http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/ It's motoring but not as you know it ... en Copyright 2008 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:58:11 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss audi Faced with a subject like today's Audi it is tempting to burn up a few paragraphs writing about cheese, or how splendid it is that Gordon has gone to Southwold on his jollies, a far cry from the antics of his rictus-beaked predecessor, jetting off to enjoy a free one in Tuscany. The most obvious topic would have been the Olympics but I have little interest in muscular women wearing tight knickers. And even less in similarly dressed men. And is it really such a surprise that out of 1,321,851,888 billion-ish people, enough can be recruited to put on a large scale display of floodlit line dancing? However all that must be put to one side to explain what the difficulty is in writing about the Audi A4 Avant 3.0 TDI Quattro. In brilliant red. Apart from a name very nearly as long as Premier Wen Jiabao's speech to the National People's Congress it is just so damned good any copy is likely to appear penned by a man wearing an Audi cap on a free holiday to Beijing. Audi's range does not so much fill niche needs as minuscule cracks in the plaster. In the UK over 159 models are available with a ast caralogue of trim variations. This is almost personal. The red TDI is in fact for Mr Cavendish Trouser-Presse of BR10 1KJ, will pay £30,300 for the basic. model. This is almost all the cars you could ever want. Interior finish is superb with soft touch plastics and faux wood or alloy inlaid fascia. It has performance, the V6 diesel turbo engine will top 150mph and the six-speed Avant reaches 60mph in 6.3 seconds. Yes, that's for a diesel estate car that also manages 40mpg and is in the 188gm/km tax band F. On top of that it's a Quattro, so while that won't produce a gold medal in the synchronised mountain biking, there is some enhanced rough ground traction and superb grip on the road. Do not expect a spine-tingling driving experience. The TDI is hardly aimed at track day anoraks. Rather it is a quality car with several potential benefits including carrying a fair load. Of the extras, cruise control I would expect for nothing.The highlights are a sunroof which exposes as much sky as the Hubble telescope for £1,100, electric seats so versatile you can throw your Parker Knoll in the skip and a power operated tailgate which almost makes being old and infirm attractive. There are also a couple of low cost options that make practical sense. The load area rail and fixing kit is only £150 but for mucky pups an £85 reversible boot mat is a godsend. Well there you have it and it only remains to assure you I am not sat at the back of the main stand in a smog mask wearing an Audi rally jacket.]]> http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/370812061/audi_a4_3litre_tdi_quattro_ava.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/audi_a4_3litre_tdi_quattro_ava.html Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:58:11 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/audi_a4_3litre_tdi_quattro_ava.html roony Wayne Rooney wing A wing Mirror A story is circulating that Mercedes-Benz has signed a £1 million contract making Wayne Rooney its new ambassador. Merecedes says this is not true. The company said:"Mercedes-Benz has supplied a CL63 AMG Coupé to Wayne Rooney under a similar arrangement to those supplied to other high profile individuals in the world of sport. We never disclose details of individual arrangements but can confirm that the arrangement does not and will not make Mr Rooney an official representative of the Mercedes-Benz brand." Reports had claimed the 22-year-old sealed a two-year deal last week and has already taken delivery of the car worth £121,200. He has previously owned a Chrysler 300C so his endorsement is staying in the family. I do not know what 'our Coleen' drives. Anyway, ambassador or not, not a bad smoker for match days or training at The Cliff. In fact, this may upset Ronaldo, who appears to have only a deal for a pram out of which he can throw his dummy. In case there is any visual confusion he gets the whole car. The sticky-out bits are, in fact, the wing mirrors.]]> http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/368904572/wayne_rooney_is_man_in_a_merce_1.