Stock car racing fans urged to attend northern reunion

MOTORING enthusiasts from Southport and the surrounding areas are being invited to take stock of the resort's historic association with a full-throttle racing series.

Members of the Veterans' Stock Car Association said they will be holding a reunion meeting on Saturday, March 2 for people from across the north of England associated stock car racing, and urged anyone who has a connection to the resort's historic connection with the sport to get in touch.

Keith Thompson, a member of the group and a Formula One stock car driver in the late 1960s, said: “All of our previous reunions have been very well attended. However, there must still be many more out there who haven't been to, or heard about, our reunions.

"Many of the sport's top northern stars have attended at some time or other, it's a chance to renew old acquaintances, watch archive footage going back to the 1970s, and generally have a good night, and it's free."

The reunion event will be held at the Boarshurst Band Club in Greenfield, near Oldham, and starts at 8pm. For more information send an email to keith.thompson@btinternet.com or give Keith a call on 01457 865936 or 07980 149836.

Vauxhall hots up the Zafira Tourer to offer up space and pace

IF YOU'RE the sort of person who likes sports car pace but needs MPV pace then Vauxhall might have just the thing for you.

The company has offered us hotted-up versions of its Zafira people carrier before - notably the GSi Turbo of the early noughties, and the VXR models which followed it - and the latest version, the BiTurbo, follows very much in that vein.

Closely related to the Astra and Insignia BiTurbo models, the Zafira Tourer BiTurbo uses a twin-turbocharged diesel engine which offers up no less than 195bhp, meaning that it'll shoot to sixty in 8.5 seconds before going on to a top speed of 135mph.

Duncan Aldred, Vauxhall’s managing director, said: "Vauxhall is currently the only manufacturer to offer a sophisticated BiTurbo engine on a seven-seat MPV.

"It provides a perfect blend of high performance, impressive fuel economy and premium class quality in a seven-seat layout."

This is exactly the sort of modern day performance motor that presses all the right Life On Cars buttons. It offers not only a blend of practicality and turbocharged punch, but it's as pleasing to behold as a people mover can be and - because its a turbodiesel rather than a petrol - should be a little cheaper to run than its more extreme predecessors. Like the Skoda Octavia vRS and the sportier diesel Mondeos, it's quick in an unaffordable, unpretentious sort of way. I only hope it's as much fun to drive as the cracking Meriva Turbo I tried a couple of years ago.

If this sounds like the sort of go-faster people carrier you'd like on your driveway, go into a Vauxhall dealership with £27,685 and a big smile later this spring.

British Mini Club Show 2013 at Bingley Hall, Staffordshire

COLD weather and the prospect of a long drive to Staffordshire didn't put thousands of enthusiasts off attending a celebration of one of Britain's best known classics.

Clubs from across the country helped to make this year's British Mini Club Show, held at the Staffordshire County Showground, a big success, with a 1992 Italian Job special edition model being raffled off for charity on the day.

Life On Cars took these pictures at the event:

Do you have a motoring event you'd like to share with Life On Cars? Get in touch by sending an email to david.simister@hotmail.co.uk or just leave a comment below...

BMW M5 drifter: master or madman?

IRONICALLY, it was just after I'd renewed my membership of the Institute of Advanced Motorists that I came across this controversial clip.

Straight from the mean streets of Tblisi, this video of a BMW E34 M5 - the automotive star of Ronin and a supersaloon renowned for being one of the finest four-door entries in the company's back catalogue - has already attracted more than 14,000 hits since it was uploaded to YouTube a week or so ago. There is, if you're a petrolhead, something quite inspiring about seeing this autobahn annihilator drifting delicately from corner to corner.

It is, you've got to admit, a very skilled bit of driving, but here's the rub. All of it was filmed on public roads in and around the Georgian capital, and the roads weren't closed. Our anonymous BMW pilot was hanging the M5's tail out while other motorists were wondering what to do about it.

For that reason, it's already kicking up a bit of a stink in the motoring world, with a lot of petrolheads already pointing out that one wrong move and Mr M5 could have killed or injured another innocent road user.

So is the M5 driver talented, lucky, reckless or just plain mad? Or a bit of all those qualities? I'd love to know what you think. Without wanting to inadvertantly promote dangerous driving, have a look for yourself and see what you reckon...

