Crisis management time; insert batteries in the cycle lights and dare to wear that hi-vis vest with winking LED lights to the amusement or bemusement of other motorists and cyclists. That’s how it was for a month or so with reliance on trains, my brothers’ cars and Hertz car rental. £66 got me four days with a Fiat Panda despite the coersion of the salesman who attempted to tempted me with an upgrade and to increase my accident insurance which would have doubled that fee. Younger and older bruv run Volkswagen Polos from different eras so observing that the steering wheel was off centre eons ago enabled me to rectify the problem years later. “tracking’s miles out!” exclaimed National Tyres man with worn rear bushes squeaking like a squashed mouse. Pumping up the tyres then checking with my own gauge made driving the Polo a more pleasurable experience which leads seamlessly on to elder’s 1998 model that I bought for £900 over five years ago. Two bulb replacements later with manic foot inflation led me inside the engine bay and blow me with a trumpet, the dipstick ( not my brother) had not repeat not topped up the engine oil as the level was below the minimum chequered marker. A few colourful words later led me to the local Asda to spent £16 on a litre and a half of 10W 50. An oil leak didn’t help although the sludgy deposit on elder bruv’s driveway did give a subtle clue, ‘eh Sherlock.

So, the pressure was on to find another ride so the usual car salvage websites were scanned to reveal nothing of worth to me. Cars were either categorised C or D or were too expensive so lateral thinking was needed. In the Midlands or page two of Google, I discovered a dealer who bought ex-Enterprise Rent a Car stock that had mostly been slightly damaged with a group of non-recorded vehicles. I spied a Chevrolet Spark – one of four that was advertised at the cheapest £3450 compared to the others but it had had a ding to the top edge of the bonnet with a crack below across the bumper. Luckily on physical inspection, the impact had missed the right chassis leg but had twisted the right hand slam panel support. Enterprise vehicles have a small ‘e’ sticker to the bottom rightof the tailgate with a fuel label over the flap which tend to be peeled off when the cars are sold on. The V5 document had ERAC UK LTD as the previous keeper which is indirectly defined as Enterprise Rent A Car. Manuals with a spare key were available as well although the service book showed no stamps despite the air filter looking relatively clean and being a genuine GM part. A visit to my local Chevrolet dealership enabled me to buy a headlight bracket for the grand sum of one pound to replace one that snapped car was damaged. Happily, this contrasts with the majority of other cars whose headlight brackets are moulded as part of the whole unit; furthermore an Enterprise Spark LT was in the process of having brake pads replaced in the dealership’s garage and the mechanic stated that Chevrolet service Enterprise’s Sparks but why hadn’t they stamped the service book on the example I bought? Trying to get information about servicing from Enterprise was fruitless as the company are very cagey about releasing information probably because bulk purchases of rentals occur at discounted rates without warranties or so the seller of the Spark in the Midlands thought.

Back to the Spark, with Michael the mechanic giving the bonnet a beating ironing out a crease on one side. Another bodyshop refused to repair the panels with an ambiguous, ” you get the panels and we’ll charge £600 for labour.” With bumper removed, Michael got to work on reshaping the compressed slam panel support rib with the aid of a lump hammer and hydraulic ram. A piece of wood was cut to fit inside the rib so that it wouldn’t lose its shape and a rod was inserted beneath that gradually pushed out the indentation. Some splitting of metal occurred where folding had taken place on impact so these were seam-welded and with the exercise repeated which went on until the early hours of the morning. An interesting process to watch testament to the patience and practicality of the mechanic, yet of utmost importance to a decent repair as if compressed parts are not reshaped other parts may still be out of alignment. The passenger wing, for example was too close to the neighbouring passenger door although the gap widened to how it was originally after pulling via hydraulic rods and rams; the cracked bumper was threading by using a soldiering iron to melt the plastic. Critically, the bonnet now closed securely so a bootlace was removed that was used to tie the bonnet down – no more stares from other motorists, hopefully. One helpful soul even got out of his car at the traffic lights to tell me that the bonnet was open. Safe in the knowledge that I could accelerate more sharply, I drove home to a chorus of birdsong – reminding me of walking home from the city centre after a night’s clubbing… Of course, the Spark was due another visit to Michael to have paint work done

A revisit enabled the Chevy to increase a notch towards normality with some filler skimmed over bonnet dents with fibreglass to strengthen the bumper although under pressure of time with water based paint taking longer to harden, the buffering machine wore through the top coat so the Spark had to return – again!

