The Dodge Neon is back, but not in the way you think. While the original was an all-American compact sedan, the new one is born from the Fiat-Chrysler conglomerate. In fact, the 2017 Dodge Neon started life as a Fiat Tipo, and it was was even displayed at the last Dubai Motor Show as such.
After Hyundai officially announced last year that they will make Genesis a separate luxury brand, the G90 takes its place as the Korean manufacturer’s flagship sedan. Assigned with the tough task of taking on the established premium German carmakers, the G90 has to deliver on the necessary components of a luxury car, which for the most part it does.
The exterior as well as the interior are familiar. It feels like being back home. Everything we know about the Nissan Patrol is here. And we know a lot, since we bought one earlier this year. But ours is the LE V8. This is the new Patrol SE V6, a replacement for the discontinued SE V8. And the only way you can tell the difference is when you mash the throttle pedal.
The current Jaguar XJ is the flagship model that set the styling tone for all Jaguars that came after it, and while several new models have joined the range, the XJ itself is getting a bit long in the tooth. However, it’s hard to complain when it looks as modern as ever, and very unique in a class where rivals are increasingly aping the Mercedes-Benz S-Class for inspiration. Jaguar has kept the XJ fresh by playing with powertrain options over the years, and the XJR you see here is the most powerful one you can get.
BMW’s little sub-brand Mini has been catching a lot of flak lately for, well, not being so mini any more. Having driven every “new” Mini for the past decade, we can attest to the fact that they’ve been growing, but it’s also become more refined and practical as time went on. Of course, there’s a limit to how much space you can get out of a 3-door hatchback, so a few years ago, BMW had the bright idea to turn Mini into an entire range of cars that aren’t so small any more. One of them is the Clubman you see here,
There are a handful of cars out there that just feel right. Porsche’s Cayman is one of those, as it has the knack of shrink-wrapping itself around your limbs and feeling like an extension of them within a few kilometres of hustling down the road.
Audi’s svelte A5 coupe has now been around for nine years, but it’s aged with the utmost of grace –- so much so that one could argue it’s still as visually appealing as the much newer BMW 4-Series and Mercedes C-Class Coupe it competes head-to-head with. But it’s clear an all-new model was due if the A5 was to remain competitive with Teutonic rivals in terms of performance, dynamics, cabin layout and mod-cons. Right on cue, here’s the new second-gen 2017 A5, which we had the opportunity to sample at its recent international launch in Portugal.
Seven minutes 49 seconds. That’s how long it takes the Volkswagen Golf GTi Clubsport S to scoot around the daunting Nurburgring Nordschleife.
Jaguar first rolled out the svelte F-Type roadster in mid-2013, and since then the leaping cat has steadily bolstered the line-up, adding a coupe derivative, all-wheel-drive versions and extra powertrain choices -– all in keeping with the company’s objective to offer an “F-Type for all tastes” (or, to put it another way, maximise the company’s return on investment in developing and building the car). The latest addition to the range is the hardcore F-Type SVR — allegedly lighter, faster and more agile than the F-Type R.
The crossover segment has become a big deal in recent times, and Jeep had already thrown its hat in the ring with the Compass and Patriot models. Clearly they were left wanting, so Jeep utilised their ties with new parent-company Fiat to create the Renegade. It’s the first Jeep built in Italy, which would explain what we were doing in Sicily for this test drive on the fringes of an active volcano.