There’s something rather special about the ‘old’ Ford Focus ST (produced in 2002-2003).  It is a car that is good looking, powerful and exciting.  Even better, there aren’t many of them about on UK roads.  It’s a proper hot hatch that’ll cover 0-60 in a shade over six seconds so it has proper, proper performance.  It came with a limited slip diff to avoid the wheels scrabbling too much and those who have one will tell you that they are a real joy.

However, the RS was quickly overshadowed by the slightly-more-manic (and wonderfully coloured I hasten to add) Ford Focus ST.  What’s bad about this car could be written on the back of a stamp.  It is phenomenal.  Granted, if you’re concerned about boy-racer attention then it’s not much of a car for you, but for everyone else you’ll just LOVE that 2.5 litre turbocharged engine.

The new Ford Focus RS has been revealed – and it’s a good looker too.  It has lost none of its focus and is no doubt after the crown of the older brother, the ST.  If looks alone are anything to go buy then it could well steal it.  Granted, the machinery underneath looks extremely promising too, with that same 2.5 litre engine being uprated to produce 280BHP!  That’s even more than the mad-crazy Vauxhall Astra VXR and it should give this motor some serious oomph.

Granted, you may well be concerned about how just two wheels will handle this (the old Cosworth was after all a four-wheel job) but the answer is Ford has thought of this too.  There’s a trick diff set up to electronically distribute those furious horses when you plant your right foot, making sure that you don’t just scrabble but actively shoot down the road.

The latest news is that this sweet-looking Ford is currently lapping the Nurburgring excitedly.  Why?  To make sure that it is not only a great car in its own right but to ensure that it’s a wonderful driver’s car.  The reason being of course that this sort of model will surely land in the hands of an enthusiast, regardless of how high petrol prices go.

Is this going to be a Ford that’s worth the wait?  I’d say almost certainly yes.  Granted, the ST might look a bit lairy but this takes it a whole step further.  And in this case, that’s a wonderful thing.  Ali G might love it, but so do I.  Ford, I really think you’re on with a winner here, so don’t mess it up by going all Alfa Romeo Brera on us and making it too heavy.

Is it a bird?  Is it a plane?  Nope, it’s the new BMW.  Not exactly known for really pushing out the boat and making crazy new models or variations on the theme, BMW nonetheless make cars with pretty damn good reputations – and in the case of a significant number of their vehicles, excellent performance to boot.  However, the Gina eschews the usual BMW storyline and is a concept worthy of the more exotic manufacturers out there.  Why is that?  Well, the body is fabric.

Fabric?  Yes, you read that right.  The GINA Light Visionary Model is a two seat roadster that has a textile cover resistant to water and extremes of temperature.  This fabric ‘overcoat’ is pulled across a moveable metal framework for a lovely outer shell.  The lightweight aluminium spaceframe underneath has only four body sections – this minimises roll and provides stability.

Perhaps the most astounding part (the crazy looks aside) must be the ability of that aforementioned spaceframe to move.  Electro-hydraulics allow the car to shift into place for greater downforce and concealment of various elements until desired.  One such example of this would be the lights, as they remain under the fabric until lit, before it is peeled away to reveal them.

This is, without a doubt, one of the most stunning concepts we’ve seen in a long time.  Whether it actually tells us about the future of motoring however is another thing.  There’s no doubt that one way to increase the level of fuel efficiency is to lower the weight of a vehicle – however I’m convinced we’re not going to be driving around in fabric cars in the future (there’s safety concerns for starters, but this is a concept after all).

However, as you can see from the picture, it does tell us something.  That something is revealing the nature of the next BMW Z4.  There are some obvious similarities between this in side profile and the current model.  It looks like one attractive car indeed.  Mark my words – you’ll be rubber-necking when it hits the road, though I’m sure the finished model will have a roof.

Regarding looks, to me it comes across more ‘shark like’ in appearance than just about any other BMW model ever produced.  That nose is incredibly aggressive – I really hope that it makes production.  I’m sure those raised-and-extended doors will go amiss too, which is a shame.  Nonetheless, all of the design cues make me curious as to what the finished article will look like.

You may well be somewhat like me in that you don’t own a sports car (yet) but you do like to know what’s coming out and when, just in case you happen to get a minor lottery win or a cash windfall from your ‘job in the city’ (whatever that is). For those people, I’ve compiled a list below of some interesting cars that are due out in the near future. Let me know if you’d like a dedicated article on any of them or further details.

