Driving Impressions

FRANKFURT, Germany – Accommodating a new 2,0-litre turbopetrol motor that propels its metabolism 55 kW beyond its already punchy predecessor, the new John Cooper Works Clubman shares the mantle of Mini’s most powerful production model to date. But it’s a surprisingly subtle package. ...

MADRID, Spain - Any discussion on the Mercedes-AMG A45 S is inevitably peppered with hot hatch superlatives: its new 2,0-litre powertrain is the world’s most powerful series-production four-cylinder engine; its claimed 0-100 km/h sprint time dips under four seconds; it could cost more than a million ...

Last year marked the 50th anniversary of one of the most outlandish cars BMW has ever built. We headed to Munich’s autobahns and surrounding country lanes to drive the CSL... The moment I clap eyes on it as I walk through the beautiful arched entrance of BMW Classic, the parked CSL leaves an indelible ...

PORT ELIZABETH, Eastern Cape – My memory of the Toyota Supra is a pretty standard one: using a grey PlayStation controller to pilot a pixelated Mk4 (with very little skill) round the simplest tracks I could find in 1997’s Gran Turismo. My fascination with this particular car was deepened ...

CAPE TOWN – Vanilla-flavoured ice-cream is always a conservative but safe choice. My mom had a confectionary shop that also sold ice-cream. I used to sample all the flavours, including chocolate (sprinkled with nuts), rum 'n' raisin, peppermint and strawberry, to name but a few. After a couple ...

JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng – Life’s not easy for C-segment hatchbacks at the moment. South African buyers – just like the majority of their global counterparts – continue to turn to the all-conquering crossover in droves, leaving most traditional family hatches floundering near the ...

MUNICH, Germany - In 2010, a now regularly cited study revealed 80% of BMW 1 Series owners thought their cars were driven by their front wheels. This may have played a role in BMW deciding to switch from rear- to front-wheel drive for its new entry-level range. The more likely reasons are cost considerations, ...

The original Mini is the celebrated hero of the working class. We jumped behind the wheel of a Cooper S to celebrate its global impact... Over its 41-year lifecycle, the original Mini was a Jack of all trades: an everyday car of the people, star of the silver screen and champion on the racetrack. Where ...

FIFE, Scotland – What the purists don’t mention when demanding new models created specifically with them in mind is that, in modern terms, a “purist’s” car is actually a bit of a chore to drive. Yes, words like “engaging” and “visceral” often best ...