Research a la Google was my starting point and after time wasted scanning outdated car forums, the rivettingly entitled, ‘The Cyprus Ministry of Finance – Customs and Excise’ webpage provided an appropriate source about costs incurred for excise duty. I still found it difficult to make any headway at my end i.e. how to export a car from Southampton, specifically a BMW 316 diesel with emissions low enough to guarantee a 30% discount on import duty at Limassol.

Shipping companies quoted a range of prices from £800 including transporting the BMW from Manchester to Southampton up to £597.60 inclusive of VAT from Pengelly Shipping Limited for roll on/roll off ferry from Southampton. Apparently, their profit margin per car was only £40 in response to a desperate attempt by myself to haggle for a reduced fee. A booking attachment through e-mail was received that had to be completed with details of the soon-to- be exported car. Having agreed £4100 as a trade-in for my 2009 Suzuki Splash, a 2009 BMW 316 saloon with 57,000 miles was purchased for £10599 from a local dealership. Being an ex-lease car, all documentation was included with a recent service at 51,000 miles. Being my first export, the car had to be in excellent order and a spare key was stipulated on condition of the purchase. At Motrix Motor Company, Offerton, Manchester, I had previously inspected a 2010 BMW 320 Efficient Dynamics advertised at a cheap £10250 but on a second inspection, an airbag light illuminated itself and the advertised “full BMW service history” wasn’t on paper but on a computer as the ’salesman’ resplendent in jeans and blazer enlightened me aided by his car washing minion. After an emotional and downright unprofessional outburst from blazerman, I thanked him for his time and strode off vowing never again to buy from a small independent dealership citing his office - glass cubicle having a sledgehammer blow to one side which blazerman sheepishly declined to talk about. I wonder why?

Meanwhile Dimitri, purchaser of the BMW exchanged e-mails with me about documentation required on import with the T2L document being an anomaly which the selling dealership had not heard about. That document used to be known as the Single Administrative Document so its acronym explains why it was renamed. Back to Pengelly Shipping who sent an attachment of a shipping note that had to be produced with the car at Southampton Dock, 105 Berth for Grimaldi Lines to transfer the car on the Grande Scandanavia ferry. An online payment was issued to satisfy the shippers and a date was specified to drive the car south. That Shipping Note is important and will cost you time and £10 should you forget it. After an arduous journey that included a bumper scrape by an anonymous git at Waitrose, Cirencester thus reducing my profit margin, we passed through security gates at the docks to give the secret sign. Interestingly, a steady convoy of left-hand drive Landy Range Rovers cruised towards agape bow doors no doubt going to emerging markets such as China.

The elusive Bill of Lading or Freight charge document is important as two original copies have to be sent to the UK shippers who then e-mail confirmation of the documents to the receiving company in Limassol. This is made more difficult after receiving  Bills of Lading this morning when the ferry is due to dock in Limassol – tomorrow!

Finding insurers to cover a car during shipping is difficult with my research uncovering only two that were willing, on condition of a sales invoice in my name as the car still had the previous owner on the registration document. Furthermore a pre-shipment condition report had to be filled in by an independent party but the man behind the counter for Grimaldi Lines announced that “they didn’t get involved in that” so that the BMW was uninsured during movement as the shippers don’t insure goods being transported. Memories of a transporter that sank with the loss of Volvo XC90s reemerged. A French frigate stood guard by the wreck until the vessel was cheesewired by salvage companies to remove the wreck, slice by slice. Reassured by his colleague’s observation that they move hundreds of cars every week without a problem, I left the Beemer with key on the driver’s seat after being told to!

Fortunately, I had been paid by Dimitri before Cypriot banks went into meltdown. As for the BMW, it’s in Alexandria now before continuing  towards the eastern corner of the Mediteranean to Cyprus - I hope.

Words and photos are copyright of Sotiris Vassiliou

March 2013

Back in the day when I used to read Robert Glenton’s car reviews in the Sunday Express concluding with the crucial ” Will it fit your garage?”, the production duration of most European models continued for about eight years with slightly shorter life expectancies of south east asian models. More recently, their lives have been inextricably linked to the vagaries of markets, both emerging and not.

The new Mazda 6  has recently replaced its predecessor that only lasted four and a half years with an expanding company car market as the reason Mazda instigated its cull. Conversely, the Mitsubishi Colt was first launched in 1962 with the present interpretation still in production since 2005, albeit a refreshment in 2008 ; similarly, the trio of Citroen C1, Peugeot 107 and Toyota Aygo continue.