Always look on the bright side of life when you're buying a car

ANYONE remember that scene out of Monty Python's Life of Brian? You know, the one where poor Brian, in his escape from the Romans, is forced to indulge in a spot of haggling with a market trader?

That's what I always reckon buying or selling a car - admittedly, something I haven't done for a while - is like. As the guy in biblical Judea put it, you gotta haggle. Well, at least that's what I told my sister to do on her spot of car buying over Christmas.

Regular readers might recall that on this blog a couple of weeks ago I threw a couple of small car suggestions her way, and reckoned her final choice, Fiat's 500, wasn't a bad shout for someone seeking something practical, cheap to run and stylish enough to tootle around the Scottish towns she frequents. The story should have ended with her proudly clutching the keys to her very own 500 and driving into the sunset, but it didn't.

Her small car of choice was in fact Toyota's Aygo for one simple reason; Fiat's dealers wouldn't play ball and Toyota's would.

My sister strolled into showroom after showroom and, in a time-honoured tradition of car flogging going back further than anyone cares to remember, was keen to indulge in a spot of Life of Brian-esque haggling. I'd told her, in the pep talk I'd given to her earlier, that it's just plain rude for people selling or buying a motor not to indulge in a bit of price banter, but the ones she'd spoken to were having none of it. Not one she visited was prepared to move so much as a pound on the price of the 500 she wanted.

Slightly deflated, she went to Plan B - her second choice, not the rapper - and asked a Toyota showroom of her choice if they'd be prepared to talk turkey over an Aygo. They obliged, and sold her a very nice ex demonstrator in a whiter shade of pale for a whisker under eight grand.

I suppose it's just a reflection of the way we buy and sell cars - whether they're new or secondhand - that I've always thought a deal where someone's not prepared to negotiate is a deal to walk away from. Being able to ask “Can I make you an offer?” and not have someone take immediate offence is one of the most important things in automotive retail. That and asking as many questions as you like about the deal, even if the buyer/seller whinges about your enquiries becoming a sort of Spanish Inquisition.

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

Fire up the... Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost

JOURNALISTS have feet made of lead and a need to get absolutely everywhere as quickly as possible.

That's one of the curious conclusions I've drawn from driving the new EcoBoost version of Ford's Focus, which mates a clever, award-winning new engine with the A* student of the family hatchback class. Make no mistake; it's an intruiging take on one of Britain's selling cars, especially given that nearly a fifth of Focuses being sold are EcoBoosts.

The key ingredient is the engine, which you can also find slotted into the Fiesta, Kuga, B-Max, and, in the fullness of time, the Mondeo too. The top pub fact about this extraordinary new powerplant is that it's physically small enough to fit on a sheet of A4 paper, but thanks to direct injection and a turbo this 1.0 litre, three-cylinder motor more than punches above its weight, being not only the winner of a string of car industry awards but also being potent enough to work in the real world. Smooth, nicely revvy and equipped with 125bhp and 170nm of torque, underpowered this Focus ain't.

The Ecoboost engine works well in the Focus too, with the light weight and characterful performance complimenting the car's reputation for being the family hatch with a sense of fun - keener drivers are going to love its fluid handling in particular. It's keenly priced too, with the Zetec S version I drove weighing at a shade over £19,000, putting on a par with a similarly powerful 1.6 engine but cheaper to run and kinder to the environment.

Or is it? Ford reckons the Focus EcoBoost should be able to get you more than fifty miles for your gallon of unleaded but a quick peek at the trip computer on the particular car I drove showed the journos who'd been driving it around before me had got a shade over 36mpg, and a few minutes in Google's company revealed stories from other reviewers - and owners - who struggled to get anything like the official consumption figures.

I think the Focus EcoBoost is a great package which mates an already accomplished car to an award-winningly good engine, but on the crucial issue of fuel economy I can only conclude either a) it's not quite as frugal as you'd think or b) us car reviewers really are too hamfisted and heavy-footed for our own good.

Until Ford let me borrow one long enough to really how much fuel it sips the jury's out on an otherwise thoroughly good contender for your cash.

Is it worth fitting winter tyres to your car?

