Peugeot takes a scalpel to the RCZ

 

PEUGEOT has either ruined or improved one of the most stylish cars it's ever made, if the first pictures of a new facelift are anything to go by.

I know that not everyone who reads Life On Cars agreed with my reckoning that the RC Z is one of the best looking cars the French firm's ever produced - while I said it's "probably one of those exotic-yet-attainable style icons you get once in a generation", at least one of you took the time to write in and challenge my views of what makes a good looking car, saying "the roof looks like a backside". No matter what you make of the coupe and its double-bubble roof, you can't deny it's a boring car to look at.

The new version, don't get me wrong, keeps the RCZ looking fresh in a field of a new arrivals, with Hyundai's Veloster on one side and Toyota's GT-86 on the other chomping for a bite of the coupe cake. I just don't think - and I know style is a very personal and subjective thing - that it looks quite as good as the original.

As always, feel free to disagree...

Fire up the.... Fiat Panda

IF FIAT'S 500 is Kylie Minogue then the Panda is Dannii. Attractive for all sorts of reasons but sadly overshadowed by a more famous sibling.

Which is a shame, because Fiat's funky little city car has always been a big hit in its own right. It might not have the cute retro charm of the 500, but the Panda, a former European Car of the Year, has always held its own because it's roomier, just as much fun to drive and - crucially - cheaper.

It's much the same story with this new model, which is a little curvier and a little weightier than the outgoing version, but otherwise it's a case of meet the new boss, same as the old boss. It's got the same high rise stance - which is why it's roomier inside than the 500 - and styling that's evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but stay with me a little longer before you reach for that 500 brochure.

With the 1.2, eight valve engine in the one I tested offering up just 69bhp it's emphatically not a fast car - worry not, other powerplants are available - but I love is not the power, but the way it uses what it's got to its advantage. It's light on its toes, easy to drive and always feels a bit frantic - but that's a good thing. It is a loveable little car in the finest Italian tradition, being a whole lot of fun in a simple, unpretentious sort of way.

But while the interior seems a little cheaper in the quality of its materials than say, VW's new Up, it's in here that the Panda scores its biggest trump card over the 500 - what you lose in looks you gain in room, and because it's a five door it's also far easier for your friends to get in and out of.

It's not as polished as the Up but think about this way; if you reckon you'd find a holiday in Milan a little bit more memorable than one in Berlin, than go for the Panda because its sense of mischief will prevail over the Veedub's sturdiness.

Keep it to yourself - given the choice of a 500 and a Panda, I'd go for the latter.

Chris Evans has a hit with CarFest North

CHRIS Evans pulled up alongside us in a golf cart, prompting a moment of comedy genius. 

Someone in the crowd turned to the Radio 2 DJ, gave him a cheeky glance and shouted “It’s nice to see you’ve brought your car to show, mate”. It was hilarious but I think Chris saw the funny side.

Say what you want about Chris Evans but even if you didn’t like his stint on The Big Breakfast you can’t deny he’s a proper petrolhead, through and through; a car connoisseur rather than someone who just throws their millions at any old Ferrari or Lambo. That’s what made CarFest North far better than I could’ve expected it to be, because Chris wasn’t hiding backstage. He was out there gawping at supercars, just like everyone else.

I turned up at Cholmondeley last Saturday with the same exasperated question as everyone else – sounds great, but it costs HOW much? Even bearing in mind it was a fundraiser for BBC Children In Need, with a third of the price going straight to charity, at £60 for a day ticket it’s nearly as twice as much as Cholmondeley’s other show, the Pageant of Power, which until now has been the priciest automotive outing I’ve enjoyed. On the basis you can actually buy a secondhand supermini for the cost of some of the VIP weekend glamping packages, I was ready to declare it a bit of a rip-off in these pages.

But here’s the rub – I can’t, because even with the price in mind it was a truly enjoyable car show quite unlike any other. There was all the stuff you’d expect to see at a high end car show – supercar sprints, Group B rally cars, classics being auctioned off and so on – but at the point when I’d normally trapse out of the gate, overloaded with freebies for the long drive home, the car show ended and the music,  Chris’ other passion, began.

Life On Cars took these pictures at the event, which continues today (September 9, 2012):

Admittedly, I stayed right to the raggedy end because Texas, one of my favourite bands, were headlining, but it’s amazing to think that I met Chris Evans, sang Say What You Want with 20,000 other people and saw hundreds of shiny supercars, all at the same show. If this the future of charity fundraising, count me in.

I’m already planning on making a weekend of next year’s event, when Chris inevitably confirms it. Time, I think, to dig the tent out...

 

What does the colour of your car say about you?

ROSES are red, violets are blue. Or, put automotively, Ferraris are red, Bugattis are blue. Some cars, thanks to tradition, are always going to be associated with one colour.

But what about the rest of us, who aren't rich enough to pilot Enzo's or Ettore's creations? I've never really put much thought into it but a letter from one of our readers, who drives a yellow car, got me thinking. What does the colour of your car say about you?

The reader had taken umbrage at a suggestion in The Champion - I'm looking at you, One Man and His Dog columnist Jim Sharpe - that drivers of yellow cars hold people up. I took it to be a quaint reference to Noddy, in which case said yellow car would have to be a Fiat Gamine and the driver would have to wear a silly hat, and nothing more serious than that. I reckon a car's colour only says as much you want it to, given that whether a car comes in metallic or pastel shades is way down my shopping list, even below what I like the seats to be lined with.

I think the only car I've ever wanted in a particular colour was my MX-5, because I think it just looks better in red, but I'd rather take a good ‘un in Mariner Blue, my second choice, than a pup in Classic Red. Which is exactly what I did.