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/wayne_rooney_is_man_in_a_merce_1.html chrysler cl coleen mercedes pram ronaldo rooney exclusive wane Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:25:23 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/wayne_rooney_is_man_in_a_merce_1.html Events over the last week, no not the international school sports, have shown us that no matter how little ice is left for the polar bears, fossil fuels are a most important consideration in any future the world has. As in if the Russians were to cut off our gas would we nuke Roman Abramovich? I have always said that we worry too much about wet feet and the slow rise in tides when dependence on oil has the potential to end life as we know it in double quick time. So we need to use less of it, while using taxes milked from motorists to replace it as number one fuel. Consider, then, the following; Antonov Automotive Technologies estimates that its mechanical supercharger could be used to reduce the size of a car's engine by up to 50 per cent so it would use less fuel and produce fewer CO2 emissions, but still provide good performance. Valeo of France, uses electromagnetic controls to open and shut valves instead of pushrods operated by a camshaft, can cut fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in a car by up to 20 per cent. And Fiat's Multiair engine, due in about a year, will use hydraulics and electronics to optimise valve settings and be combined with a turbocharger in a two-cylinder engine that performs like a bigger four-cylinder one. Using 20 per cent less fuel. Others are working on engines that can switch between four-stroke and two-stroke running which would improve fuel economy by 27 per cent over a traditional engine while reducing size and complexity. The result may be a petrol engine car that easily achieves 100mpg. It's a start. Alternatively we may be looking at real boom times. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/368080439/the_100mpg_car_one_way_to_avoi.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/the_100mpg_car_one_way_to_avoi.html Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:49:31 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/the_100mpg_car_one_way_to_avoi.html bond Ah, Mr Bond, I have been expecting you... but not in a small Ford hatchback. The next Bond adventure, 'Quantum of Solace', will feature a cameo appearance from Ford's new Ka. It will make its screen debut alongside the film's leading lady, Olga Kurylenko. Kurylenko plays Camille, a woman with her own personal mission and who quickly becomes an unlikely ally for Bond and suffers from an inability to keep her clothes on when he is around, a condition known by doctors as 'horny'.. The 'Quantum of Solace' Ka has metallic gold paint and an exclusive exterior graphics and interior trim combination. Right, lets look at the way things are going. Firstly, cool actors like Connery, Moore and Brosnan have been replaced by a skinny guy who might well be a jobbing plumber. Then he gets a Mondeo in Casino Royale. Okay, so he's a rep. Or in the caravan club. Now it's torture by blousey bird in a hatchback. Genius. Any man who normally drives an Aston would rather have his cordobas cantabas flogged with knotted rope than accept a lift in a gold girly car. But then Daniel Craig has already sat through that one.]]> http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/365624053/ford_ka_to_star_in_next_bond_m.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/ford_ka_to_star_in_next_bond_m.html Aston Bond clothes Connery Craig Ford horny Ka Moore Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:24:41 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/ford_ka_to_star_in_next_bond_m.html Further to the silliest names in the world, I followed an imported MPV badged Enima. Yes, I know the spelling is different but the sentiment remains the same. Thought you should know. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/364705710/well_get_to_the_bottom_of_this.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/well_get_to_the_bottom_of_this.html enema import silly names Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:23:02 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/well_get_to_the_bottom_of_this.html sportwagon There can be no other car maker that has stuck with a single marketing concept as long as Saab; it has wheels, it has seats therefore is clearly an aeroplane. In fact let's call the top models 'Aero' and hope those dumb Anglo-Saxons don't think it's a chocolate bar. However, simply calling yourself Sven Biggles is no longer enough in an increasingly complex marketplace. The 9-3 SportWagon is a car for the thinking outdoor family, all fresh snow and nourishing lingonberries. Designed with Scandinavia in mind, which means it will be as safe as an Anglican church barbecue and have a fancy handling system to prevent over-familiarity with moose. Also useful in Wilmslow. Considering the Nordic lands spawned the far from health and safety conscious Vikings, Saab lovers revel in knowing you can drive one of these cars head on into Jupiter and walk away unscathed. Like Abba fans, repeat Saab owners have the warm and cuddly reassurance of always knowing what they are getting, from looks essentially unchanged since the dawn of Ingmar Bergman to an ignition still lurking between the front seats. Externally the 9-3 could best be described as a bit more interesting than the last. Then there is the turbo, always a turbo. Except in the case of the SportWagon 1.9 