MY EXTENDED thanks goes to the likes of MailOnline, The Daily Express and ITV News for all the “SNOW CHAOS” stories and messages not to travel unless absolutely essential over the past week. It meant all the motorways - which were covered with a light dusting of snow - were marvellously empty last weekend. Cheers!

Unless a freakishly early spring arrives between me writing these words and The Champion going to print, chances are it'll be a bit snowy where you live. Thing is, if you watched that cracking documentary Chris Packham did the other night about the winter of ‘63 you'll know this is girls' stuff compared to a real white-out, and that - in this part of Britain at least - the world didn't exactly grind to a halt enough to stop us all driving.

All of which brings me to a question I've spent the past three years trying to avoid answering. Is it worth fitting your pride and joy with winter tyres?

This debate's dusted down every time a snowflake so much as thinks of landing on the British road network, and like all great questions my own answer's a bit of a cop-out.... erm, it depends. It almost goes without saying that in these conditions winter tyres ARE safer, as evidenced by a brilliant clip on YouTube which involves a snowy bit of Swedish wilderness, two SEAT Leons, and some gung-ho Auto Express roadtesters. You can see where this one's going. By the time the one with winter tyres had stopped safely from 30mph, the one on ordinary rubber was still skidding at 25mph!

I've also had lots of press releases pointing out how brilliant winter tyres are - albeit ones signed off by Monsieur Michelin, Signor Pirelli and Herr Continental - and reckon that, if you drive a brand new motor, it's probably worth the outlay.

But when you lose your automotive cherry to a 30-year-old Mini with drum brakes you get used to driving something with the stopping capabilities of an ocean liner anyway, and when secondhand hatchbacks are your car currency the price you pay for having winter tyres is.... the price. To kit out my Rover 200 with some winter footwear would cost £250, and that's before fitting and balancing. A pricey prospect when the car itself cost £300.

Are winter tyres better than summer tyres in sort of weather? Without a shadow of doubt, but that wasn't the question. Are they worth fitting to your pride and joy? Well, it depends on what your pride and joy is.

If in doubt, buy a secondhand Land Rover.

Can new the new Clio spark a revival for Renault in the UK?

What links the Espace, the Laguna, and the Wind? That’s right – they’re all models the French firm’s quietly dropped from the UK because they hadn’t proved a hit with buyers on this side of the Channel. 

That’s why they’ve put so much effort into the latest version of what’s been their supermini staple for more than two decades – the Clio. We’ve already looked at the potent 2.0 litre Renaultsport 200 Turbo version but chances are that it’s going to be its less manic little brother, which goes on sale at dealerships across the UK at the end of the month, that’ll be so crucial to the company’s fortunes in this country.

It’s certainly got the looks style-savvy supermini shoppers crave – check out those Alfa 156-esque rear doors, for instance, cleverly designed to disguise the fact it’s the first Clio in the model’s 22 year history that’ll be offered only as a five door.   

More importantly, depending on which version you pick it’ll be around 100kg lighter than the car it replaces, which makes it kinder on fuel (great for when you’re not belting it around like a boy racer) and quicker off the mark and more nimble (great for when you are).

Thanks to the prospect of a £10,595 starting price, fine looks and the prospect of gadgets like an in-car tablet, I reckon the new Clio might well be good enough to make it fourth time lucky for Renault.

I’m looking forward to finding out whether the new Clio goes as well as it looks.

Fire up the... Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet

PERHAPS it's a case of saving the best for last. Across the country fans of all things Volkswagen are being asked to give the new Golf a go, but in doing so they're missing out on the outgoing model's finest moments.

The sixth generation of Germany's bestseller wasn't exactly left wanting for kudos but that hasn't stopped the company from making sure it goes out with a bang rather than a whimper in the shadow of the slightly longer, roomier and sturdier new model. The Golf GTI Cabriolet covers two bits of automotive territory VW's awfully good at; the hot hatch, which it's been doing since the original Golf GTI of 1977, and the solidly-built ragtop beloved of middle class families everywhere.

