint of beast under the smooth exterior. The Mercedes SL 63 AMG’s aluminum body is certainly gorgeous – and powerful, but not a brute. It has perfect manners. Those three … [Read more...]
BEAUTY MEETS MOTORING WITH BENEFIT AND CITROEN
by Liz Turner Want to win a car? How about a stylish car created by Benefit and Citroen? The two companies have come together to create a series of DS3 models, to be launched exclusively via the online fashion store ASOS. Citroen and … [Read more...]
AUDI A3 CABRIOLET – DON’T FORGET THE SUNSCREEN!
by Liz Turner. Getting your skincare and headgear right are essential when setting off in a convertible car. Arriving with a red beacon of a nose and dry lips takes the edge off your cool entrance. A sunglasses mark is acceptable, of course … [Read more...]
HONDA CIVIC TOURER: THE SLEEK NEWCOMER
by Liz Turner Honda Civic Tourer proves length does matter... Beauty and style are often down to proportions. One of the Sunday supplements once ran a very cruel story showing supermodels swishing down the catwalk beside pictures of the … [Read more...]
THE MAZDA3 IS FUN, FUN, FUN!
by Liz Turner I’ll be eternally grateful to Mazda, the company that brought the fabulous, affordable MX-5 sports car to the world. While creating this fun machine, the chief engineer came up with a phrase Mazda now applies to its entire … [Read more...]
NEW NISSAN QASHQAI: THE DANIEL CRAIG OF CARS
by Liz Turner I enjoyed driving the new Qashqai – and not just because we were taking a jaunt around mountain roads beneath blue skies, staying in the Eurostars Tower in Madrid. Honest. I’d been wondering what Nissan would do for the new … [Read more...]
THE VOLVO V40 CROSS COUNTRY POPS IN
by Liz Turner The East Wind was blowing as she landed on my drive, and she made it clear from the beginning that she knew best. At first, I felt inclined to sulk, but my life is hectic, and after a few days I began to appreciate being nannied … [Read more...]
INFINITI AND BEYOND: A PRESTIGE HYBRID
by Liz Turner Don’t feel bad if you don’t recognize the name Infiniti, but the brand has arrived in the UK to steal customers from BMW, Audi and Mercedes. So far you’re most likely to have spotted the name on the racing suits of F1 superstar … [Read more...]
GOLF GTI: THE CAR EVERYONE WANTS
by Liz Turner It’s rare for a car to be just right, a car most people would be perfectly happy to own and drive every day. VW’s marketing elves hit the nail square on the head with its ‘like a Golf’ ad campaign. I know plenty of Golf owners, … [Read more...]
TOYOTA RAV4 MAKES LIFE EASY
by Liz Turner When I watch Downton, one thought always strikes me. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have staff? How much easier would life be with a valet who silently pre-empts your every wish, makes you feel pampered and generally irons out the … [Read more...]
Prowling with the F-type Jaguar
Staring over the bonnet of a voluptuous Jaguar F-type, it occurred to me I’d been waiting to drive this car for as long as I could remember. The svelte E-type passed away in 1974, and we’ve been teased, and then disappointed, with news of a … [Read more...]