Rob’s Vauxhall Insignia: Long term update
Resident PetrolBlogger, Rob Griggs-Taylor is back with an update on his Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 EcoFlex Elite. For the earlier review, have a look here, or to follow Rob on twitter, click here.
In 1973 BMW launched the 2002 Turbo onto an unsuspecting market. It was their first turbocharged car, producing around 170BHP which gave it the ability to accelerate from 0-60mph in a whisker under seven seconds. It became a legend, partly because of the bright reversed ’2002 Turbo’ badging on the front spoiler, the fact that only 1,672 were produced in a two-year production run and because the turbo lag was epic. The power delivery was reputedly all or nothing, leading to some exciting rear-first exits to corners. Read more 
FailCar visits the NEC Classic Motor Show
Last weekend, FailCar took a trip to the Classic Motor Show at the NEC. Here he does his best for marital harmony by putting together a list of cars that should be part of our eBay watch lists. I’m sure I once read that divorce rates went up in the winter and that Christmas is a big contributor to this fact. Personally, I think the Classic Motor Show is to blame. But whatever, here’s FailCar…
I do love the classic car show, but for me it’s always a dangerous time of year. The nights draw in and all of a sudden the idea of having another winter project starts to pop into my head. I never really get that excited by the ‘exotic’ stuff on display, but what does get me excited is all the stuff that’s within reach. You know the sort of classics that can be had for a couple of grand, tops.
And it hardly seems fair that I have to go through the punishing temptation, so I figured this time round I would focus on all the stuff that’s ‘attainable’. Read more
Ralph Hosier’s Rover 75
Evo magazine’s tame engineer is back on PetrolBlog with some words on his Rover 75. For more of Ralph, follow him on twitter at @RalphHosier or check out his brilliant TechnoBlog.
What do you think of when you see a Rover 75? Flat cap, maybe? Or perhaps you see slow progress on roads near old people’s homes? Rover spent millions developing that image, unintentionally of course, but is it deserved?
Like many car enthusiasts I had dismissed the slightly bulbous retro styled granny wagon as being too dull and unreliable, but after a fellow writer waxed lyrical about the 75′s virtues I started looking into it in a bit more detail and found that there was a lot more going for it than I had realised. Read more
Ton’s view on the 2011 MINI Clubman
Ton Dumans, PetrolBlog’s Dutch correspondent, is back with some thoughts on his MINI Clubman. Over to you, Ton.
As luck would have it, I found myself sooner than expected in the position to replace my Honda Civic Hybrid as a daily driver. After having driven a sensible, cheap car for nearly three years, I wanted something a little less dull. A bit more me, rather than another dime-a-dozen chickenbox. Where do you start with this in mind? Honestly, I had no clue. Until a year ago, I had never considered a MINI. It simply had not occurred to me. This was until I had the opportunity to drive a colleague’s MINI Cooper that was being used on loan from a BMW dealer when his 116i was in repair. I was pleasantly surprised by a car that, until then, I had only seen as a nice shopping trolley. The car felt like a go-kart, and perhaps even more importantly, it put a smile on my face. Read more
FailCar rants: Flag-based road safety
It’s been too long since @FailCar has had a rant. Well actually, that’s not strictly true as he tends to rant quite a bit on twitter. But it’s all good stuff, as this piece of inspired thinking highlights.
Eighty-Miles-Per-Hour. That was the hot topic of discussion when the government announced that it was thinking about increasing the motorway speed limit. Now I don’t know where you stand on this and to be honest, I’m not sure I know which side of the fence I’m on either, but one thing I certainly don’t agree with is:
“We will get to places faster, it will be more economical and will help boost Britain’s economy”
What? That’s utter twaddle and I’m sure I don’t need to explain to anyone with a brain reading this that it’s simply not true. Read more
Ton’s Real World Dream Barn
PetrolBlog’s Dutch correspondent flies over with details of his Real World Dream Barn. He’s clearly not afraid to bend the rules a little!