Step aboard and it's business as usual for Golf lovers; detractors might call the interior dull, but Veedub fans will be delighted by the seemingly unbreakable build quality and the nice visual flourishes you get with the tartan seats and the subtle red stitching. It's also definitely a ragtop in the traditional sense- no folding metal roof here, sorry - but that's no bad thing because it a) keeps the boot free for things such as luggage and b) keeps the weight down, which means the performance familiar to fans of the GTI hatchback is still there in abundance.

All of which means you can enjoy this car's best feature - its engine, which thanks to having two litres and a turbo to call upon can muster up 208bhp. It's a fabulous bit of hardware which not makes this open-top Golf fast enough to wear the fabled GTI badge with pride but is smooth, rev-happy and happy to play along with enthusiastic driving.

But you can get this engine in the hatchback, which offers more practicality and ever so slightly sweeter handling for £3,000 less than this cabrio's £30k pricetag. Look at this car as an open-top hot hatch and you're missing the point, because it'll almost certainly seem too expensive. See it as a classy, go-faster cabrio that neatly fills the gap left by Saab's 9-3, however, and it's a very tempting prospect indeed.

Now all we need is some proper summer weather to enjoy it...

Spotted: Ford Cortina 1600E

 

I'VE got to admit my lunch break was brightened up quite a bit when I spotted this classic Ford on one of Southport's streets.

This isn't just a Ford Cortina MK2, it's the really rather tasty 1600E version which came with walnut trimmed dashboard and door cappings, Rostyle wheels, bucket seats and sports steering wheel among other niceties. It's no longer a car you're likely to see every day, so its late Sixties slimline styling stands out even more on the rare occasion you do come across one.

The 1600E was also - and this is a great petrolhead pub fact - Jeremy Clarkson's first car...

Is this your pride and joy? If it is, I'd love to hear more about it...

How cold is too cold for driving a convertible roof down?

IT WAS somewhere near Bala, as the road climbed ever higher into the mountains, that the temperature really started to drop.

The outside temperature gauge in my friend's Saab - a car built to cope with a harsh winter if ever there was one - had dropped its reading from a toasty five degrees to just above freezing. Thing is, where his car had a powerful heater and a plushly trimmed interior, mine has a floppy roof that goes up and down and as a result the answer to a question I'm sure you've been itching to find out. How cold is too cold for driving around with the roof down?

I was, in the noble interests of Life On Cars research, more than kitted out for the job; whereas I'd happily drive my Mazda MX-5 in the climes it was designed for in jeans and a t-shirt, last weekend I had gloves, a big coat and the heater on at full blast. Logic dictates that tackling a snowy mountain pass with the roof down should be unbearably uncomfortable but here's the truth in the (very) cold light of day - it really wasn't the hellish experience you'd think.

True, the air was very cold that afternoon but the really chilly stuff was being whipped over the Mazda's windscreen, leaving me to enjoy the warmth whirling into the interior from the heater. It's a bit like going skiing, but with the added luxuries of electric windows and a CD player. It was only when I pulled over to take a few photos that the cold caught up with me, because as soon as I got out I was no longer in a cosy car interior, I was hundreds of feet up, in the middle of nowhere in the midst of the cold snap currently engulfing most of Britain.

In fact, being the motoring masochist I am, I was actually enjoying it. There are lots of things I love about Wales, like the unpronouncably brilliant names for the villages and the Welsh cakes on offer in just about every bakery, but best of all they do roads quite unlike just about anywhere else in the UK. Coming across a set of twisty roads draped over some stunning scenery and having a couple of great cars to tackle them in is one of the best feelings in motoring.

So the answer to the question is that it's never really too cold to drop your roof down, as long as it isn't raining - or in my case, snowing - of course. Blummin' freezing but big, big fun.

CarFest North 2013 dates and venue confirmed

AN EVENT which blends bands, fast cars and fine food in the name of raising money for charity is back on the cards for 2013, it has been confirmed today.

After the success Chris Evans enjoyed with the inagural CarFest events last September it was almost inevitable the two shows for BBC Children In Need - covering the north and south of England - would be held again, and now the show's organisers have confirmed both will be held this August.

The one petrolheads in this part of the country will be interested in is CarFest North, which has been confirmed for August 2, 3 and 4, albeit at Oulton Park circuit in Cheshire rather than the grounds of Cholmondeley Castle. Meanwhile its companion event, CarFest South, will return to Laverstoke Park Farm – the home of former Formula 1 World Champion Jody Scheckter - on August 23, 24 and 25.