Abarth Grande Punto – Summer 2008
Thankfully, Fiat’s sporty arm Abarth shouldn’t disappoint with this – no doubt it’ll feature more power and a better body kit. It’s about time the little Italian (wait a minute, it’s not so little any more) fends off the likes of the RenaultSport Clio 197.

Alfa Romeo 159 GTA – End 2008
What could be better than a (potentially reliable) hot saloon Alfa? Not a lot in my books…

Aston Martin DBS Roadster – Summer 2008
Did the best car on the road just get better? I’d think so, just as long as it doesn’t have too much body roll. Sign me up to test one asap please!

Caterham R500 – Summer 2008
I really don’t know why there aren’t more of these about. I know, people need to pay off mortgages and repair their poor DIY that they insist on doing on bank holidays, but these machines are superb. If you have the chance, drive one. You won’t regret it and in fact you may even decide to invest in a crazy little two seater. Oh yeah, it’ll have a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds too…

Fiat 500 Abarth – October 2008
So, an Abarth makes this list twice eh? Well, what do you expect? The 500 really is the new Mini and it will put a huge, stupid grin on your face in the Abarth guise, I guarantee it.

Hyundai Coupe – 2009
A funny car the coupe – it always seemed to look better than it was. This one I hope is an exception, as it looks absolutely cracking and it would be great to have the performance and control to match.

KTM X-Bow – Late 2008
The guys who normally make bikes finally are going to ship this year, with that crazy orange and black thing we’ve seen for a while. Is it better than an Ariel Atom? Well it doesn’t look as good in my opinion but we’ll have to wait and see. I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun though – oversized go-carts always are – just look at what I said about the Caterham.

Nissan 350Z – 2009
Yes, apparently there’s a new version due of my favourite EVER coupe. Will it be as good as the old one? Well hopefully it’ll be lighter. Will they not jump to the 400Z? Well there’s a little rumour going around, but that deserves a post in and of itself…

Nissan GT-R – March 2009
I couldn’t fail to mention this now could I? What a car. I love it. I simply love it. Roll on March, I can’t wait to be that much loathed ‘test pilot’ that dealers always want to avoid. I’d better wear my best suit though; they don’t let just anyone try a £55k supercar.

Toyota Celica - 2009
An underrated car the Celica – it has both cool looks and very reasonable performance, along with lower insurance costs and better-than-average economy for a sporty car. You’ll really want the 190+BHP version though – otherwise you’re going to feel a tad let down.

Due to depreciation (the money you lose as soon as a car is driven off a forecourt) I’d almost never buy a new car. However, some relatives have done just this and I can certainly see the appeal. Not least the fact that there’s something special about all of it, from speccing up your vehicle, to choosing the colour – all the way through to sitting in for the first time and taking in that ‘new car smell’ (that’ll be the chemicals in the plastic then).

A new car should arrive with you in absolutely pristine condition – it should be free from scratches, rust, odd dents and of course foreign bodies. It should look, in short, perfect. Naturally, for a new car, it should also have very few miles on the clock. That’s a given. You’ll get the treat of either wearing the engine in nice and soft, or ragging it around depending on where you get your advice from. Most people, luckily I think, still wisely go for the former. Check your manual for further info on this.

I’ve got an interesting little anecdote before I begin my advice on what to look for with your new car, and it goes something like this. I’m in the market for a new used car, something a little bit special. I was lucky enough to meet a very honest dealer who said, “Please bear in mind, all of these cars are used”.

He then promptly showed me a car that had stone chips (they had been filled in but they were there) on the bonnet. He said “I don’t want to mislead you – what I’ll sell you will be mechanically 100%. However, it may have some cosmetic niggles. It is a quality used car though”. I wasn’t shocked – I am after all in the market for a used car. I rightfully responded with the fact that if I was looking for a Resprayed, overpriced car I would have went to a main dealer.

There, they would have probably made the car look cosmetically perfect but would have added a few grand to the price tag – pushing said vehicle out of my budget. This brings me nicely on to what get your beady eyes on when going for your brand new motor.

