Private Feet Car Review: 2015 Jaguar XF R-Sport
Iconic British brand, Jaguar, has long been an innovator in the auto industry. It’s also come perilously close to going under as a maker but thankfully Indian based conglomerate Tata threw them a chequebook and said go for it. As a result we’ve seen the rebirth of the XJ, the fantastic F-Type and its sibling, the F-Pace SUV. The XF series (now into its third styling), has been a favourite within the brand and A Wheel Thing looks at an example of the outgoing model, in the shape of the 3.0L V6 R-Sport.
First released in 2008, with a bug eyed look and a svelte coupe profile, the XF quickly made its mark against its traditional German rivals. A facelift in 2011 gave the front a much needed makeover, a minor change to the rear and an eight speed gearbox. The car Jaguar Australia provided to A Wheel Thing, the R-Sport, had that plus a grunty yet silky smooth supercharged V6 with petrol the preferred juice, as Jaguar also has a diesel version.
Oh Volkswagen, How Could You???
Dear Martin Winterkorn and the rest of the VW team,
Funeral Cortege Etiquette: Follow That Hearse
Nobody likes going to funerals. For a start off, you’re dealing with having lost someone you knew, or you’re there to support a friend who’s lost someone. Then you have to dress up in smart, dark clothing, head off to a church or chapel that you may not be familiar with, sit on uncomfortable seats and hope like mad that half a billion relatives don’t stand up and give interminable eulogies. Then you’ve got the trip to the graveside, following the hearse.
This procession of cars behind a hearse going from the church/mosque/chapel/synagogue/other significant ceremonial place is known as a cortege. Or cortège if you want the fancy French spelling. This is supposed to be a stately procession. The idea here is that the hearse leads the way, usually taking the minister/priest/rabbi and the coffin. The chief mourners (i.e. immediate family) will come next in the procession. To take part in the cortege, set out from the chapel or wherever the funeral was held and follow the hearse. Don’t dawdle.
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Kia Carnival S Petrol.
Designing a people mover for the road is simple: take a box, slap on four wheels and you’re done. But what do you do if you want a truly stylish people mover? Many companies have tried and some have failed. Some have come out with award winners, such as Honda and their Odyssey. To make a BIG people mover look nice is no easy task yet Korea’s Kia have done so with their 2016 Carnival. Carnival is also the vehicle of choice for a company that specialises in producing vehicles for disabled and wheelchair bound people, Automobility.
A Wheel Thing was pencilled in to sample the diesel engined Carnival, however due to an incident with that car, was given the keys to the petrol powered S, the entry level model. It’s an interesting price point, too, for the big car (it’s 5115 mm long) at $41490 as it’s both well featured as standard and just $500 more than the Optima Platinum…
Level 2, 9 Help Street