As you may or may not have not have read in my bio, for as long as I can remember, I’m not really much of petrol head, but all the more a Porsche head. So when thinking about a Real World Dream Barn, I could easily fill the whole list with ten Porsches and be perfectly happy. Or just buy a 959 and be done. Read more
Duncan McVitie’s position on the Lotus Elan M100
Duncan McVitie takes a break from French Fancies to write some words on the Lotus Elan. No, not that one, the M100…
Winter. The most logical time of year for me to write a blog about a convertible – since I refuse to use mine in the rain or snow, I may as well write about it.
So, continuing with the theme of glorious failures from my Avantime blog, may I present to you the Lotus Elan M100 – a car touched by genius, but unjustly overlooked. Read more
The Rancho’s back – courtesy of Duncan McVitie
One of the first cars to feature on PetrolBlog was the delightful Talbot Matra Rancho. You can see the update from March 2010 here.
But now, perennial French car fan, Duncan McVitie has put together this short video to show the Rancho in all its glory. Look out for a daring motorway exit, some aerial acrobatics and a trip through the jungle. Sadly, there’s no appearance this time from Rancho fan, Johnny Mathis. Read more
On safety
Tom Richards on the subject of safety in motor sport, which is all too topical following this weekend’s traffic events.
I’m currently reading a book called ‘The Limit’ by Michael Cannell and, given Dan Wheldon’s tragic death during the Las Vegas Indy 300, it seems particularly relevant right now. Read more
Richard’s VW Polo GTI: Good Times Imminent?
Another guest blogger on PetrolBlog? This is becoming quite a habit. A good habit of course and at least it stops me flooding the interweb with yet more waffle. This time I’m delighted to welcome Mr Richard Gooding of the rather excellent PoloDriver.com. A Volkswagen fan of many years, Rich Gooding has just taken the first step on the GTI ownership ladder, buying a 2001 Polo GTI. Why did he choose the hot shot Polo and what does an early example of VW’s smaller iconic-badged hatchback offer? Read more
Duncan McVitie remembers the Renault Avantime
More words from Duncan McVitie, this time on the brilliant PetrolBlog favourite, the Renault Avantime. Over to you, Duncan.
“How is Ming the Merciless these days?” asked the cashier in the filling station. “Eh?” was my reply. As usual, I was the epitome of eloquence. He pointed to the car sitting at pump six. “That spaceship on wheels is yours, isn’t it?” I nodded. “Well, in that case you must be Buck Rogers.” I gave him a non-commital grunt, paid for the fuel and walked back to my car, a Renault Avantime, wishing that the standard equipment list had included a ray gun for use against smart arses. Read more
Rob experiences the Caterham Slalom
Rob’s been having fun with a Caterham. Here’s what he thought of the Slalom Experience, Silverstone.
The back of the car begins to slide left and I start to apply corrective steering. The back continues to slide round and I twirl the tiny steering wheel further. My brain throws the message through – “we’re going to spin“. The steering hits full lock. Instinct says to lift off the throttle but I know that if I do that I’ll definitely spin and I won’t be quick enough to catch it. So a very gentle lift off the throttle is just enough to stop the back becoming the front, as it were, and we accelerate towards the next gate.
It’s five days after the British Grand Prix, I’m at Silverstone and I’m driving a Caterham Roadsport SV for the first time in my life. Now, just to get it in context I’m actually in Car Park 49 just outside the main gate of the circuit, and not thraping the little Caterham round the actual circuit. Unfortunately. Read more
An Italian first car? Just the job, says Ton Dumans
What’s this? Another guest blogger on PetrolBlog? This time we’ve gone all continental and are delighted to welcome Mr Ton Dumans from Holland. Ton has discovered a couple of things recently. First of all, Ton stumbled across PetrolBlog itself and secondly, Ton tasted PetrolBlog’s official food of choice, the Hobnob. Having successfully passed the gruelling PetrolBlog initiation test, Ton has signed up as a member of the team.