I also have a yellow(ish) car - an MGB in Harvest Gold, or Horrid Seventies Mustard as the missus calls it - and it's emphatically not something I use as a mobile chicane, but more importantly I didn't choose it because I liked the colour. I chose it because it was a clean example of a car I've always liked. It is, despite what all the Laurence Llewelyn Bowens among our readers might argue about the significance of shades, as simple as that.

The only time I can think of colour playing a role, really, is when you buy brand new. In which case you go for silver like everyone else, because you're frightened that going for the green one you actually wanted will hit you hard when it comes to selling it on in three years' time. Other than that, I honestly think most people aren't really that bothered about what colour their car is.

Translated into Llewelyn Bowen speak, quality is the new black.

Councillors say they won't put the brakes on Ormskirk MotorFest in 2013

ANOTHER Ormskirk MotorFest is set to be revved up for next summer, even if Labour snatch control of the borough council at the next local elections.

Both the Tory-controlled local authority and the opposition Labour group have said they are keen for the motorsport-themed event to continue next year, even though both sides say they are keen to increase the amount of private sponsorship in order to reduce the burden on West Lancashire taxpayers to fund the show.

A spokesperson for West Lancashire Borough Council said: “The 2012 Ormskirk MotorFest was a huge success, attracting 15,000 visitors to see magnificent displays of motor vehicles. West Lancashire Borough Council was very pleased to see this success built on the achievements of the inaugural MotorFest in 2011.

"In principle, the Council would like to see the Ormskirk MotorFest take place in 2013. However, if some sponsorship could be secured than this would enable the Council to help ensure it can go ahead in the future. We will be looking into potential funding arrangements and also having discussions with Aintree Circuit Club, who organise the MotorFest, about how best we can work together to run the event in the future. We would certainly welcome any parties interested in sponsoring all or part of the event to contact us at this early stage."

Life On Cars asked the council's Labour group - who were 29 votes away from winning control of West Lancashire at the local elections in May - whether they would support a 2013 Ormskirk MotorFest, given their decision to call in funding for this year's event and suggestions from Ormskirk Conservative councillor Adrian Owens that had Labour been in control the event would not have taken place.

Cllr Owens said: "Firstly, at the beginning of the year they tried to strangle the MotorFest at birth by arguing that much of the council money underwriting the event should be withdrawn.

"There would have been no MotorFest if we had followed Labour’s line."

The Labour group responded by saying that it is keen to see the event being held in 2013, but said it was keen to see the private sector offer up more sponsorship and reiterated support for a ‘West Lancashire Show', which could be instigated using funds previously earmarked for the MotorFest.

Councillor John Fillis, leader of the council's Labour group, said: “Labour has always supported Ormskirk's MotorFest and will continue to do so, but we see a bigger role being played by the private sector in the form of sponsorship. At present the Tories are increasing the funding by 75% annually for the one day event, if this continues as the event grows then by 2014 they will be spending over £50,000, while cutting back on vital service for local people by 30%.

"Many local retail businesses that I have spoken to are willing to support the show due to the amount of custom the festival drew. This we believe could be reflected on a bigger scale if only the council were to be more ambitious and take the initiative."

Would you like to see a 2013 Ormskirk MotorFest take place? Share your thoughts by sending an email to david.simister@hotmail.co.uk or leave a comment below...

CarFest North - a motoring show organised by Chris Evans - set for Cholmondeley this weekend

AN EVENT organised by a Radio Two DJ which blends his two passions - music and motoring - is being held in Cheshire this weekend.

CarFest North, one of two shows organised by DJ and Ferrari fanatic Chris Evans, will be held at Cholmondeley Castle, a venue already well known to north west petrolheads due to its annual Pageant of Power motorsport event.

The DJ and petrolhead said: "CarFest is my dream of the perfect family festival starring three of my greatest passions – cars, live music and scrumptious food.

"CarFest South which took place a week and a bit ago was just utterly awesome and, from the moment it opened, took on a whole brand new personality of its own. And the best news is, we now get to do it all over again at Cholmondeley Castle."

The event, which is being held to help raise funds for BBC Children In Need, will not only feature exotic cars and motorsport machines, but performances from bands too, with Texas headlining on Saturday, September 8 and Razorlight playing the main performance the following day.

The show follows a similar event held last month, CarFest South, which drew in thousands of spectators when it was held at Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire. Although the main tickets have already sold out for CarFest North, a limited number are still available via the event's website at www.carfest.org.

For full coverage of the show check out Life On Cars this weekend.

Can the Peugeot 208 GTi really be as good as the 205 GTi?

AN Eighties hot hatch icon is back!

Well, sort of, if Peugeot's claims about the new 208 GTi are anything to go by. I was going to spare them the trouble of having their latest souped-up supermini compared with what enthusiasts rank as one of the greatest drivers' cars of all time, but the French firm have compared the new arrival to its iconic ancestor by saying it "regenerates the values of the iconic 205 GTi".

Question is: will it?

Until someone's driven it hard on a bumpy, windy British B-road the jury's out but the signs are good - not only does its 1.6 litre petrol engine deliver a 200bhp punch, but it comes with more rigidity and sportier suspension than the hatchback it's based on, which means on paper at least it's making all the right noises to hot hatch fans (i.e people like me). It's also, at less than 1,200kg, lighter than the car it replaces and equipped

More encouraging still however is the precedent set by models which don't come with those three little letters on the bootlid - if efforts like the 508 are anything to go by, Peugeot is back on form when it comes to making motors that steer and handle properly. In particularly, the agonisingly pretty RCZ coupe I drove two years ago is a cracker to drive - perhaps not as polished as, say, a VW Scirocco, but it's still a car in which you look forward to a tight corner.

Will the GTi stack up to the almost impossibly tall order as being as good as the 205 GTi? Fingers crossed I'll get a go, because I'd love to let you know...