Month: July 2015

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The SEAT Leon Cupra ST goes like a stabbed rat! What an estate!

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Bloody hell! This Cupra goes like a stabbed rat. It’s not refined fast, like a Porsche 911, or a BMW M4 – just very quick off the mark and a pure white knuckle road.

It’s actually rather hard not to be a bit of a hooligan, especially when other drivers mistake the Cupra for an ‘ordinary’ estate car.

What’s most impressive is that with 270+bhp of grunt going to the front wheels, it doesn’t lose traction under harsh acceleration and then keeps on going, and going, and going…

I must say this is another surprise car of the year. It doesn’t have the largest boot capacity and you can ditch the orange trim pack but this SEAT is the ultimate wolf in sheep’s clothing…

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Wheels on fire – orange is the new silver for SEAT Leon Cupra

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Somebody has set my wheels on fire. No, seriously, the Orange Line Pack fitted on our Cupra ST this week are crazy bright. As are the orange door mirrors, orange tailgate lettering and orange front grille surround.

Protestants and fans of orange will love this but I wonder if this fad will pass? Will the orange bits one day be the equivalent of a yellow Mercedes SLK, or a pink Fiat 500.

For now, it’s the one very obvious ‘styling’ issue I have with this very special Leon ST. It is otherwise a very attractive estate car, prettier than the VW Golf estate and very purposeful.

Thank goodness I’m not still living in Northern Ireland. We’re coming up to July 12 and the controversial commemorations of William of Orange. This particular SEAT would turn heads for all the wrong reasons…

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Why Mr Whoppit may no longer be needed in my Range Rover Sport

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Anticipating the arrival of a new sports car in  the Taylor household, today I bought a Mr Whoppit on eBay. A what, I hear you ask? Mr Whoppit was the teddy bear mascot of Sir Donald Campbell, land speed record holder and all round splendid Englishman.

While Donald and Mr W came to a watery end trying to break a water speed record on Lake Coniston, the plan was to have a replica teddy bear in the back of my next car. (I’m 51 but a man can dream). Just 5,000 Mr Whoppits were made in honour of Sir Donald – now I own one of them.

However, since the arrival of the Range Rover Sport, my sports car planning has been thrown off the scent. The Rangey is so good, I’m wondering if a storming SUV might be a more enjoyable option?

The Land Rover goes today and I really am going to miss it. Comfortable, fast, superbly put together – I don’t think there is anything made in Germany that comes close to the Sport.