In his first post, Ton takes a look at two cars he helped some non-petrolhead friends source and purchase. Based on the images, we’d say that Ton would make an ideal personal shopper for those looking to buy a first car in Holland. Sadly, the cost of insurance may put these cars out of reach of new drivers in the UK… Read more
Duncan McVitie remembers the MK1 Ford Fiesta XR2
PetrolBlog has another guest blogger, this time in the shape of Mr Duncan McVitie, a rather apt name given our love of the Hobnob biscuit. Fortunately, Mr McVitie also shares our love of interesting cars, so for his first post he has chosen to write a few words on the Fiesta XR2. Over to you, Duncan…
I was thinking about cool cars the other day, when my uncle’s Fiesta XR2 came to mind. Now, I know the warmed-up version of Ford’s motorised shopping trolley isn’t everyone’s idea of chilled motoring, but hear me out on this one. Read more
FailCar’s guide to car cleaning
FailCar is back on PetrolBlog! But rather than delight us all with pictures of his lovely 205 GTi, he instead turns his attention to his essential car cleaning guide. Based on how brilliantly he prepared the 205, I’d say his lead is well worth following.
I have to start by saying that this is not going to be some uber-anal cleaning guide. There will be no paint depth gauges or sunlamps here. I am by no stretch of the imagination a detailing expert but everything I have done has come from testing, the internet and I did actually go to a detailing day once. But please don’t hold it against me. Read more
An ill-informed history of…the Tripoli Grand Prix
Tom Richards is back on PetrolBlog with one of his ‘ill-informed histories’. The subject matter is a rather fascinating look back at the Tripoli Grand Prix, an event that had its fair share of drama during its all too brief period of fame. Tom ends his piece with a heartfelt plea to a certain Mr Ecclestone to remove the Singapore Grand Prix from the F1 calendar and start talking to the Libyans. Bernie, if you’re listening, listen to the man. Without further ado, I’ll let Tom take over…
As I write this, I am settling down to watch the Singapore Grand Prix, and I’m not entirely sure why. Aside from one particular crash – a well-documented affair involving Nelson Piquet Jr. and a tubby, orange, open-shirted man from Italy – Singapore ends up being little more than a procession, the only overtaking invariably revolving around leapfrog manoeuvres in the pit-lane. Read more
Real World Review: Vauxhall Vivaro 2900 LWB panel van
Antony Ingram arrives on PetrolBlog and posts a Real World Review with a difference. This one’s on a van! You can follow White Van Man Antony on twitter at @antonyingram.
You wouldn’t normally put up with a car that had a lazy, agricultural diesel engine, a sky high driving position and very little in the way of what most of us would consider “handling”. Yet give that car a huge load area, chunky controls and a sprinkling of bloody-mindedness and curiously you suddenly have a vehicle that even the most ardent of sports car fans still loves to drive.
I am of course talking about a van. Vans are great. They may not handle but there’s a brutal honesty about them that you can’t help but love. And with examples like the 58-reg Vauxhall Vivaro I’ve been driving for the last few days, you don’t even feel short changed by the standards of modern cars. Read more
Rob writes: The luxury sports car
Rob’s back on PetrolBlog. It would have been earlier, had I not missed the email Rob kindly sent to me on Friday evening. Sorry Rob.
So without further ado, here’s Rob with some words on the luxury sports car. Follow him on twitter at @robgt2 or on his personal blog at www.griggs-taylor.co.uk. Read more
An ill-informed history of…Group B
Tom Richards is back with the first in a new series of ‘ill informed histories’. First up, the brilliant Group B rallying. Don’t forget to follow Tom on twitter at @teorichards.
A distant hum, the sound of an angry swarm of bees fast approaching. The crowds lining the road turn their heads at first, then push forward as they realise what’s coming. The crackle of an exhaust on overrun, followed immediately by a pumped-up, testosterone-fuelled metal leviathan screaming around the corner, spitting flames, stone chips and violent, loud waves of sound into the baying audience.
Yes, it could only be rallying, and never was it more exciting than during the 1982-86 Group B era, a period in the World Rally Championship’s history which was marked by excessive speeds, ever more exotic silhouettes, and, crucially, four-wheel drive. Read more
FailCar rants: Aston Martin Cygnet
FailCar is back on PetrolBlog and this time he takes a break from driving his 205 GTi is his socks to talk about the Aston Martin Cygnet. Don’t forget you can follow FailCar on twitter or see his previous posts here.
I love the Aston Martin Cygnet. There I said it. To me it’s one of Aston Martin’s greatest products to date and that’s because by far the coolest thing about Aston Martin is the brand of Aston Martin itself. Read more