TTiD you get two. This is billed as yet another safety feature, bringing a full-range boost to overtaking capability.Which can from time to time leave you compromised in other areas. So chassis design allows the car to steer with all four wheels and there's something called cross wheel drive, a traction system available on Aero models. Ah, the turbos. Would you like to know about them or leave the room to make a cup of tea? This is a first on a diesel executive sector model. A smaller turbo pushes the engine to1,500rpm where the larger unit joins in, taking over entirely at 3,000rpm. Therefore 90 per cent of torque is available from 1,750rpm. Two sugars, please. So, sport and wagon? Well the fastback profile reduces boot space and you may have to consider a smaller dog. However, this is a roomy compromise between saloon and full-blown estate car. As for performance, hanging it out in corners is not what Saab ownership is noted for. Maximum velocity is 137ph and 60mph comes up in a respectable 8.3 seconds. There will be more interest in the comprehensive technology-heavy equipment available for the basic £27,495. That and an almost soporific drive. The SportWagon is more calming than valium. A sensation enhanced by almost 50mpg despite forgetting half the time it had a sixth gear. In all then, the same steady comfort and quality Saab owners have come to expect with the technical innovation of the twin turbos. Situation normal, so please remain seated with your seatbelts on until the aircraft has come to a complete standstill. ]]> http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/362817477/saab_93_twin_turbo_sportwagon.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/saab_93_twin_turbo_sportwagon.html estae road test saab sport sportwagon turbo twin turbo Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:45:44 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/saab_93_twin_turbo_sportwagon.html Mazda Autozam Carol MeLady Mazda Bongo Brawny Mazda Bongo Friendee Mazda Proceed Marvie Will Breeze Mitsubishi Canter Guts Mitsubishi Mini Active Urban Sandal Mitsubishi Mum 500 Shall We Join Us Nissan Big Thumb Harmonised Truck Nissan Cedric Nissan Leopard J Ferie Subaru Domingo Aladdin Subaru Sambar Dias Astonish!! Subaru Gravel Express and Bistro Vivio Suzuki Alto Afternoon Tea Suzuki Every Joy Pop Turbo Toyota Estima Lucida G Luxury Joyful Canopy Yamaha Pantryboy Supreme]]> http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/360236191/whats_in_a_name_a_good_laugh_t.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/whats_in_a_name_a_good_laugh_t.html Sat, 09 Aug 2008 09:48:55 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/whats_in_a_name_a_good_laugh_t.html delicia First and foremost my sympathy goes to the family of Irene and Jackie Treverrow, who died when their grey import Mitsubishi Delicia rolled over on the M6. After police tests seem to show this model to be unstable over 60mph in certain circumstances, the family is considering legal action, presumably against the Mitsubishi Corporation. Right, a couple of points in the light, or rather shadow, of all this. If you go down to the docks today, you are in for a big surprise if you think cars manufactured for the Japanese domestic market are the same as those for the British. Obviously the first thing you will notice is the silly names and if you tune in tomorrow I will give you the top-ten bonkers monikers, pop pickers. Then there is the spec. Oh boy do they get more bang for their buck in Osaka. These models come fully loaded because buttons bells and gilded chop sticks is the package demanded in Japan. However, while all this is fine and Bongo Bongo Friendee the pitfalls are not so obvious. Firstly there's the very baseline problem; a car with no history. Now, while Tokyo's finest are hardly likely to come knocking in Rishworth, stolen greys are not unusual. Neither are greys with a colourful history in the body repair shop. Oh, and be aware imports can have what the trade calls a 'haircut' on the boat over. We call it clocking. Most of all, even if we do drive on the same side of the road, British and Japanese conditions are different 4x4s for the UK, to take an instance, are better protected against our weather and salty roads. Japanese manufacturers make it clear that those cars they have built for the European market and those for home consumption vary greatly. There is a swathe of models that never make it here because they were never designed to do so. Conversely the Subaru Impreza is more or less that same car, as is the Pajero/Shogun. Apparently this was not the case with the Delicia which Mitsubishi had never intended to export. We all love a bargain but grey imports can be costly beyond that dockside auction price. ]]> http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/359398226/beware_your_grey_doesnt_turn_t.