Smaller cars have unique platforms thus are not adaptable for the medium sector which may be why their lifespans are far greater which is not always a bad thing. As the Colt has been around for so long, there are many of them on the road often being carefully driven by peoples of pensionable age practising push/pull steering. A tall car with a hatchback that ends at the bumper makes loading simple. Getting used to the throttle pedal takes some time though as you need to familiarise your foot with pressure required for the rev counter to react but the sixteen valve 1332cc is a revelation on the motorway with our CZ2 costing from £11425, reassuring at motorway speeds with a cruise control button to prove; a comfortable 70mph achieved at 3000 rpm. Some anomalies highlight themselves such as a gearstick  too long for quick changes although shorter than an Austin Maxi’s -  remember those? The shelving area behind that gearstick looks similarly archaic although it could provide a suitable mantelpiece for a carriage clock. Above it sits a standard stereo without the sound even if you max treble and bass controls. The Colt Car Company deceptively entitled Mitsubishi say there are no plans to replace its namesake which sounds brazen given the fickle nature of design language. I confess to being enlightened by the Colt’s assurance at speed and simplicity of functional design. On one drenched day when the A55 North Wales expressway was closed because of flooding, the Colt effortlessly took me via diversionary routes south east beyond Betws-y-Coed and then north east to Ruthin, varying the speeds via cruise control on desolate, damp A roads.

My loan of the Citroen C1 came after driving a BMW 316 diesel to Southampton docks; even though they are at polar opposites of the car market spectrum, they do share one similarity because they both achieved near identical mpg results from Manchester to Southampton and vice versa. The C1 and siblings have been produced with cost in mind: spot the single gas strut supporting the glass ‘hatchback’; rear doors lacking window winders and a single wiper as a convenient reminder to Citroens of past. Produced since 2005 with a mild recent refresh, Toyota engines have sensibly been chosen as a 998cc unit distinguishable by the orange multi-lingual labelled radiator cap. The driving experience is cruder than the Colt’s with a harsher engine note during first and second gear akin to a blowing exhaust with a legal 70mph at 2500rpm on the rev counter that has been added as an afterthought; tempting to snap it off and hand it to toddler to play with, like those at FisherPrice?

Now these two cars are not direct comparisons as the Colt can be classed as a small four passenger carrier, over £1200 more expensive than the C1 which is happiest around the city whereas the Colt provides a compromise between motorway and town driving at a combined 40 mpg. If there is one positive for model longevity,  it is that there are many spares available outside of the dealership network although manufacturers must not offer subtle revisions without first upgrading safety technology. A case in point is the C1 et al that last year only scored three out of five stars in the NCAP tests. A lack of side airbags and Electronic Stability Control as standard are some reasons for this score although Citroen, Peugeot and Toyota have stated that they will upgrade safety technology from July 2013. Last tested by EuroNCAP in 2005, the Colt scored four, three and one star for adult, child and pedestrians respectively although I suspect it will outlive the C1, 107 and Aygo…

Words, photos and film are copyright of Sotiris Vassiliou

April 2013

Launched in 2002, the Mazda 6 evolved in 2008 into the mark two despite a curtailed life compared to the seasoned Mitsubishi Colt which continues being manufactured in its ninth year! The need for a third generation 6 appealing to the company car owner is Mazda’s candid prerogative, instigated in 2008 by the development of the now ubiquitous 2.2 diesel. Mazda hopes to increase its 12% UK market share with 72% in the fleet sector with eight out of ten buyers expected to choose diesel powertrains. The saloon is expected to account for 65 percent of sales with the remaining opting for the sports tourer ensuring the deletion of the decreasingly popular hatchback variant. With the aid of the deceptively titled SKYACTIV technologies, an admirable reduction of carbon dioxide levels highlights a new raison d’etre for Mazda, bolstered by the deletion of the RX-8 and that pickup thingee BT-50. Interestingly, the 6 is the first mass production Mazda model equipped with i-ELOOP  (Intelligent Energy Loop), a capacitor-based brake energy regeneration system fitted to Mazda 6 models sold in the UK (with the exception of two litre 145 ps petrol units), using a capacitor to store charge that can be converted into electrical energy. 