* Don’t get caught up in the excitement and rush through anything – it could be costly not only in terms of your wallet but also for what you end up getting.
* However you’ve settled and whatever you’ve signed beforehand, never just get out your pen. Take the time to have a nice long inspection for the car. At the end of the day, this is something that is no doubt costing you significant amounts of money.
* A new car should look exactly that – it should be clean, tidy and polished inside and out. Don’t settle for picking it up in the dark or wet. If you’re taking delivery at home, mark on the invoice (if you accept it in these conditions) that you haven’t been able to inspect but you will do so as soon as you can and will inform them of the outcome.
* Take the time to look at all panels, windows and tyres. Is everything looking as it should do?
* Any extras that you have specified should come with delivery of the vehicle, almost without exception. Have your copy of the invoice ready and go through it all. Does it have the 30 GB hard drive that you wanted? How about the optional 18 inch alloys? Did you choose the red or the orange stitching? Each of these options could well have added to the price tag, so make sure they’re in place when you pick up.
* When a new car is dropped off, it should be treated to a very special PDI. This is a pre-delivery inspection – basically a piece of paperwork saying the car is everything it is meant to be, the VIN info is correct and it’s all working. Your service book should have a stamp for this.
* Generally speaking, most cars come with two keys. You don’t want the dealer to have a spare or indeed your log book. Take receipt of all of this when you sign, along with all information related to warranty, servicing and any special dealer benefits. Naturally, you’ll want a contact name and number in case of problems.

The bottom line really comes down to this – whether it’s mechanical or you feel that your brand new car has been test driven before you’ve had a chance to get in it and make your driver’s seat your own, you really shouldn’t sign anything off. You have an extremely strong case if you keep your invoice and purchase records to show that the new car you want isn’t what is sitting waiting for you.

A word of warning – whatever sort of car you’re in the market for, you may well find it difficult to buy the very most basic option with no specced extras. I can’t remember where I saw the report but naturally enough, dealers are trying to up sell. Not only that, but it’s worth less to the manufacturer themselves (whoever they happen to be) if all they are producing is a tiny-model variant with no alloys and a single CD player.

For the time and the effort, I’d always recommend going that little bit further, even if it means saving up an extra month or whatever. For starters, unless you’re planning on keeping the car for life (these days that could well be in excess of 15 years based on engine life and average mileage of 12k) it’ll help resale values if you have some of what many people consider ‘the basics’. What are those and what colour should your new car be? Well there’s another article in itself.

In the meantime, if you’re lucky enough to have a brand new car, really do enjoy it. They are a marvel of the road and it’s the buying of those vehicles that allows the rest of us to see the decent stuff trickle down until we can afford it. New cars, I salute you (but only if you meet your purchasers’ options!)

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Recently, I succeeded in getting a new job. Apart from this requiring me to get public transport to work as it is in the city centre, it has also meant that I may be free to spend a little more on my motor. As such, I’ve been looking at a few of my options. These range from a cheap, fast second-hand motor such as a Renault Clio 172 all the way through to trading in my current Astra to get my hands on a rather lovely Alfa Romeo 156 GTA (but I don’t think I could afford to keep the notoriously unreliable brand running).

I’m fairly sure now that I have narrowed it down. I think my choice is somewhat special – a BMW M3 on a 1998 or 1999 plate with about 50,000 miles on the clock. A full BMW service history is very important (after all as this is a high performance car there’s a chance it may well have done a few laps around a track), as well as not having an owner who has scrimped on looking after this performance-oriented car. Nonetheless, I’m sure it’s going to be special. This brings me to this year’s new BMW M3 convertible.

This is a car that requires a rather fat wallet in the first instance – it comes with a price tag of £54,760 after all. Granted, there are many types of car available for this price, but few will give you such a tremendous, singing, beautifully performing engine as the 4.0 litre V8 on offer here. The 414bhp it chucks out will have a smile on your face the first time you add a bit of power, no doubt sending a shiver down your spine when the exhausts roar.

As is the usual with these cars, the convertible is heavier than the coupe variant – this is down to the fact that the roof mechanism can add a lot of weight to the whole equation. This lowers to 0-60 dash to a paltry (ha ha) 5.1 seconds. If you have the roof down, this will be enough to have your hair standing on end, especially on a nice B-road. Mmmmmmm.

The dynamics are one place where you can’t really fault BMW – they seem to have got the formula right with the M3 for a long time now. This remains no exception and in spite of what Clarkson says, you’d have to mad to dislike the way that it holds the road. Granted, you may find that it has a little shake on some rougher services, but it isn’t nowhere near as wobbly as some convertibles (Saab, I’m looking at you).