The BBC Radio 2 DJ said this morning: “I can’t wait to spend the three days of CarFest North in the surroundings of one of the most respected race circuits in Europe, with such a depth of historical magic. Then two weeks later at Laverstoke Park Farm – what a summer!”

The original two events - conceived by the DJ, presenter and Ferrari nut as his perfect motoring event - raised a staggering £968,735 for BBC Children in Need.

Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive of Oulton Park owners MotorSport Vision, said: “We are extremely excited to have been chosen as the venue for CarFest North.

“The event allows us to show off our greatest features – a spectacular track and stunning scenery. We are certain that at Oulton Park, CarFest North will be even better than last year and help to raise even more money for BBC Children in Need."

The first release of CarFest 2013 tickets for both venues will go on sale this Thursday (January 17) at 8am via the BBC Children in Need website at www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey.

To read the Life On Cars review of the 2012 CarFest North event click here.

The return of the Corvette Stingray

HISTORY has a habit of repeating itself. Here's proof of that in automotive form; fifty years after the fabulous Corvette Sting Ray emerged, there's now a new one on the way.

Chevrolet reckons its new Corvette Stingray - don't worry grammar pedants, it became a single word back in the late Sixties - is the rightful heir to one of the best known names in the sports car business, although whether or not it'll be a hit with sports car fans on this side of the Pond is another matter. There's no doubt, however, that it shares one crucial trait with the split-window orginal, however; the latest Corvette looks, for want of a better word, stunning.

General Motors North America President Mark Reuss said: "Like the ’63 Sting Ray, the best Corvettes embodied performance leadership, delivering cutting-edge technologies, breathtaking design and awe-inspiring driving experiences.

"The all-new Corvette goes farther than ever, thanks to today’s advancements in design, technology and engineering."

The new 'Vette might still be made out of plastic in a factory in Kentucky and it might still be powered by a General Motors V8 engine but the car's makers say it'll be little bit better than its predecessor in just about every way, promising more performance, sharper handling and - wait for it - better fuel economy. GM have also said they weren't prepared to revive the Corvette Stingray unless they make a car good enough to wear the name with pride, so hopes are high it'll have the substance to match its Baywatch style.

The new Corvette goes on sale later this year in America, and odds are over here not too long after that. If it's as fun-packed and keenly priced as the Camaro Convertible Life On Cars drove last year, the Stingray should be a bit of a hit.

I'll have mine in right-hand-drive, please.

Wirral to Llandudno Mini Run 2013

 

WELSH car enthusiasts were in for a treat this weekend when dozens of Minis descended on the seaside of Llandudno.

Despite bitterly cold weather fans of the classic small car turned out in force for a show on the resort's promenade, many of them having made the journey from Wirral, Merseyside earlier this morning as part of an organised convoy along the A55 into North Wales.

Life On Cars - fresh from an equally chilly trip across the Welsh countryside - took these pictures in a rather frosty Llandudno:

Have you got a classic car event you'd like to promote? Get in touch with Life On Cars at david.simister@hotmail.co.uk or leave a comment below...

Cold but brilliant open air motoring

AS we headed ever higher into the mountains above Bala, the muddy green of the countryside became a chilly shade of white.

Today Life On Cars is one of its adventures over the border, with our merry gang of enthusiasts on the way to Llandudno to see the gaggle of Minis which travel to the resort on their annual run from the Wirral.

On the way however, we've ventured through the mountains on the wonderful roads which wind their way through Bala, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Betws-y-Coed, even though at a frosty two degrees it was probably  a tad too cold to have the MX-5's roof down.

 Bloody freezing but big, big fun.

 Check out Life On Cars tomorrow for a full report on the 2013 Wirral to Llandudno Mini Run

Caterham goes karting

THOSE two cornerstones of heroic driving - Caterhams and karts - have been spectacularly combined in a new entry-level motorsport series.

The Surrey firm who brought you the Seven have drawn on their years of staging one-make racing series - and, more recently, their F1 experience - to create a karting series for keen racers, with the £4,995+VAT package and the machine itself, the CK-01, making at their debut at this month's Autosport show down at the NEC.