The 6 has stretched its door skins even higher at the expense of small windows tapering rearwards to dupe you into the sensation of a sportier drive. In reality with elbow cocked up like a chicken’s wing; leaning on an unusually high window ledge and the sports tourer’s ‘visibility’ that necessitates an upgrade to ‘Sport’ grade for the reverse camera to guide you, design language i.e. Kodo competes with a decreasing practicality. Subjectively, there appear to be design references to Volvo bonnets (an NCAP requirement) with Infiniti and Jaguar curves beyond the C-pillars creating a sturdier, tauter appearance incepted by greater use of tensile steels and welding seams. Mazda have adopted the feline theme abandoned by Peugeot with Kodo (Soul of Motion) inspired by the power and agility of a cheetah with angled headlights compared to cat’s eyes that reflect off  ‘err cat’s eyes - cue a reference to Mrs. Slocombe’s pussy! in ‘Are You Being Served?’

Motoview.co.uk tested 2.2 diesel versions (there are also 145 and 165ps two litre petrol engines) offering 150 and 175 bhp which my co-driver defined as being ‘free revving’ i.e. accelerating constantly and consistently up to and beyond the rev counter redline with torque that feels as if its distributed throughout the revolution range. Both diesel units appear refined with little noise intrusion within dispelling most criticisms of insulation that were often reported on previous Sixes. Combined with mpg figures displayed on the trip computer of above 40 will attract the fleet manager but will it be enough to topple the BMW 3 series off the company car podium? With a competitive price of £23140 for the 150ps diesel SE-L Nav saloon, £4885 less than the BMW 320 Efficient Dynamics with near identical emissions of 108 and 109 g/km respectively; the Mazda is economically viable in an unviable economy. Police patrols are using Hyundai i30 estates so with cost and fuel efficiency in mind, a favourable Benefit in Kind cost of £116 per month at the 40% tax rate, it is inevitable that the Mazda 150ps diesel should be a serious choice. Furthermore according to Glass’s guide, residual values are expected to be five per cent stronger than outgoing models after three years or 60,000 miles.

Inside, an 11cm increase in length over the outgoing model provides best-in-class rear legroom and overall boot capacity in the saloon model however the boot’s hinges are made from a squared utilitarian cross-section of metal that looks exactly like a curved chair leg. Happily, in the cabin, Mazda has moved the handbrake towards the driver’s side but the gearbox housing has a blancmange like sturdiness when nudged by your left knee and like the CX-5, door pockets are too small to be useful. It is a great shame that much lauded design language has not translated within especially in the back of the sports tourer which is likened to a dark abyss.

Mazda has pushed through established boundaries with the CX-5 and 6 with The Association of British Insurers lowering insurance groupings of all models because of The Smart City Braking System. A belated but welcomed acceptance into environmetal credibility that BMW took the lead in, Mazda has ensured that the new 6 provides a new benchmark in fuel efficiency and safety. I applaud them.

Words and photos are copyright of Sotiris Vassiliou

March 2013

Ever more environmentally-aware car manufacturers are seen to include energy saving componentry which is essential now not only for public perception but for economic viability. For example, the yearly UK road tax charge on the 2.2 diesel (175ps) all wheel drive model is identical to my 1.2 petrol Suzuki Splash at £120 with only 5g/km more emitted by the Mazda, aided by istop technology that turns off the engine when stationary, standard across the range. Furthermore,  at an average mpg figure of 42 for the CX-5, there is only 5 mpg that separates them, despite both cars being at opposite ends of the car spectrum. The CX-5 has a zesty feel through the two stage turbocharged 2184cc diesel, ubiquitous as it is the same unit available in the Mazda 3, 5 and forthcoming new 6. Economies of scale et al ensures Mazda’s tact to ensure 2.2 diesel supply ending that frustration of blighted UK launches and belated diesel engine inclusions for the previous Mazda 6 and CX-7  that is now only sold in China. Interestingly, the CX-7 had no more interior space than the CX-5 though the latter is a more appropriate choice on UK roads and won’t attract as much attention or jealousy. With an increased use of high-tensile steel and welding to increase rigidity, the CX-5 like most of Mazda’s range offers an invigorating drive and supple ride on UK roads. On Millbrook’s hill circuit, third gear coped with the majority of slopes with brake dabbing to curtail tyre squeal in the 2.2 diesel although frenetic bonnet wobble alarmed me on the bowl circuit where windscreen and bonnet air currents meet. Compared to the Subaru XV, the CX-5 felt more agile and lithe despite the XV having slightly more mass although I suspect the Subaru would be better off-road, having slightly more ground clearance and stiffer suspension than the CX-5.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Head and legroom are ample in the CX-5, cunningly aided by reducing seat runner length on the driver’s seat relative to passenger to ensure more knee and legroom for the passenger directly behind. The middle seat in the 40:20:40 ‘karakuri’ rear seating though, is narrow and would only suit children. Latching the outermost seat into vertical proved impossible on one of the early CX-5s so Mazda’s person (with screwdriver) started to dismantle the locking mechanism and duly stabbed himself in his palm. As others arrived to the rescue armed with bandaids, I made a hasty but discrete retreat from the scene! Storage space could be improved especially with reference to door pockets that get consumed by water bottles with little room for anything else. A pull-out tray could be included beneath the driver’s seat for obligatory iPhones or Kindles and iPods could be plugged into the jack within the centre console betweeen front seats but wouldn’t it be more pragmatic to have a side hinge to allow rear passengers access?