Of course, if you want to roar around like a posh git in your fifty grand motor you need the right gearbox to go with it. In this case, a seven gear M DCT (dual clutch setup) is a huge improvement over the older variations of the SMG transmission. Gone is the jerkiness, replaced with smooth action, launch control and even blips on the downshift. You’ll love it.

One criticism levelled at the car has been the iDrive system. This exclusive BMW control suite can give you a huge wealth of information about the car (tyre pressures, oil and so forth) as well as controlling your uploaded CD collection. Now though, you can alter steering, dampers, throttle response and even traction control. You might find it a bit fiddly – but for the purists out there it’ll be a great addition and makes the car that little more special.

On a more aesthetic note, you’ll love the looks – I’m convinced of it. In alpine white (I’m not sure what BMW calls that colour but that’s what it is), it’s a true head turner. The lovely light clusters and menacing grille that harks back to the E36 of old is special, as is the big air dam on the front end. Even from the rear it’s good looking – those four exhausts set it off perfectly.

Overall, I don’t think you can explain here what makes driving a superbly fast convertible on a sunny day with the top down so much fun. You really just have to drive it yourself to find out. In the meantime, you might just see me out and about in a 3.2 litre with my personal plate. Now, I just need to find the right car that is less than 200 miles away…

If you’re on this website then chances are you’ll have seen Top Gear. That means you’ll have heard Hammond, Clarkson and May bang on about the wonder that is Alfa Romeo cars – however they do mention the caveat. Whilst Alfa Romeos tend to be brilliant cars to drive (drivercentric if you will), they go wrong. In the words of every mechanic in the country, “oh, it’s going to cost you”.

Until recently, I’d not had the experience of an Alfa – but then that all changed at the Scottish Motor Show. The car in question was the Alfa Romeo Brera – their newest coupe with looks that you’ll either love or hate. Whilst it looks great from the front end, I must say that I wasn’t impressed at all from the rear – it has almost as offensive a back end as the current generation Megane. Maybe it’s a car that has external design that grows on you. Either way, it’s not as instantly appealing as a 156 GTA for instance.

The driving dynamics could have done with improving too – the main problem being that this is a heavy, heavy car. When coupes are arguably meant to propel you quicker than their saloon or hatch variants, this didn’t seem up to the job. However, as per usual, Alfa had turned out a car that still wanted you to drive it, giving a lot back in terms of feel and driver information. Here’s hoping then that the ‘S’ variant is different.

So what does the ‘S’ mean? It stands for Speciale, as this is a vehicle that has undergone changes under the watchful eye of the motorsport specialist Prodrive (they are the guys who do those lovely DBR-9’s amongst other things). You get the same choice of engine, which is the 2.2 litre or the 3.2 litre JTS V6 (no diesels here thank you).

Let’s look at the changes then shall we? For an extra £1,500 over the standard car you get your Prodrive badges on the car (a nice exclusivity factor there then), a 10mm reduction in ride height to give you better stability and less roll, four chromed exhausts and 19 inch specialist lightweight alloys. It must be said that these are a real stand-out feature of the car and will have passers by stopping to look at your new baby. They are also mechanically important as they provide much needed weight loss for a car that really does need a diet.

As with the standard version of the Brera, the interior is a welcoming place to be. You’ll find swathes of leather, red stitching and of course a numbered plate as there are only 500 of these bad boys going to be made. Even the pedals have become sportier over the standard car, with a nice aluminium finish.

For the dynamics, spring rates have been stiffened by 50% so that should make a big difference – whilst damper rates are revised for more body control and less wayward movement. Even fine-tuning the geometry wasn’t beyond Prodrive – they’ve clearly looked long and hard at the Brera to focus it as much as possible whilst still making it a good, usable every day car.

The Brera is a lovely car. There’s no doubt about it, if you’re sitting in one or looking at one from the outside (rear aside of course) you’ll understand that it’s a special place to be. However, it remains a particularly heavy car; the ‘S’ variant has lost 100kg compared to the original but is a fat 1,550kg. Quite a lot I’m sure you’d agree for a car that is really only a 2+2. It is perhaps that weight that still lets the car down.

