In this series on Kerbside we’ll be exploring BMW and their unwillingness to fully explore the ‘photocopier’ design paradigm that BMW themselves invented. It all started with the BMW X6. It was an arresting and curious sort of pseudo-coupe mixed with the ride height and running gear of the BMW X5. And history tells usContinue reading “BMW – Set in Stone – Part 1”
Monthly Archives: October 2021
Thought of the Day 31/10/21
A recurring question has been rebounding off the inside of Kerbsider’s head recently: what car do you never ever see being driven slowly? Initial thoughts were directed towards some of VAG’s hyper hatches – Golf Rs, Audis S3 and RS3. These seemed to fit the bill. Fast, easy to drive fast, turbocharged and blessed withContinue reading “Thought of the Day 31/10/21”
Review | 2020 AUDI A3 Cabriolet 35TFSI S Line 2dr S Tronic
It is a strange notion that Britain, a place that will never even glimpse the top of the ‘most sunshine hours-per-year’ list, has a fondness for the convertible car, so much so, that it is Audi’s strongest convertible market. The A3 Cabriolet is Audi’s latest attempt at a compact convertible, bringing superior quality, design andContinue reading “Review | 2020 AUDI A3 Cabriolet 35TFSI S Line 2dr S Tronic”
Maybe Modern Cars Don’t Look So Bad | The Front Wheel Arch of the Jaguar I-Pace
The Jaguar I-Pace is quite a complicated car to look at. Its long wheelbase is the natural by-product of the traditional (relatively speaking) ‘skateboard’ EV powertrain layout, which makes its short overhangs an exercise is rigorous necessity. The rear end is particularly meagre, almost to the point where it seems the rest of what wasContinue reading “Maybe Modern Cars Don’t Look So Bad | The Front Wheel Arch of the Jaguar I-Pace”
In the Rear View | Jaguar F-Type
The original Jaguar F-Type was one of the best looking cars ever produced. Back in 2014 it was brutish, bold, elegant, and well-proportioned. It was also restrained. Restrained, not in a negative way, but restrained in a way of knowing when enough is enough, thus avoiding overcomplication. The F-Type convertible possessed a measured face, whichContinue reading “In the Rear View | Jaguar F-Type”
In the Rear View | The Badge-Engineered Death of the Ford KA Mk2
Badge engineering. Corporate chicanery at its finest, badge engineering is the equivalent of copying your mate’s homework, and then changing only the handwriting and the name scrawled guiltily across the top of the sheet. Sometimes the results are even-Stevens, and badge-engineered cars sneak by without creating waves, often with mixed results in the showroom; thinkContinue reading “In the Rear View | The Badge-Engineered Death of the Ford KA Mk2”
Opinion | Will The Porsche Panamera Live to See a Third Generation?
The Porsche Panamera has always lived a difficult life. It’s neither the car that saved Porsche: the Cayenne, or a car that has mass-market appear, like the Macan. It’s also a decidedly old-school product, by being a big saloon in the age of the SUV and crossover. It’s only been rendered ‘old-school’ in the lastContinue reading “Opinion | Will The Porsche Panamera Live to See a Third Generation?”
Maybe Modern Cars Don’t Look So Bad | The Mazda MX-30
The Mazda MX-30 is a good looking car. It’s good looking, not merely in relation to other small crossovers, but good looking full stop. It transcends segment stodginess and the cannibalistic homogeny that is small crossover design. The MX-30 exudes a confidence from its design, and a following through of brave design concepts. Its cleanContinue reading “Maybe Modern Cars Don’t Look So Bad | The Mazda MX-30”
Kerbside 