Our four by four, oops – All Wheel Drive model would be ideal with its 2000kg towing capacity (more than the equivalent XV) and added torque of the 175ps version but is not suitable for moderate off-roading as it hasn’t enough mass to press traction down or ground clearance for deeply rutted ground. After a walk on the Malvern hills, girlfriend and mother returned to the CX-5 for me to drive it down a narrow track towards the main road. In the process of coming to the junction, I decided to cut the corner to demonstrate suspension travel of the rear wheels ( I AM a party animal) which must have looked alarming though still appeared to make contact with the tarmac. When turning left, such was the contrast in camber between both roads, that the underside scraped to which my girlfriend’s mother calmly announced, “a car like this should be able to take it”. Later on, with a torch, I got under the rear bumper to survey that a towing socket had been bent back whilst there was a scrape over the left-hand silencer. I duly pulled the socket plate back to vertical whilst girlfriend prayed that collecting driver would not notice said damage. Apologies Mazda, it was done in the art of roadtesting!

Interestingly, Mazda has developed their Smart City Brake Support system as standard fitment for every CX-5 model moreover The Association of British Insurers has reduced every model by two groupings lower than their original insurance ratings. This significant safety aid acts between two and eighteen miles per hour when the majority of low speed accidents occur. It works by a laser detector mounted behind the rear view mirror and pre-fills brake chambers independently to avoid a frontal impact. A cynic such a myself could not resist finding a large empty car park complete with a pile of boxes to test the system. I firstly stacked four of them into one tall pile and coasted at ten miles per hour then took feet away from the pedals; a low pitch indicated by the brakes being applied by the car brought the Mazda to an undramatic stop although not quick enough to avoid the boxes that were knocked down from their stack. Subsequently, boxes were repositioned across two by two and a retest was conducted for … boxes to be flattened. I thought of trying to test with against a car – for one second. One YouTuber commented on that film to say that the system worked for him and enabled an accident to be avoided so I can only assume that it does work – with cars!

So, would I buy one? On the basis of having driven the 175ps All Wheel Drive diesel 2.2, then undoubtedly yes although I would opt for ’stone’ instead of black leather as it feels claustrophobic in the back combined with dark plastics and a small airplane-style window in the C-pillar. Our test car is priced at just under twenty nine thousand pounds but the range starts at a justifiable £21,395 for the 165 ps two litre petrol. The CX-5 is for parents who have traded in the RX-8 (now deleted from the UK range) but do not want to sacrifice driveability for practicality. Could RX-8 4 C-CX SUV be a new acronym to more accurately describe the CX-5?

Words, photos and film are copyright of Sotiris Vassiliou

January 2013 

I believe a pressure imbalance is what causes my motion sickness; when a classmate paid for us to go on the Big Wheel at the funfair, I spent the rest of week off school…sick. My ‘holiday’ sailing around the north European coast; the captain offered me a hunk of hard bread to chew on as I lay incapacitated on the boat’s deck – my dereliction of duty. Sicky sensations reoccurred when I first drove the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4. If you have driven a pick-up that has leafsprings as rear suspension, you will know what I mean – especially on speed bumps. Most of the 3008’s additional mass comes from a Nickel Metal-Hydride battery sited over the rear axle which is where my initial discomfort emanated from. On a more positive point, corners can be taken at a higher speed than normal because of a multi-arm rear suspension within which are housed the electric motor and reduction gearbox, giving a feeling of confidence and reassurance.

