Test Drives

The Jaguar X-Type that we tested may be a diesel, but as the title of our report points out, thisjaguar-xtype-diesel-2005my_05_scafell-hotel_thumb-200pxls smallest ‘cat’ is certainly no lack- lustre kitten. (Ask Jeremy Clarkson!)

Add to that the fact that it gives around 50 miles to the gallon and this not-so-little car becomes very desirable indeed. Click here.

Photo copyright Eddie Wren, 2005


Early in 2005, we enjoyed testing a Renault Laguna 2.2 dCi, seen here below the huge Humber Bridge, and a brief break in England’s wintry skies.renault-laguna_feb-2005_humb-br_frnt3qtrs_25%

Check out our full test drive report, as we pay particular attention to safety features, not only on the Laguna but also on the entire Renault range.

Photo copyright Eddie Wren, 2005


Lord of the Ring — A 100-mph tour of Hell
Nick Hall’s Hilarious Account of Test Driving a Porsche 911 Turbo-S on the Famous, German Nurbuergring Race Track
…..Safety-conscious Scot Jackie Stewart dubbed the Nurbuergring ‘The Green Hell’ before its long tenure as an F1 circuit came to an abrupt end in 1976, when Niki Lauda’s face melted like the Wicked Witch of the West in a fire. The grand prix boys requested a new circuit, the Southern Loop, but it’s a pale-pink imitation of the neighboring track.
While the Nordschleife was deemed too dangerous for the world’s best drivers and most advanced cars, club racing still comes–even at night during the annual 24-hour spectacular. It also seemed rational to reclassify this 14-mile sliver of winding tarmac as a public toll road to nowhere and open all 157 corners on set days of the month. Welcome to the Cresta Run, with wheels.
Full test drive report, from European Car


porsche-carrera-gt--200310

“The Porsche engineers talk about the clutch pedal as though it’s the trigger for a nuclear bomb. It may as well be… I’ve been in some pretty fast machinery over the years, but nothing prepared me for the neck-snapping, spleen-bursting, hammer blow explosion of power that came the first time I floored the Carrera’s throttle… The next time a car comes along that is better than this, it will be using a completely different technology. Because when you’re limited to what we have now, this, quite simply, is as good as it gets.”

An excerpt from Jeremy Clarkson’s review of the new Porsche Carrera GT, in the UK Times Online.


 testdr2 In recent years, many automotive manufacturers have been racing to get onto the safety bandwagon; at long last they have realized that their customers do care about surviving and not just about whether the car looks good.

Road test reports abound, in magazines and on the internet, but in these pages you will find much more emphasis on safety.

In the right-hand column, you will find vehicles listed alphabetically. We will shortly produce a printable, detailed checklist of all the things to look for, in connection with safety, when choosing a new car.

 Volvo have been at the forefront of automotive safety developments for over seventy years, far ahead of the competition. And now, with the ideas they have tried in their Safety Concept Car, Volvo look set to stay well ahead of the field when it comes to protecting their customers’ lives.   Read the full article.

Most auto makers are now building safer and safer vehicles, click here for links to dealers and manufacturers who have helped DSA with reviews.