So my PR guy called up Porsche and asked if we could get any Porsche model for our usual test-drive period, which is typically over several days. The Porsche people fired back that their test drive policy is the same for the media as it is for the public. So if you have some kind of undying love for these cars and want to abuse one, read on.
The Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG will be used as the official safety car for the 2008 season of Formula 1 racing. The SL63 is one of those Black Edition models, with lightened panels and a fixed roof. In addition, the official medical car will be a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG station wagon.
So I had this Bentley Continental GT Speed at hand, and I was wondering what to do with it, besides the usual battery of tests. I’ve been in the United Arab Emirates my whole life, and I hadn’t seen that popular Jebel Hafeet road yet. I also heard that at the top of the mountain road is a flat piece of pavement, so I grabbed two buddies, threw a barbeque kit into the luggage trunk and set off to Al Ain and see this road for myself.
The 2008 Geneva Auto Show is on, and one of the big debuts at the show is the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4.
That’s right. While parent company VW/Audi thinks we are a second-degree publication, their luxury arm Bentley thankfully works independently of them. So while we are not worthy of the holy VW Beetle, we are still good for a lowly Continental GT. And not just any GT. It’s the Continental GT Speed.
The 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco was supposed to be unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show this March, but photos of the new hatchback have already been leaked. While the car does not have the usual corporate grille design, poor VW doesn’t seem to understand that yet another similar car is going to cut into sales of their own Golf GTI, Seat Leon Cupra and Audi A3. Having a bunch of overlapping cars so similar to each other is what put them in financial trouble, among other things.
Ford has pretty much confirmed that they’ve sold their Land Rover and Jaguar divisions as a package deal to Indian carmaker Tata. It is expected that US$ 2 billion will change hands, and the official announcement will be made at the beginning of March during the 2008 Geneva Auto Show.
The 2008 Geneva Auto Show is nearing, but Volvo jumped the gun and revealed their all-new XC60 compact 4WD softroader. Quite possibly based on some Ford platform, the 2009 XC60 is admittedly aiming for a small niche market among Volvo fanboys, if there is such a thing.
Ford will be pulling the wraps off its first crossover 4WD in Europe next month in Geneva. Based on a previous concept, the Kuga is what the GCC would’ve got here if that niche wasn’t filled in by the Escape.
Based on the Lotus Elise, the Rinspeed sQuba concept, to be shown at the Geneva Auto Show soon, is an all-electric vehicle with three motors, one to drive the car on land and two to power a pair of screw-drives for underwater movement. These are aided by two Seabob jet-drives that “breathe” through rotating louvers mounted on the car’s fenders and appear to give the car its manoeuvrability underwater.