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Opinion

'It’s time car makers gave us the wheely good alloys for free'
Porter
Opinion

'It’s time car makers gave us the wheely good alloys for free'

The problem with the proliferation of alloy wheel choices is that it's exposing us to deliberately cack wheel design
17 Sep 2019
'A classic British (and Italian) job will always be Meaden’s kind of Mini adventure'
Dickie Header
Opinion

'A classic British (and Italian) job will always be Meaden’s kind of Mini adventure'

The Mini's handling and the sheer tenacity of its road-holding were revelatory
27 Aug 2019
'Who knew sticking a motor in the back was going to become hip again'
Porter
Opinion

'Who knew sticking a motor in the back was going to become hip again'

A rear-engined Up GTI could have been the "mini 911" we thought we were getting with the soggy Smart-based Twingo
6 Aug 2019
'It pains me to say so, but Porsche 911s that I have known and loved are now some kind of genetic throwback'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'It pains me to say so, but Porsche 911s that I have known and loved are now some kind of genetic throwback'

Sadly, the submissive new 911 now sits dutifully in the shadow of Porsche’s money-spinners
23 Jul 2019
'Still hanker for that childhood supercar? Maybe it’s time you stopped kidding yourself…'
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

'Still hanker for that childhood supercar? Maybe it’s time you stopped kidding yourself…'

S1 Esprits catch my eye for the purity of that sensational shape and the seats trimmed like Jackie Stewart’s most lurid underpants
11 Jul 2019
'Old cars we don't strictly need reconnect us to what we've always loved about driving'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'Old cars we don't strictly need reconnect us to what we've always loved about driving'

Stop the pace race! If you’re listening, manufacturers, less can actually be more
3 Jul 2019
'Keeping your new car's attractive alloy wheels scuff-free isn't that hard - is it?'
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

'Keeping your new car's attractive alloy wheels scuff-free isn't that hard - is it?'

Eighty per cent of alloy wheels are scratched to buggery. And I hate that. It makes the car look terrible, and it speaks of carelessness
26 Jun 2019
'The Aston Martin Valkyrie is a truly extraordinary project; the automotive world's Concorde moment'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'The Aston Martin Valkyrie is a truly extraordinary project; the automotive world's Concorde moment'

Concorde was the product of boundless ambition; Aston Martin's Valkyrie represents that same spirit too
18 Jun 2019
'It’s time everyone woke up to the fact that the new Land Rover Defender needs to change'
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

'It’s time everyone woke up to the fact that the new Land Rover Defender needs to change'

The market for this car isn't a mythical throng of utility workers and cattle herders, it's suburban families who dream of G-wagens
11 Jun 2019
'Think race circuits are scary? You should try a test track or proving ground'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'Think race circuits are scary? You should try a test track or proving ground'

Once the barrier lifts you enter a different realm. One entirely different, often vaguely military
4 Jun 2019
‘Ford’s new Expedition SUV is the epitome of American motoring – with a surprise or two up its sleeve’
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

‘Ford’s new Expedition SUV is the epitome of American motoring – with a surprise or two up its sleeve’

You’d assume the Expedition is part of that US tradition of gumming modern gadgets to 50-year-old iron work. Except it isn’t
30 May 2019
'I much preferred it when supercar makers were hanging on by their fingernails'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'I much preferred it when supercar makers were hanging on by their fingernails'

Supercar launches used to be something special, now they’re a monthly occurrence
22 May 2019
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'In praise of the Prius, a car that in some ways is the equal of any evo favourite'
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

'In praise of the Prius, a car that in some ways is the equal of any evo favourite'

It's actually an incredible piece of engineering. And as people who like cars we should also like incredible pieces of engineering
14 May 2019
'Exotic machinery is all well and good, but the biggest thrills often come from the simplest of things'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'Exotic machinery is all well and good, but the biggest thrills often come from the simplest of things'

The most enjoyable and rewarding thing with four wheels and an internal combustion engine is a kart
7 May 2019
‘Suffice to say the A110 absolutely crushes expectations, and your berry hanger’
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

‘Suffice to say the A110 absolutely crushes expectations, and your berry hanger’

The absolutely brilliant Alpine A110 is anything but sterile to drive
30 Apr 2019
'The Ferrari 488 Pistas of the world may be ‘better’ on paper, but they’re not a patch on the ‘flawed’ F40'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'The Ferrari 488 Pistas of the world may be ‘better’ on paper, but they’re not a patch on the ‘flawed’ F40'

The demands the F40 places on you to keep it on the boil would never be sanctioned today
23 Apr 2019
'Why a Range Rover could help you avoid a run-in with Espace man – and your ex'
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

