Driven:- Nissan Qashqai Tekna 2.0 DCi

Crossover, baby. Take a walk on the wild side. Yes, wild. These slightly pumped-up, mildly macho looking off-roaderishly styled cars are hot property right now. They hint at an active, rugged lifestyle and provide a twinge of excitement while you drive to the shops or take the guinea pig to the vet.

You can get a small crossover from any of the major manufacturers these days, Fords Kuga is probably the best of the lot, the rest of them all co-exist in an identity parade that can be difficult to differentiate between. Today I’m driving a Nissan Qashqai; my first time behind the wheel of a car that guarantees my spell-checker instant meltdown.

Click to read more....

Driven #29:- '08 Nissan 350Z

 

There's been an eerily Japanese wind blowing in my direction recently, and fetching up on my shore today is a Nissan 350Z, of 2008 vintage. Now replaced with the 370Z, This was the first wave of Datsuns recent assault on the Sports Coupe market, re-imagining a line that stretches back to Count Albrecht Goertz's delectable 240Z of 1970, and the elegant, lithe Fairlady's before even then.

Having spent a few days behind the wheel of the GT-R, imagine my surprise when this thing rocks up. It was like somebody on high was sending these cars to me, for some kind of automotive psychometric test I had to sit. I had been luck enough to play with a broad selection of weird and wonderful cars over the last months, yet, like Bono, I still haven't found what I'm looking for.

Click to read more....

Driven #28:- Nissan GT-R Black Edition

The weekend so far had seen me driving sensibly further and further North, on well trodden roads, delivering an E63 AMG to its excited new owner.

It was 16:30 when I was finally ready to leave Edinburgh. Although I could feel weariness creeping up on me I knew that there was at least 500 miles to cover before bedtime and I was anxious to get behind the wheel. Some of my impatience and urge to hit the road may have been because my steed for the return journey took the form of an ’09 Nissan GT-R Black Edition.

Click to read more....