Personal Car Shopper's Blog
Articles,
news and comment about cars in Spain, including Motorsport news
The new BMW X6 is shown in Detroit and will be here soon
The brand new BMW X6, the latest offering from the Bavarian giant which is once again exploring new territory with this brand new concept, the Sports Activity Coupe. Touted as a cross between a sleek coupe and a sports utility vehicle, the BMW X6 will be endowed with some serious muscle, in diesel and petrol form, to take on the likes of the Porsche Cayenner and Range Rover Sport at their own game. In addition to the performance versions, BMW has revealed plans to launch its first ActiveHybrid drivetrain in the BMW X6, coupling it with the application of 'efficient dynamics' in an effort to make this SAV as friendly as it can be
All the information you want about this new piece of kit is available at the unofficial home of the BMW X6 on the internet
Alono's deafening silence
3 December 2007
The last few weeks have been relatively quiet ones in Formula 1. Fernando Alonso has been the quietest he's been all year and all the while the Formula 1 rumour mill has ploughed on with its speculation based on little if any concrete information. The Alonso camp would have you believe that teams are falling over themselves to sign the two-time world champion. Let's take a look at the list of 'willing' suitors.
Ferrari was, for a long time, mooted as his new home, the only team he should sign, the only team capable of taking the fight to Lewis Hamilton and the McLaren team, a team that Alonso did his level best to drag through the mud in the Spygate scandal. The Ferrari bigwigs promptly signed Felipe Massa till 2010 at the instigation of Luca Di Montezemolo himself. Kimi Raikkonen's contract expires at the end of 2008 but, his stock being as high as it is, somehow it doesn't look like he'll be leaving the scuderia any time soon. So sorry Fernando, no room in the scarlet cars for you just yet.
Maybe Red Bull's interested? Discussions were allegedly held with Red Bull but promptly thereafter, the team boss, Dietrick Mateschitz confirmed that the elder stateman of the grid, the unavoidably likeable David Coulthard as well as the affable Australian Mark Webber, as the team's two race drivers. Sorry Fernando, you won't be getting any wings from Red Bull for the time being.
Ah, Honda! Of course. The Spanish press reported wildly that Ross Brawn, the former Ferrari technical chief and king strategist now in the employ of Honda, had said that he wanted Fernando in the team. Some articles in the German press had even reported that Alonso had had a seat fitting at Honda's Brackley headquarters. But no, Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button have now been confirmed as the drivers for the Japanese A Team which makes that the third pit garage door slammed firmly in the Spaniard's face.
It would appear then that Alonso's only open door is at Renault, but even there there's trouble. The french team, which gave Alonso his two titles, wants him back for a minimum of three years but Alonso wants just a one year deal. Speculation about where Alonso would go for 2009 is almost as popular a subject as where he's going to be for next year! The Spaniard would appear to be running out of options for a competitive deal with any team. The F1 world meanwhile is on tenterhooks awaiting confirmation of the team Lewis Hamilton will have to beat to stamp his authority definitively over the former champion. Whatever happens and wherever Alonso goes, controversy will no doubt follow close behind. I hear Force India's got an open seat...
The New Mini Cooper Clubman launched on the Costa Del Sol
23 November 2007
The brand new MINI Cooper Clubman is on the Costa Del Sol and rolling out in showrooms across Spain.
The latest addition to the second incarnation of the MINI 2, the successor to the famed Issigonis Classic, revives memories of the original Clubman. A modern take on the original, the new Clubman is a cheeky and chunky small car with so-called 'suicide' rear doors to facilitate access to the rear seats.
No doubt there may be more practical, better value cars out there. But for sheer chic and kerb appeal, the new Clubman will certainly be turning more heads than most
Available now - Mini Cooper Clubman in stock - Contact Us
An 'old' new car or a 'new' new car?
17 November 2007
What to do? You really like the current version of a particular model but you also know that the current version is due to be replaced early next year. Do you plump for the current car because you like it, or wait for the new version to arrive and see what that’s like?
Taking the Audi A4 as an example, the main advantage of today’s car over the future version is the lower price. Two reasons for this: the first being that replacement cars are more often than not more expensive than the versions they replace, and, secondly, manufacturers are eager to get rid of their stock of the soon to be old car.
Another advantage of buying the current version is that you’re buying a model at the end of its development cycle, and all the more reliable for it. During the car model’s shelf life, any niggles and issues will have been dealt with as and when they arose. The net result is that you buy a car which has been comprehensively tested by thousands of owners over millions of miles in real world scenarios.
The disadvantages? If you wait for the new version you’ll inevitably find many technological improvements over the current version, options that are simply not available on the current version, e.g., Audi’s Select Drive. Another reason not to buy a current car is the fact that as soon as the newer, fresher model comes along, the value of your car will take a tumble.
The truth of the matter is that, if you’re in love with the current car and aren’t prone to changing cars regularly, you may well find it hard to resist a quick bargain. Add to this the fact that you’ll be able to choose from a full range of petrol and diesel variants (new cars are often launched with a limited range) for a very keen price and it seems that the argument for buying a new, new car, wears thinner than those of a certain Formula 1 team trying to win a World Championship!