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/beware_your_grey_doesnt_turn_t.html Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:48:55 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/beware_your_grey_doesnt_turn_t.html evox At this time of year rural pubs heave with chicken-calved walkers wearing rucksacks after the style of a medieval jousting weapon. Every time they turn round to discuss one of the many exciting, wind enhancing, real ales customers are battered senseless. All yards from civilisation. The wildlife wears T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops. This countryside is only red in lip and false acrylic nail. So why the Trek-Nepal boots and Hebridian fisherman's socks? When does the German submarine captain want his pullover back? For sanity's sake, Moses led the tribes of Israel out of Egypt in only his nightshirt . What is really annoying is the glaring at drivers as if they were piloting the very horses of the apocalypse. And the harder the car, the harder the stare. Therefore, in the Lancer Evolution X I might just as well have been stark naked with my arm around the vicar's wife. Or her husband. In no way could the Evo be described as anonymous. Which should come as a relief to anyone who has paid £32,349 for an FQ 300. Of course in the current climate an Evo is not going to impress many beyond the PlayStation generation. And apparently they won't have saved up for one until the ice has melted and we are all getting around in canoes. The 300 is the acceptable face of Evo ownership, if such a state of grace exists. A full 1.6 seconds slower to 60mph than the 4.1 second 380, it still has the same top speed of 155mph but from a tamer two-litre turbocharged engine delivering 291bhp. That, as it turns out, is no reason to scorn the softer of the three versions. The 300 has a paddle shift automatic, dual-clutch gearbox and such precise handling that it seems much quicker than the numbers predict. I defy anyone who has ever had even the slightest interest in driving not to get a buzz from the keenness of the X entering a corner. At which point in the past you would have loaded the Evo onto its trailer and towed it away from the track in something less punishing to the spine. Not now. The tenth incarnation is obviously going to be a hard ride but is as happy on the road as the latest Scooby Impreza. The difference being that the 300 does not look like it was designed by a council planning committee. Inside, like a minor road accident, there is nothing much to look at. Move along please to the brilliant seats and a brilliant touch-screen sat nav. Cost of ownership? Oh, come on. This is something you want not need. Fuel consumption at no better than 26mpg is cheeky. At a low end 16mpg it's brazen. However, unlike earlier versions the X does not need servicing every 30 minutes. This is assured jump starting of the heart. The better road manners just make buying one more justifiable. Which will have you marked down as an enemy of the state but even with grew six, ten-foot legs it still beats walking.]]> http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/358233383/when_you_walk_through_a_storm.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/when_you_walk_through_a_storm.html boots hiking playstaion rucksack storm Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:48:55 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/when_you_walk_through_a_storm.html New figures reveal that almost three quarters of British motorists would consider driving an electric car to save the Dartford reed warbler. Younger motorists are more likely to buy environmentally friendly cars such as electric, hybrid or bio-fuel; 81 per cent of under 25's would contemplate driving an electric car. This may be due to the associated lower costs of motoring - freedom from high petrol prices, road tax and congestion charges plus access to cut-price parking but in fact is more likely to be that the younger we are the more radically gullible we are. The over 55's appear more set in their ways, only 66 per cent giving the possibility any thought while sorting through some old gardening jackets or struggling at the urinal to pump personal ship. This is wholly understandable. The young will worry for worrying's sake if they think their future may be bleak. They have so much left to do, so many snogs unsnogged and sunsets on the beach unwatched. They have yet to leave a mark on the world and when they do they don't want it to be an untimely obituary. I well remember in the late 70s and early 80s being concerned not just that my future may be bleak but that it may, in fact, not exist at all. I truly feared that the last TV broadcast I would watch would feature peanut-faced Jimmy Carter and start with the words: "My fellow Americans we stand today on the brink of..." and end with a bright light in the evening sky. Did my reluctance to die young in a brief exchange of ICBMs stop the over 55s zimmering to the brink of nuclear war? Nah. Young people, listen up. The oldies have the power. And the toothless get ruthless. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/356299075/saving_the_planet_is_a_young_m.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/saving_the_planet_is_a_young_m.html Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:26:22 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/saving_the_planet_is_a_young_m.html A survey has revealed that one in four women drivers would flutter lashes or flash a hint of cleavage to beat being nicked. In a survey of 2,181 drivers Diva, a car insurance provider for women, found that 34% of 18-24 year olds said they'd give or would consider giving a traffic warden an eyeful to keep is digital in its holster. The mature driver has more driving decorum, with 61% of over 45 year olds refusing to even consider flirting if caught flouting the law. Drivers from Yorkshire displayed the most temptress tendencies - 25% said they'd turn on the charm if faced with potential penalty points, while 7% of Londoners admitted to already having had a go at charming their way out of trouble. A 22-year-old called Kelissa Skydigital Lambrini from an estate in Kirkby said anyone looking down her front would get gobbed. A few thoughts occur, not least what an appallingly sexist business this just-for-women insurance lark is. Secondly what a waste of bloody money. Have a word with that Mark Anthony, women have been winking and waggling since the dawn of time to get what they want. Said Delilah today: "That Sampson wasn't 'alf has 'ard as he thought he was after a quick flutter of me curling tongue." Eve was at the greengrocers and unavailable for comment. As for the traffic wardens, the real story would have been finding one capable of appreciating what he was looking at. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/355544886/dirty_flirt_drivers_flash_to_k.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/dirty_flirt_drivers_flash_to_k.html Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:28:05 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/dirty_flirt_drivers_flash_to_k.html British motorsport specialist, Prodrive, has designed lightweight horse stirrups made from carbon fibre. Oh God, is it so bad? Does the company that did such delightfuly naughty things to Imprezas know something we don't? Coming soon, sustainable fuel. Oats. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/353718327/saddle_up_for_a_sustainable_fu.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/saddle_up_for_a_sustainable_fu.html Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:53:06 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/saddle_up_for_a_sustainable_fu.html There's a bloke around our way who has made a good living buying cars from private adverts, adding 'a drink', two hundred quid say, and floging them on to the trade or sourcing them to order and budget. Much less worrying than the auctions. Now he has gone into 'recycling.' He buys real lemons, dogs, sheds and smokers then flogs them asap to the scap man on the docks. He is making money risk free with few overheads. Get in the queue. Such is the value of scrap, and the ease of turning a wedge you wonder why anyone would be other than legit. But that's life. One scam is to tour around looking for cars parked a while on pub and other private car parks then getting the propert owner to let you to take them away. You may know this as theft. Others simply nick the best bits at night. Which is why Retainagroup is working with Ford to provide a method of marking catalytic converters. Chummies across the UK are stealing cats at an increasing rate. The precious metal content fetches around £100 and the scuffers don't seem to be able to do much about it, the underside of cars being dark and wet. Each mark, applied to the casing of the catalytic converter, comprises a logo a seven-digit code and a 24-hour telephone number.  Once the mark has been applied, the unique code is recorded with vehicle and owner details on the register and can be verified immediately at any time.  Marking and registration packs will be available from Ford dealerships either as individual customer kits priced at £11.87, or 'fleet packs' containing marking material for 30 vehicles, priced at £136.85. Two crocodile clips and a few metres of sturdy cable long enough to reach the mains are considerabley less expensive. What? http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/352617135/take_at_look_at_scrap_values_t.