That this has a hybrid powertrain generating a potential 200bhp from a 163bhp 2.0 HDi engine over the front axle with a peak output of 37bhp over the rear wheels from a 27kW electric motor may not seem original yet the engine is diesel and both drivetrains create four-wheel-drive capability, which is. Range anxiety has been eliminated as both units operate alternatively or simultaneously which makes the dashboard display into a science lesson to discover how far you can travel on electric power or “zero emission” which, say Peugeot has a 1.2 mile ‘range’ from the 200V battery (guaranteed for five years or sixty thousand miles). That battery never loses below 20% of its charge as the diesel engine assists in boosting it so an unlikely coupling forged between diesel and electric power; a world’s first according to Peugeot. Everything is controlled electronically ‘by wire’ as there are no mechanical links between the front and rear drivetrains so following a trunk of orange plastic covered cabling from the engine bay then behind sills towards the rear axle may look like a piecemeal addition hindering four wheel off-roading in case you snag wiring. On tarmac, the 3008 storms away from traffic lights to highlight a maximum torque of 500Nm available; 300Nm from the front engine and 200Nm generated by the electric motor at the rear.

Costing ten thousand pounds more than a standard 3008 112 bhp diesel with no significant gain in ‘realworld’ fuel efficiency is a lot more to pay for a ‘hybrid’ label and zero road tax. An oxymoron, especially when the chosen 163 bhp HDi engine has been inserted when Peugeot has a smaller unit. Air conditioning and electric door mirrors also seem paradoxical in view of environmental credibility with their additional mass of componentry. Perhaps Peugeot will offer a more basic stripped out version like Kia have done with the new Rio 1.1 CRDi that does without air conditioning and alloy wheels? We averaged a combined fifty mpg on mostly motorways with some urban use so a faux pas on the part of Peugeot but I think with simplicity, it could be gain a market. A fact worthy of mention is the 106 Electric that remains the world’s best selling zero emissions car (nearly 10,000 vehicles were produced in total).  As for my pressure imbalance, it dissipated in the 3008 but not enough for me to view it as an economically viable purchase – at the moment.

Words and photos are copyright of Sotiris Vassiliou

November 2012

A left-hand drive Chevy Camaro…it’s girth spilled over one lane of the hill circuit so that it had to crawl patiently behind an army truck, my fear of painting the barriers red made me resist any overtaking temptation. This experience that could have occurred years ago; a lazy V8 burbled as I tentatively checked side mirrors. 

Cooled by Skoda’s smoothies during the heat of the day provided some respite and reflection; names are matched to faces that offer so much more than clinical e-mails. For example, workers from Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant voted unanimously for a pay freeze and different working hours within a new labour agreement to secure production of the forthcoming new Astra in 2015 to include more UK component manufacturers. Consequently, Opel’s Bochum plant in Germany was suspected to close.  

A jolly in a convertible Jaguar XKR-S is in order; lobster coloured interior contrasting tastefully with a white exterior. Having navigated the hardtop version the previous September, I had an idea of what would lay ahead although the echo of V8 snarl down the bendies of the hill circuit still burns in my memory cells even if body control is not the tightest. Selecting the correct driving line and achieving tyre scream on the cambered hairpin tests the geometry of suspension set-ups where I vividly recall locking- up the rear wheels of an Alfa Mito, ABS interfering too early to create sweaty palms. Time for something sensible…

Up! and Citigo are related by manufacturers, Volkswagen and Skoda and as their names suggest, the former is funkier. The rear shock absorbers are placed away from coil springs for ride quality of a larger car although the three cylinder engine has limitations; watching one driver downchange to second gear with a kangaroo hop towards the blind crest on the hill circuit looked comical. My money’s on the Citigo for being a practical five door in and around city ringroads and Tescos.

