women's motoring & cars & car reviews for women
Kate Kembery
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Posts by Kate Kembery
D-Day – the collection of our Honda PCX125
Jun 1st
My main emotion, masking any potential excitement, was one of fear. Would I ever see my children again or would I fall foul to some horrific accident on my first journey on the Honda PCX 125?
Videoman Paul (expert bike-rider, at least in his own head although admittedly he is still alive) drove me down from North West London to the amazing Honda Institute in Colnbrook – they really ought to consider offering day trips.
It was a tense trip to say the least. I do appreciate that there is only so much reassurance that a person can give, and Paul had reached his limit after 15 minutes. Sadly my need for it extended for the entire hour-long journey.
My agony was further prolonged when we arrived, as my contact had taken a bike for a spin – occupational hazzard I suppose working with so many lovely toys. Paul was happy watching and naming aeroplanes flying overhead (the Institute lies a few metres from Heathrow’s runways) – I made him take his anorak off.
Then it appeared, being wheeled towards me – if only it were in slow motion to show off its shiny black bodywork and chrome trim. This was exciting.
So what is the PCX 125?
This is Honda’s all-new scooter with fuel-saving Idle Stop technology. It’s compact yet still has the look of a bigger bike and is actually rather gorgeous with great curves and flowing lines. Looks great in white too (the alternative colour scheme)… More >
Saab Convertible 25th
May 31st
2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of Saab’s iconic Convertible, which makes us feel old and excited at the same time (excited because this could be a great chance for Saab to let us test one). Seriously though, Saab’s are generally lovely and different to everything else on the road.
Three generations of Saab Convertible have hit the road in the last quarter of a century and almost 300,000 have been sold around the world (at one point it seemed like 250,000 of those were in London SW1), establishing the vehicle as a global icon for the brand. Amazingly the convertible has accounted for as much as fifty percent of total sales in Europe. Pity the poor team designing the next Saab hatch then?
Life on the Road: The journey of the Saab Convertible
The journey of the iconic car began in 1986 when a production run of just four hundred Saab 900 Convertibles came off the line for the US market, and we were young and happy. By the time the 900 Convertible went on sale in Europe that year, demand exceeded production capacity. Seven years later and a second generation came to the market. Autumn 1993 saw the all-new Saab 900 Convertible arrive. This second generation model and its Saab 9-3 evolution in 1998 became an icon, with more stylish design, and a move to a hydraulically –powered soft top to save your fingernails.
2003 brought a whole host of innovations to the Saab Convertible with the launch of the third and current generation.
21st Century Saab
Saab celebrated the first anniversary of its rebirth as an independent company in February 2011 by launching an exclusive Independence Edition of its 9-3 Convertible.
The 1.9-litre TTiD Independence Edition Convertible (catchy eh?) is based on the top-of the-range Aero specification with a 180hp engine, six-speed automatic transmission and unique Amber Orange metallic paint finish, a limited edition serial number etched into the rear side windows, distinctive interior trim and comprehensive equipment. Sounds like it’ll get you noticed then, as if driving around in a convertible won’t draw enough attention…
If you’re flush with cash and fancy a new summer runabout, visit www.media.saab.co.uk
Peugeot RCZ – Gorgeous, gorgeous gorgeous ad infinitum!
May 28th
I was so excited to see another RCZ on the road – it pulled out right in front of us. I wanted to shout and wave to let them know that I too had one (albeit for only seven wonderful days) but they ignored me. I felt as if we should have had an immediate bond – the only other time I’ve seem one was at its launch last year.
To me, this only makes the car more desirable. As it is, every time I get out of it, I fall in love all over again. It still shocks me as to just how beautiful it is.
So when I finally did draw up alongside the RCZ with my ready smile, all I got was a cold glare! Was it the two eager faces of my kids in the rear, or the fact that my RCZ was even more stunning than his with our amber red paintwork, contrasting silver aluminum roof arches, black 19” alloys with black-painted brake calipers and ’11′ registration plate?
Some people are just so shallow! Unlike me, of course. More >
Ford C-Max
Oct 28th
Ford have got a huge line-up of cars at these days and I’m still trying to get my head around the myriad models and trim levels, let alone who might want to drive and own them. Actually, wanting to drive them isn’t such a problem as are they by and large lovely to drive. But if you were in the market for a car and fancied a Ford which one would you go for? Sometimes too much choice just tips you over the edge and you can’t see the wood for the trees. Let’s restrict ourselves to Ford’s family cars for the moment…There’s the S-max. Quite large, quite sporty, rather plush and a seven seater, but not in the traditional full-blown seven seater MPV way – for that you want the Galaxy. Often seen as a luxury car, unless that is you have four kids and something this size just becomes essential. The S-Max has space a-plenty and the two extra seats are for those occasions when you need to cart around seven people, but don’t want to do so on a regular basis. Then you can hide them away and reclaim your huge boot.
All-new Nissan Micra
Oct 26th
The all new Nissan Micra – I certainly won’t forget this car in a hurry! Picture the scene, a good looking city car, in the fabulous city of Copenhagen, an eye-catching luminescent green, so hard to miss and surely head-turning material – so much so that the driver behind us was so taken by the sight that he decided to career into us! After which he sped off down a narrow side street while we were left trying to get to grips with what had just happened. My first thought (obviously after may unrepeatable words to the disappearing car) was that the Micra had coped quite well. No obvious sign of damage apart from the rear light dangling by a couple of wires. So a sturdy little car, which is more than I can say about my head which took the rest of the day to recover!