Caterham Group CEO, Tony Fernandes, said: “Caterham Karting will once again make this fantastic sport accessible to everyone, without losing any element of the competition and experience. In fact, with tight regulations and totally transparent, controlled costs, Caterham Karting will simply be the best value, most competitive and most fun karting in the world.

“This is not just another new karting championship, this is a revolution in motor racing. Motorsport for all is finally here.”

The package, designed to appeal to novice drivers, includes the kart itself, the necessary training to get your racing licence, entry into a six-race season, and full technical support from the gurus at Caterham itself. The CK-01 is ideal for either launching your motorsport career or - more likely - having an absolute ball on the track for less than the cost of a Citroen C1. It's also - and I know this probably doesn't get said very often - a fantastic looking bit of kit. If you're keen to find out more, go to www.caterham.co.uk or call 01883 333 700.

Can I have a go?

Fire up the... Skoda Citigo

THE ONLY way is up! That's what Europe's biggest car company - the mighty VW Group - are hoping you'll conclude if you're thinking of buying a small car to squeeze into tight parking spaces.

Yet you don't actually have to stump up for a Volkswagen if you're looking to buy the up!, the German firm's smallest offering. Trek down to your nearest Skoda showroom and they'll happily sell you the same car in all but name. That's the joy of the Skoda Citigo.

Skoda, in case you hadn't noticed, stopped making Eastern Bloc oddities years ago and is now quietly taking over the world with a range of cleverly thought-out cars which are usefully cheaper than their VW cousins; the Yeti you'll already know and love, there's a new Octavia saloon on the way, and for anyone thinking of a Golf or Focus there's now the Rapid hatchback too. The Citigo's a bit more obviously related to its siblings - the aforementioned up! and the SEAT Mii - but that's by no means a bad thing.

You get, for instance, the same neatly-proportioned body, although the Skoda's styling is more conservative than the up!'s. You get the same 60bhp, 1.0 litre petrol powerplant with its offbeat engine note, the same gearbox, and the same solidly built, suprisingly roomy interior. You get an awful lot for your money but - and here's the important bit - you get it for quite a bit less than you would if you'd gone for the cachet of the VW badge instead. Depending on which version you go for, you can save roughly between £500 and a grand by opting for the Czech-badged car.

The trickier question, as I mentioned when I drove the up! earlier this year, is whether to go for it over a Fiat Panda, which lacks the Skoda's solidity and style but is roomier and more fun to drive. That's a tough one to call, but if you're dead set on the up! and its siblings you'll be quids in by swapping the Veedub badge for a Skoda one.

Clever marketing or VW shooting itself in the foot? You decide...

If the Ford Mondeo is brilliant nobody will notice

HERE'S a bit of a motoring prediction for 2013. If Ford's new Mondeo is any good not one of you will bat an eyelid.

Which is a shame, because I reckon chances are it will be. This year the Mondeo celebrates its 20th anniversary - no really, it has been around that long - but take a look at the sharp end of the car sales charts and it's notable only by its absence. The best selling saloon in Britain is the BMW 3 Series.

This says more about the people who buy cars than it does about the cars themselves. When the Mondeo came out petrol cost 43p a litre and the sort of souls you'd see driving them hadn't bought them; they were given them by their fleet managers, which I think partly explained why the Mondeo always got such a kicking in the customer satisfaction surveys. If you buy a car privately you cherish it because you chose it carefully and paid for it with your own money; if it's a repmobile you're not going to be as bothered. Unless it breaks, in which case you - and your bosses - will be furious.

I also reckon, though I'm happy to be proven otherwise, that there's never been a bad Mondeo. Sure, there'll have been an iffy special edition or two in the car's 20 year history and obviously some are better than others but I've always thought the basic package - sensible saloon practicality and Ford value for money mixed with a dash of driving fun - has a certain something. I'll let you into a little secret; everyone I know who really knows their stuff on cars likes the Mondeo.