The new Beetle has been reincarnated for a more sympathetic redesign to the original. The 1.2 TSI that I first discovered in the Skoda Yeti in 2010 is rev happy on the hill circuit, perfectly mated to the Dynamic Shift gearbox. Turn in is sharp, reminding me of a 1979 Golf that I owned, with a balanced chassis providing no detectable body roll accelerating out of the bends. That was my drive of the day, more satisfying than a manual 1.4 TSI Beetle on the same stretch of tarmac. Another objective of my visit was NOT to be stopped by any marshal or head honcho of the ground who now drives a liveried Vauxhall Insignia. Time in a 1.6 CRDi Hyundai i20 to chase that Camaro which was within my sights; the Koreans build energetic diesels although they aren’t the quietest – bring back the 1.5 CRDi from the old Rio; I could get second gear wheelspin - foot fully down on a wet road!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Trying out my technique of choosing similar cars to test on the same route, I selected the Mazda CX-5 and Subaru XV; crossover SUVs similar in size and price. On the hill circuit, the CX-5 felt surprisingly lithe despite it having a slightly heavier mass than the XV. Third gear had ample rev range to handle the hill circuit with little need to change to second or fourth such is the fusion with two-scroll turbocharger. On the hillies at least, the Mazda won definitively with better poise and body control than the Subaru although I suspect the results may be rather different off-road. Four by four IS a dirty label these days!

After test days such as these, you think back to what you have driven and over time remember what you enjoyed and forget what you didn’t. The Volkswagen Beetle DSG 1.2 TSI was my most energised drive on the hill circuit whilst the Ford Focus 1.0 turbo was a revelation on the bowl as was heat, the engine dissipated after. Roll on next year where I will be jogging around Stewartby Lake thinking about my game plan-again!

Words and film are copyright of Sotiris Vassiliou

November 2012

A multi-talented sportsman, Andreas first affirmed his love for motorsports when he represented the Motocross national junior team.  He was a promising skier, competing in all disciplines of skiing and, at 12 years old, became a member of the Norwegian national junior alpine skiing team however a knee injury cut short his ski career, and at the age of 16 he turned his attention to rally driving. 2012 looks set to be his biggest year yet as he attempts to defend his Intercontinental Rally Challenge title in a ŠKODA UK Motorsport Fabia S2000, co-driven by Ola Fløene.

1.) Who is your driving hero and why?

“My driving hero is, for sure, Sébastien Loeb. What’s he’s achieved over the last nine years [he’s on course to win his ninth consecutive FIA World Rally Championship drivers’ title in 2012] is incredible. He’s still winning, he’s still hungry to perform well and he still wants more success. How he manages to keep his motivation to do all of this really impresses me.”

2.) How did Marcus Gronholm improve your driving techniques?

“Marcus came to see me in the winter of 2007-08 to help me with my driving technique and because of that I changed my style a lot – from being quite crazy in the slow parts of the stage to driving more neat and tidily, and that saves a lot of time. I’m slower into corners, faster out, the tyres don’t wear out so quickly and it’s safer, so there is no downside. Marcus came with me on a lot of gravel tests after that too and all his tips on driving, his thoughts on making pace notes, how to study and prepare for a rally – everything was good for me.”

3.) Compare Norwegian rally driving styles to that of British ones ?

“Because of the nature of the roads and the long winters, Norwegian drivers are good on gravel and loose surfaces. British drivers also have gravel rallies, but they also have tarmac rallies, which in Norway we don’t have so we don’t learn tarmac. I think British drivers are more all-rounders because they grow up on tarmac and gravel rallies and in Norway it’s only gravel and snow rallies – and snow rallying is more or less the same as gravel, except everything is white!”

4.) Which is your favourite road car?

“I have driven a lot of Škodas and I really like them. I have a Yeti for my road car in Norway, my recce car is an Octavia Scout and every time I come to the UK I like to drive a Fabia vRS. In fact, I have a bright yellow one that I like to drive – it’s great around London, but it’s also great for motorway journeys.                     My favourite road dream car is an Audi R8 GT. I saw one for the at the Bettega Memorial Rally at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy a few years ago and I fell in love with that car.”

5.) What advice would you give to potential rally drivers?

“I’ve had a lot of setbacks in my career. When you have success, you must enjoy it because there are many more setbacks than great results. The way you recover from a setback, and to have a never give up attitude, is very important for an athlete. If you have a bad result, it’s important you get straight back up on your feet and prove that you’re the best next time.”

6.) Do you have any routines/superstitions before stepping into your rally car?

“The only special routine I have is that I tighten my seatbelts really tight a lot of times. I know that the seatbelts are correct, but one minute before I start a stage I tighten my seatbelts five or six times just to double-check, even though I know everything is correct! “I have one superstition that nobody knows about. If I have not such a good first day in my rally car and it’s a two-day event, for the second day I never shower! I don’t know why, but it gives me this wild man feeling! If I have some time to catch up on the second day, I say to myself ‘okay, I need to be a wild man tomorrow’ and not showering is part of being wild. In the Ukraine last year, when we needed to try and catch up twenty seconds on Jan Kopecký [Škoda Motorsport driver], I went straight to bed with no shower and jumped straight into the same clothes as I did the day before. Then I’m a wild man! – and it’s flat out.”