There’s no doubt that the Alfa Romeo Brera S is a good car – but part of me is wondering whether it is the car that the Brera should have been anyway – or at least perhaps in the V6 3.2 litre guise. This will propel you to 60 mph in about seven seconds, but you should expect that in a car costing over £28,000. A lot of money no doubt, putting it above the cost of a new PZ Mazda RX-8 or Nissan 350z.

Overall, the Brera S is a car that fits into the Alfa Romeo line-up perfectly. What I mean by that is it remains just like marmite, marzipan and motorsport. You’ll either love it or hate it. Whilst Alfa might have a lot of problems associated with the brand, there’s no doubt that they produce some fantastic, drivercentric vehicles that have a lot of love to give. Now, where did I put my chequebook?

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting a certain Keith G Davidson.  This gentleman is none other than the Chief Executive of Breckland Technology, a company specialising in low volume, specialist sports vehicles.  You’ll be familiar with a couple of their models I’d guess, namely the Tommy Kaira ZZ (if you’re of the Playstation generation that is) and the Mosler MT900 (if you like sports/high performance vehicles).

Here’s some information on the company:

“The long-term goal for Breckland Technology is to establish a robust, high quality, low volume, manufacturing facility in the UK with worldwide clients.  This has so far been achieved with clients in Japan, UK and the USA.”

Given the obvious quality of their products, this frankly doesn’t surprise me.  This isn’t just every day run-of-the-mill kit here – it’s rare stuff that is well put together and can probably burn off most other cars on the road.  But let’s return to my run-in with Mr Davidson.  I met him at the Scottish Motor Show, where the Beira was on display.  I then took the opportunity to send him a few questions exclusively for CarArticles.co.uk.  The Beira I say?

That’s right, the Beira.  Let’s have a little bit of information about this beauty then shall we?

The Beira (whose name derives from a species of wild deer) is a hand-built, two-seat roadster, with unique styling cues, and powered by GM’s LS2 V8 engine, tuned to produce just a whisper short of 400hp.

Tipping the scales at 1,450kg, the Beira’s impressive power to weight ratio ensures invigorating performance, with a sub-4 second sprint to 100kph, coupled to tremendous torque, and a governed top speed of 155mph.

“It’s the ultimate in affordable boys’ toys,” says Breckland Director, Mike Rawlings. “Beira carries on from where TVR left off in terms of providing maximum performance for money spent, and real individuality.  We wanted to showcase Breckland’s design and engineering capabilities and produce an exciting driver’s car, with excellent handling dynamics, terrific performance and great looks, and importantly, priced well within the grasp of real sportscar enthusiasts,” he added.

“We also looked seriously at environmental concerns and, as a result, Beira is designed to run on Liquid Petroleum Gas as well as petrol.  This not only helps to reduce running costs and emissions, but also means Beira is capable of a range of some 700 miles between refueling stops – that’s the equivalent of travelling non-stop from the North to the South coast of France.”

Of course, building a car from scratch isn’t easy – so that’s not what Breckland set out to do.  Instead, they took the well-established Kappa platform of General Motors (think the Opel GT) and naturally put their own unique twist on it.

“Beira differs in many significant respects from the GM products however, the most radical departure being the installation of General Motors’ potent, 6.0-litre, LS2 V8 engine, more commonly found in Corvette and Pontiac GTO models.  It replaces the four-cylinder Ecotec engine and, by comparison, produces more than twice the power of the original unit.

“We didn’t set out to reinvent the wheel with Beira,” says Rawlings. “The Kappa platform offers a highly competent chassis, which has been subject to intensive crash and safety tests, and is readily available.”

Naturally, I’m sure you’re thinking that this new British racer is looking pretty fancy – but you’re wondering when you’ll get to see it.  Well, you missed it in Scotland didn’t you?  What about Monaco?  Well sadly I wasn’t there.  Not all is lost however.  I’d recommend going to the Moto Expo Show in London’s Canary Wharf from June 9th to 15th.

Apart from seeing the Beira, there are some other good reasons to go to the Moto Expo in June (starting next weekend actually).  First, it’s free to visit.  Second, there are features, car launches and even test drives.  Lastly, the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is going to be there.  Will this be Car Articles 2008 Car of the Year?  It just might be.

