The Alpine A110 Tackling a Bad Orb

60 years after the Alpine A110 was introduced to the world, the current iteration continues a proud tradition. A drive in the modern-day A110 has long since been high up on my wish list, and it just so happened that an Alpine Blue specimen of the recently facelifted model range was made available for a day of exploration near Frankfurt. Continue reading “The Alpine A110 Tackling a Bad Orb”

Boxing Above its Class: Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0

After a long time without test drives, it felt refreshing to head onto the roads in the new Porsche 718 Boxster 4.0, even getting wind in my hair in the process. I won’t beat around the bush here; the Boxster GTS offers a fantastic driving experience! But it is too good for Porsche’s own good?
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Porsche Taycan 4S: Electric Soul?

It was bound to happen. An all-electric Porsche. Unthinkable only a decade ago, yet now on the market: The Taycan was launched at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, and order books soon filled up – in an automotive world turning more and more towards battery powered cars, the Porsche Taycan was an eagerly awaited car with a lot riding on it. So how about it? Did Porsche pull it off? Continue reading “Porsche Taycan 4S: Electric Soul?”

Feasting on Curves in the Dallara Stradale

What better means of brightening up a rather dreary, grey day than a racing harness holding you firmly positioned in a hugging seat sculpted directly into the carbon fibre monocoque of a light, agile sports car? And what if I told you this sports car was created by one of the most renowned names in racing engineering as the fulfilment of a life-long dream? Enter Giampaolo Dallara, his 60 years of engineering experience and his eagerly awaited Dallara Stradale. Continue reading “Feasting on Curves in the Dallara Stradale”

Blowin’ in the Wind with the Audi e-tron

In 1831, Michael Faraday discovered the peculiar phenomenon of induction, in which magnetic forces and electric currents interact. The beautiful simplicity of it all has earned it a strong presence in everyday life, being put to use in a plethora of gadgets. One such gadget is the brand new Audi e-tron, an interesting addition to the growing electric car market. I took the e-tron on a trip to its power source. They were huge fans. Continue reading “Blowin’ in the Wind with the Audi e-tron”

DB, the 11th of its Name. A Bit of Aston Martin Heraldry

The picturesque Eifel area in western Germany is well worth a visit. Not only because there are lots of lovely views and interesting old villages, but also because it is home to one of the world’s most famous race tracks, namely the Nürburgring, and especially its old Nordschleife section. And, as I picked up an elegant, dark blue Aston Martin DB11 V8 at the AMR performance centre right next to the ‘Ring, I thought to myself that it would have been nice to take it for a few laps. Didn’t happen, though. Continue reading “DB, the 11th of its Name. A Bit of Aston Martin Heraldry”

The New Porsche 911 (and some) Rocks

The 8th generation of the Porsche 911 has been let loose on the streets, and I thought it would be good fun to give it a go, especially with the recent experience from the 911 Carrera T fresh in mind. Porsche themselves call the new 911 a “Timeless Machine“, and seeing how they have worked on perfecting the somewhat unexpected concept of a rear-engined sports car for more than 50 years, that’s in fact not such a silly expression. The design and silhouette of the 911 are long since household elements of the high performance sections of car history. Continue reading “The New Porsche 911 (and some) Rocks”

A Bit of Local Touristing in the Porsche 911 Carrera T

The bright red 911 Carrera T started without hesitation, and I rolled out of the Stavanger dealership and into an overcast February morning. The ease of driving this car was immediately apparent, and the thought of this 911 as a daily driver soon followed. Porsche launched the Carrera T as a “less is more” option in the spirit of the 1968 911T, and it has received warm words from many a journalist. In Porsche terms, T stands for Touring, so I thought it would be nice to do some local touring and touristing. Continue reading “A Bit of Local Touristing in the Porsche 911 Carrera T”

Aston Martin Vantage – Sports Car With a View

In the series of enticing cars, Aston Martin last year reached the facelift of the Vantage, and there was no shortage of curves or sportiness. However, did they go one too far on that iconic grille shape? Go big or go home, the Americans say, but could this work in the English tradition? The answer is to be found, as so many times before, in the right half of the brain of the beholder. I was genuinely looking forward to trying out the new Vantage, although I wasn’t convinced that the design was my cup of tea, as I arrived in Geneva to borrow the keys to a deep red specimen for a week. Continue reading “Aston Martin Vantage – Sports Car With a View”

Jaguar I-PACE – a Great Way of Getting Around, Electrically Speaking

First things first: The Jaguar I-PACE looks like no other car. It appears massive and long, yet agile and elegant. I spent a weekend with it, covering more than 1,000 km in this all new, all electric feline. Having seen it from all angles, its design still catches me off guard, and I think I like that. Oh, and the I-PACE is simply great to be on the road in. There is however one big let-down in this story. Continue reading “Jaguar I-PACE – a Great Way of Getting Around, Electrically Speaking”