These days, though, the Mondeo and its ilk are an an endangered breed, and it's not just the £1.30 litre a petrol prices pushing the few remaining reps into family hatches instead. Mondeo Man these days is buying his own car with his own money, and if he isn't ploughing his hard earned into an infinitely trendier Nissan Qashqai than he's got the choice of the BMW 3 Series or the Ford Mondeo. I'll say that again; BMW or Ford. Even if the new Mondeo looks like an Aston Martin Rapide that shrank in the wash - which, amazingly, it does - it doesn't stand a chance.

Keen to find out what all the fuss is about, I've driven the new 3 Series and would like to tell you that it's rubbish and that you should buy a Mondeo instead. Only I can't, because it's brilliant.

Top Gear - due back on your screens on January 27

WORD from the Beeb is that the world's most watched bit of motoring telly is due back on our screens later this month.

There's been a bit of a Top Gear vacuum on our screens lately, most noticeably when over Christmas the TV schedules had plenty for fans of Eastenders, Downton Abbey and Miranda but not much for anyone looking for the petrolhead's usual Yuletide helping of three middle aged blokes breaking down in the middle of nowhere. To be fair, the excellent World's Most Dangerous Roads has made a bit of low key comeback but Top Gear, perhaps stung by criticism of last year's India special, was nowhere to be seen.

Until this weekend, when Auntie announced the show would be back on Sunday, January 27.

From what the official online preview suggests it looks set to be a belting season packed with the trio's usual blend of speed, seriousness, silliness and, er, Stig-ness, with a not-at-all-delayed Christmas special featuring the Aston Martin Vanquish, the Lexus L-FA and Dodge Viper on a trip to Mexico, somewhere where the show has plenty of fans.

It's not as if the trio haven't been idly doing nothing since the last series finished way back in March of last year, with Richard Hammond treating us to a rundown of James Bond's cars last October, and Jeremy Clarkson and James May bringing out the brilliantly funny Worst Car In The History of the World special on DVD, but the return of a new, full series looks set to be a bit of a treat.

Can't wait...

Video: The new Range Rover

THIS is Land Rover's TV advert for what'll be by far its most expensive offering when it hits the showrooms early this year; the new, full-size Range Rover.

I know this is the second Range Rover article in as many days and adverts aren't really my thing, but this one's got all the right ingredients. Mountain scenery, winding Alpine roads, a brief look at what it can actually do off-road, some Matt Monro on the stereo and - perhaps best of all - a quick nod towards the beautiful 1970 original that started it all. It is The Italian Job for 4x4 enthusiasts.

As if I wasn't dreaming of owning one already...

Fire up the... Range Rover Evoque

TO appreciate this baby off-roader you have to think not in terms of ground clearance, horsepower or litres of loadspace. It is a car callibrated best in column inches, retweets and Facebook likes.

The Range Rover Evoque is, thanks to its near-constant appearances in the likes of Heat and Hello! and the input of Victoria Beckham's style know-how in its inception, one of the coolest cars on the planet right now. It's also one of the hardest to judge with an open mind - not only am I from a family of Range Rover owners, I'm aware too that it's made right here in the north west, in a Liverpool factory and was developed with help from the British taxpayer. Not that you're interested in that. What you want to know is if it's any good.

First impressions are good - the five door 2.2 diesel I tested looks, for want of a better word, fabulous, although its three-door sibling is even more stylish. Sharply creased and with a distinctive squint at the front end, it manages to look like a Range Rover without inducing the environmentalists' irk its bigger brother manages.

In fact, the question everyone's asked me is whether that shallow rear window makes it tricky to see out of, but it doesn't. It is no harder to drive than a Ford Mondeo, which is perhaps no big surprise given the two are - via Land Rover's Freelander - distant relations under the skin. In fact, the biggest dissapointment is that you lose the commanding driving position Land Rover owners know and love, but you'll forgive that because it handles crisply and tidily on even the trickiest of roads.

The price to pay for all of that, naturally, is the price itself; you can get an entry level version for around £28,000 but the ED4 version I drove was nearer to £36,000. If you're more worried about value and practicality you definitely get more for your money by going for the Freelander, but that's missing the point. The quality of the interior, the sportier drive and the looks, to my mind, make the Evoque more than worthy of the extra outlay.

As much as I hate coming to an obvious conclusion the Evoque is just too good for the pop singers and TV stars to keep to themselves.