Returning to the Beira, I’m sure you want to know the full facts and figures.  So, without further ado, here they are:

Engine             Breckland-modified GM LS2 6.0 litre V8.  397bhp on petrol and LPG

Performance    Top Speed: 155mph (governed); Acceleration: 0-100kph 3.9 secs (estimate)

Equipment:      Air-conditioning; Cruise control; Electrically-operated side
windows and exterior mirrors; Manually-operated cloth hood with electrically-heated rear glass; Leather/alcantara reclining sports seats with manual fore and aft adjustment; Heated driver’s seat; Driver and passenger air bags; Back-lit analogue speedometer and tachometer and fuel gauge; Digital driver information system; Halogen lighting with automatic on/off; Clarion hard-drive navigation and full entertainment system; Clarion reversing camera

Dimensions    Length 3992mm; Width 1810mm; Wheelbase 2415mm; Height 1272mm; Kerb Weight 1450kg

Options        19” road wheels; Tonneau cover. Interior to customer specifications

I know that you want one – especially in the tasty colour that it’ll appear in at the Moto Expo.  Sadly I can’t give any more information about that – nor the price in fact.  However I can say that for a nice GT like this it is less than you’d think.  Keep watching this space for more exclusive information on this soon-to-be-available British sportscar.

I was lucky enough to be at the Renault stand when the new Koleos was unveiled.  Lucky, I say, because it’s not every day you see a new car revealed.  Okay, so it’s not a Ferrari.  Nonetheless, this new 4×4 should garner plenty of press due to the new features it has, along with the usual story of ample space and usefulness about town.

So just what is this front-sloping beast?  Well, it’s Renault’s version of the Nissan X-Trail – the 4×4 offering from their sister company.  Let’s get it out of the way; it looks modern in a sort of Nissan Quashqai kind of way.  I’m being kind when I say that, I suppose.  I’m being even kinder when I say that the Quashqai is ‘unique’ looking.  So this is too I guess.

It’s not just a coincidence that it looks like the Quashqai – it’s meant to look like a crossover vehicle.  The Koleos, however, is made to be one.  That means it has user-friendly handling (so no notorious back-breaking ride here) of a family car but with the off-road capabilities of… well… an off road vehicle!  Naturally, it also has to have enough space to fit not only your dog but your skis (yes it even has custom holders for these thrown in).

The driving, unsurprisingly from the company that brought you the actually-quite-good RenaultSport Clio, is decent.  Even though you’re higher up, in ‘normal’ mode the car will sense levels of grip and vary the power from the front to the rear wheels as necessary.  Not quite the active-super-doodads of the Mitsubishi Evo X, but certainly at least on par with the competition such as the BMW X3 or the Nissan X-Trail.

Rather than a gearlever that you’d find in an old Land Rover, the Koleos comes equipped with a button for simplicity of choosing between a 4×4 or 2×4 drive mode.  Nice.  As you’d expect with an MPV (multi purpose vehicle) or crossover, you get tonnes of storage space.  There’s drawer upon drawer in the boot, foldable seats, a nice large, airy cabin and a large, chilled glove box.  Perfect for taking the missus up a mountain (well, a very shallowly inclined hill) and sipping some champers.  There’s literally class leading space for front passengers and not exactly a shortage of room in the back either.  Small though it ain’t.

If you’re a petrol man then you might want to look elsewhere – though god knows why you’d want something this big running on the guzzling stuff.  Instead, two diesels are the order of the day, a 150 or a 175 (both Euro IV emission compliant and with less than 200 g/km in 2×4 mode).  Personally I’d go for the latter if you’re going to be a load lugger – the former if it’s simply a lifestyle choice (as most drivers will no doubt be getting this car for).

Naturally there’s an options list that’s rather long, but the sat nav system is quite nice so I’d recommend that.  You get all the information you need including the incline/decline of your car and whether you’re doing anything stupid with it.  Of course, all the usual extras are built in such as telephone and so forth.

Overall, the Koleos is suitable for purpose. The purpose however is not clearly defined, as you’d expect with a crossover vehicle.  The ground clearance of 188mm (it can go up to 206mm) isn’t bad, but it’s not going to be dragging you around the highlands.  The amount of space you get and relative luxury is perhaps more of an indicator – the yummy mummies out there might well be interested in it.  Will the looks put them off though? Well, not if the Quashqai’s success is anything to go buy.

Would I buy one?  Well, not at the moment no.  What if I had a nice little chalet over in France somewhere though that had a dirt track and a few nearby hills along with reasonable outdoor facilities?  Well then you might be talking.  Not a bad car by any means, but not a very focussed one either.