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/take_at_look_at_scrap_values_t.html Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:29:51 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/08/take_at_look_at_scrap_values_t.html So, Tesco is going to sell cars. They will be delivered to buyers' homes in the same way the supermarket delivers groceries. That'll be in a small box van then, for a £5 fee. I look forward to the full might and culture of the supermarket experience being transferred to the struggling world of car retail. Will there be two for one offers or will disgruntled customers simply be told to bog off? Will there be club card points on cars and extra ones for people reusing their old models? What will be the Tesco policy on free range vehicles like 4x4s? Coming soon, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall on the scandal of the battery batteries. Presumably there will be more then one specification in each range; finest, standard and value. Not forgetting the healthy organic option at a large premium. When buying a car will punters be offered help with their packing and have the chance to donate small change to the local junior cricket club? And most importantly; will Tesco undertake to open another road if more than two cars are queuing at the traffic lights? http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/350440813/tesco_to_sell_cars_well_every.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/07/tesco_to_sell_cars_well_every.html assets banking car retail cars fearnly frozen hugh organic tesco value whittingstall Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:17:47 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/07/tesco_to_sell_cars_well_every.html Family cars can be dificult. They are are all things to all men. As a golden rule there must be nothing about a volume seller that could be described as 'different'. Remember the first Sierra? That was different. So different, it brought with it an unprecedented boost in sales. For the Vauxhall Cavalier. And French cars have suffered for their art to the extent that Citroen now prefers to be thought of as German. What makes episodes with family favourites so difficult is there is only so much you can say about cargo nets, under seat storage and cup holders. Almost immediately we are into Isofix child seats and, frankly, I would rather write about my socks. There is always going to be a lot more inspiration to be had behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi Evo, or Jaguar XKR. Or even a Daihatsu Materia. The trouble is that driving a car identifiably fast and expensive is likely to get you stoned to death by enviro-trogs. Driving a model that attracts band Gordon tax is about as socially inclusive as a Herod Was Right T-shirt in a childrens hospital. Then there's the cost of a tank of petrol, which in today's money is at least two essential body parts and your eldest daughter. Go for the 900cc Funky Chicken Flatpack if you must, there is plenty to admire and enjoy but colleagues will laugh as surely as if you turn up at work wearing slippers. Landing us painfully on the horns of a dilemma. You have a need for family transport with some room for a modern hobby like organic kite flying or off-road Tai chi. What you don't want is branding a planet murderer or to be seen driving a car inspired by Emperor Hirohito's hat. For you then, the Ford Mondeo estate is a well priced dog and two kids option. For me it's a week in Frinton. Actually there is something surprising about the Mondeo, it can carry more than the closely related antique dealers' favourite Volvo V70. A useful 145-litres more. Good Lord, that's almost a whole David Dickinson. In fact it is almost as big as the fat old Scorpio in which several lost tribes of the Andes could be hidden and parts of Shergar. Thankfully it is also much better looking if less dramatic. See Sierra, above. The engine range is huge, from a sand-in-its-face 109bhp to muscular 2.5 five-cylinder. Diesels range from 99bhp 1.8s to the 172bhp, six-speed 2.2-litre TDCi which we will look at today. Surprise number two is performance. A top speed of 139mph and 0-60mph in 8.2 seconds is not at all bad for a car with the capacity of Lake Windermere. In fact these are numbers that put the Mondeo in BMW 5-Series and Merc E-class territory. For around two-grand less, more for the Merc. And in standard form the Ford does not come fitted out as a cave. Driving dynamics are hardly a compromise, either. You can choose the options of interactive control with sport, normal and comfort settings but don't bother. The Mondeo is set up for great grip levels, free of wallow in the corners and punching well above its class weight. No one can argue about the amount of kit you get. Even entry level Edge versions come with air conditioning and 2.2 comes only at Titanium X level which means pretty18-inch alloys and shiny twin exhausts are standard as is Bluetooth, leather trim, automatic wipers and lights. All for £25, 100 There, that wasn't so difficult. It's just an ordinary family car that isn't at all ordinary. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrivingPassion/~3/348201510/ford_mondeo_tdci_estate_road_t.html http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/07/ford_mondeo_tdci_estate_road_t.html Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:44:01 +0000 http://drivingpassion.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/07/ford_mondeo_tdci_estate_road_t.html