Quotations and photograph are copyright of Skoda UK Motorsport’s Andreas Mikkelsen

Questioned by Sotiris Vassiliou

September 2012

motoview.co.uk was contacted by Mr. Philip Vulliamy regarding a “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit” advertised for sale at Revolution Motors, 1-3 Garden Street, Oldham, Manchester OL1 3PY:

HONDA JAZZ 1.2 FIT PETROL

Vehicle Summary

For more info on this vehicle call our showroom on 0161 621 0900

This car has done 46000 miles, is a 2 owner vehicle and has FREE 3 MONTHS RAC WARRANTY INC PARTS , and LABOUR, FREE 3 MONTHS BREAKDOWN COVER, WITH HOME START, FREE 7 DAYS DRIVE AWAY INSURANCE, HPI CLEAR, PDI CHECK, FULL VALET, TAX UNTIL 05/2012, 12 MONTHS MOT INCLUDED, THIS IS AN CAR IS IN GOOD CONDITION, AND SOME OF THE FEATURES, ON THIS CAR INCLUDE AIR CONDITIONING, PRIVACY GLASS, CD, ELECTRIC WINDOWS, MUCH MUCH MORE CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION

 * Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the above information but errors may occur. Please check with a salesperson.

During an arranged viewing of the “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit”, Mr. Vulliamy “asked repeatedly how many owners the car had had” to which he received an evasive response; “at no point were we told that it was an import even though we asked about the fact that it was called a ‘Fit’, rather than a ‘Jazz’.”

The invoice of sale for the “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit” contained no reference at all to the word ‘import‘ despite DVLA records stating that the “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit” was first registered on 1st June 2005 and subsequently reregistered on the 2nd December 2008 in the UK. The “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit” spent the first three and a half years outside the UK.

Furthermore, DVLA states the engine cubic capacity as 1330cc (or 1.4), and not “1.2” as advertised on the Revolution Motors’ website. The vehicle is a ‘Honda Fit’ as the badge on the tailgate states, and not “Honda Jazz Fit” as written in the advert on the Revolution Motors’ website. These three inaccuracies are in direct and clear contravention of The Trades Description Act (1968).

Another anomaly appeared on the sales invoice with the stated mileage (written as 53,000 miles when the Honda Fit allegedly has 46,000 miles calculated by Company Director, Mr. Imran Khadam when converted from kilometres) that would have invalidated the warranty if needed to be used.

There were clear clues that the “Honda Jazz Fit” had been imported despite the inaccurate advertisement from Revolution Motors.  ‘Fit’ as opposed to ‘Jazz’ is the biggest oddity with a square rear number plate used to use existing screw holes; narrower plates being used in the Far East. Information from a DVLA free vehicle enquiry on their website confirmed its dual nationality; engines, gearboxes and specification may be different to cars in Europe. 

motoview.co.uk e-mailed Revolution Motors regarding the misleading “Honda Jazz 1.2 Fit” advertisement although Company Director, Mr. Imran Khadam, has still not returned a £500 deposit back to Mr. Vulliamy. More a rip-off than a Revolution in Motors!

Quotes from Philip Vulliamy

August 2012

Trading Standards began an investigation into Revolution Motors after receiving a number of complaints from people alleging that they had been sold cars with false mileages.

Officers found one of the vehicles was returned by a customer after they discovered it had travelled more than 127,000 miles rather than the 30,000 miles claimed by the firm, based on Garden Street , Oldham .

Revolution Motors then readvertised the same vehicle as having travelled 35,000 miles and subsequently sold it onto a second unsuspecting customer.

On January 11 at Oldham Magistrates’ Court Revolution Motors pleaded guilty to four offences relating to the sale of two vehicles between April and June 2011.

The firm was prosecuted under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Fraud Act 2006.

The company was fined a total of £9,000 and ordered to pay full prosecution costs of £4,940.

Councillor Jean Stretton, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Devolved Services, said: “A car is one of the most expensive things people will ever purchase so they must get value for money. 

“We will not allow traders to rip people off by selling vehicles that have been clocked and we will always prosecute.”

Consumers need to be cautious when purchasing a used vehicle and seek confirmation of any claims or descriptions prior to purchase.

Oldham Council Press release feed

January 2013