Let’s get the facts out of the way first shall we? The Ferrari California is a two door open topped sports car (well aren’t they all) that’s front mid-engined and featuring a lovely direct injection 4.3 litre V8 with an output of 453BHP. There’s no figure on the price yet, or the fuel consumption. Not a surprise on either really, you don’t want to put people off after all…

It’s always an event when a new supercar comes along, especially when it looks as damn good as the car above. It’s the sort of thing that people will stop and stare at, or if they’re lucky enough, have sex with supermodels in. For the rest of us mere mortals, we simply get to see it on the Internet or at a motorshow, where it will stand sterile, taunting us with all that unused power.

It is rumoured that this Ferrari, the California, is to be fitted with a V8 that is going to be in front of the driver, yet still mid-mounted (behind those all important front wheels). It should mean a change in dynamics, but it’s not as if Ferrari doesn’t know what they’re doing. The name, for instance, harks back to various other Ferraris that have been open-topped, with owners driving along with the wind in their hair.

As with a number of other Ferraris, this is a car that will feature a transaxle setup. This is both good for power and weight distribution, giving the car a more dynamic load setup. Naturally, this means your brand new California should be able to guided like a rocket around your chosen city streets – or track for that matter.

For power, Ferrari have said that the big V8 lump should shove the car up to 60 in less than 4 seconds – so a bit more than your average hot hatch and in fact faster than a significant number of exotics. What will really differentiate it then will be that handling and the lovely wail that you should get from the lump up at the front. If it doesn’t sound special, that will surely shoot it in the front, especially as an open topped car.

Will you want one? Well yes, of course you blood dolt. It’s a Ferrari – and it doesn’t have a roof to boot. Okay, so you can afford a luxury car like this – will you buy one in the face of 911 Turbos, Lamborghini Gallardos and even imported Nissan GT-R’s? Well, that remains to be seen. It has the power and the style. It also though comes with an estimated price tag that’ll push it past the value of a standard F430.

With that in mind, I don’t think it will it will float my boat enough. I’m quite hardcore when it comes to these things, and the roar grunt of the F430 – with those quad exhausts and the screaming engine (along with the tried and tested formula) would still make it my choice. However, let’s keep our eyes open and I’ll give you regular updates on this motor. Who knows, I might just change my mind when I sit in one…

It seems that these days Peugeot has been undergoing a bit of a renaissance so to speak.  What I mean is that the cars they are producing seem to be getting nicer interiors, better profiles and doing a little better in the depreciation stakes.  Not only that, but clearly new designs are starting to get green-lit.  Just like this one.

This is the new Peugeot 308 RC Z.  Last year it was just a concept, now it is going into production.  There’s no confirmed name yet, but the RC Z is a safe bet for the time being (no doubt dropping the 308 moniker to avoid comparisons to the hatch) and it has been created to offer some direct competition to the Audi TT and other premium coupes.

So what about the differences from the concept to the actual vehicle?  Well, the crazy double-bump polycarbonate rear window won’t feature – however the Bell and Ross dashboard stays (so a touch of class in there).  Overall, it is one of the few cars where the car that rolls of the production line is pretty damn close to the concept.

It’s got the usual Peugeot coupe styling of a leading front and an extended rear tail.  There’s a lower spoiler, chrome radiator grille and fresh headlights.  There’s a rear diffuser on there, a twin pipe exhaust and that slope will remain as it absolves the car from the need of a fancy (and/or stupid looking) spoiler. As this is still in concept stage at the moment, there are a few things that will change.

As with the concept, the production vehicle will remain a 2+2, meaning extremely small back seats suitable for golf clubs but almost certainly not for people. One of the more bizarre features of many coupes, that is.  Why stick in seats when you’re almost sure to never use them?

Stats are probably going to be a 1.6 litre turbocharged engine, 170+ BHP channelled through the front wheels and 0-60 of around seven seconds.  It’ll be placed around the £17,000 mark when released.  Would I buy one?  I’m not sure.

Why is that, I hear you ask… Well, let’s put it this way.  It isn’t exactly the most masculine looking thing out there is it?  If the Nissan 350 Z is a real man’s muscle coupe, this is perhaps more of a ‘Women of Sex and the City’ type of show here.  Not that it’ll be a bad vehicle mind – I think it will actually be quite good.  It won’t knock the Audi TT off its perch though, not least given that it has a new diesel version coming out soon.