'Why a Range Rover could help you avoid a run-in with Espace man – and your ex'

I just liked the Rover 75. It was calming and comfortable. It also earned absolutely zero respect from other road users
17 Apr 2019
'Reborn classics are a hark back to simpler times – if only they were more affordable'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'Reborn classics are a hark back to simpler times – if only they were more affordable'

There's a powerful craving for cars that are compact, characterful and beautiful
11 Apr 2019
'An electric E-type beats the shocking Goldfinger DB5 Continuation any day'
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

'An electric E-type beats the shocking Goldfinger DB5 Continuation any day'

In a nutshell, the Aston Martin Goldfinger DB5 Continuation Edition is an expensive, largely unusable and deeply naff car for dullards
3 Apr 2019
'The erosion of our ability to enjoy the open road isn’t new – it’s been going on since the ’70s'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'The erosion of our ability to enjoy the open road isn’t new – it’s been going on since the ’70s'

It’s the prescience of his observations and the relevance almost half a century later that really resonates
26 Mar 2019
'An unlikely head-turner holds great promise for a British sports car institution'
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

'An unlikely head-turner holds great promise for a British sports car institution'

I’ve parked Ferraris outside my house and no one’s paid much attention, but everyone on my street went absolutely nuts for this
19 Mar 2019
'Alpine’s leading a lightweight revival and that’s something we should all be overjoyed about'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'Alpine’s leading a lightweight revival and that’s something we should all be overjoyed about'

What excites me most is that it could be the beginning of a new and thrilling family of sports cars
12 Mar 2019
'With the relentless march of the SUV, the normal car's days are surely numbered'
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

'With the relentless march of the SUV, the normal car's days are surely numbered'

Getting modern SUVs to handle in a half-decent manner is like getting a bear to dance: everyone's very impressed, but it's just not natural
6 Mar 2019
‘The geeky joys of an in-depth group test are an increasingly rare treat in the motoring media’
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

‘The geeky joys of an in-depth group test are an increasingly rare treat in the motoring media’

The magazine road test is under threat at a time when it’s needed more than ever
28 Feb 2019
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'An old photo of some 288 GTOs evokes emotions a modern car couldn’t hope to compete with'
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

'An old photo of some 288 GTOs evokes emotions a modern car couldn’t hope to compete with'

This memory made me smile, but also made me sad, because I released I don't get quite as excited about cars as I used to...
19 Feb 2019
‘I’ve decided to wean myself off a succession of V8 long-termers and it’s wholly refreshing’
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

‘I’ve decided to wean myself off a succession of V8 long-termers and it’s wholly refreshing’

Power and speed are intoxicating, but you don’t need 500 horses to put a smile on your face
12 Feb 2019
'My son loves McLaren, but what happens when he notices they're actually a bit cack?'
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

'My son loves McLaren, but what happens when he notices they're actually a bit cack?'

If McLaren wants to continue its success with road cars, it’s time to pull down the pitlane shutters
31 Jan 2019
Dream Drive: Formula 1 at Circuit de Monaco
Opinion

Dream Drive: Formula 1 at Circuit de Monaco

Following in the tyre tracks of Senna, Hill and Hamilton is just a dream away…
9 Jan 2019
"If I’d applied myself as diligently at school as I did at Driving School, my grades would have been rather better"
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

"If I’d applied myself as diligently at school as I did at Driving School, my grades would have been rather better"

It's over 30 years since Meaden passed his driving test, and it remains as the single most momentous thing he's ever passed
8 Jan 2019
'Digital driving modes are fine, as long as they add to the thrill of driving'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'Digital driving modes are fine, as long as they add to the thrill of driving'

Gimmick or genuine drivers' tool? Meaden weights up digital driver modes, and their positive, or negative effect
11 Dec 2018
‘Overall, we need the car makers of Italy. Or do we? Would we really miss Maserati if it wasn’t there?’
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

‘Overall, we need the car makers of Italy. Or do we? Would we really miss Maserati if it wasn’t there?’

If the Irish can cope without moles, are there some car companies that we can all live without?
20 Nov 2018
It used to be the bodies of old cars that usually gave up first, but nowadays it's a little more complicated
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

It used to be the bodies of old cars that usually gave up first, but nowadays it's a little more complicated

Rusting bodywork is largely a thing of the past, but it’s unlikely car makers will address certain other issues, reckons Porter
23 Oct 2018
‘In-demand cars have become commodities, but if you’ve missed the boat, it sucks...’
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

‘In-demand cars have become commodities, but if you’ve missed the boat, it sucks...’

These days if you’re searching for performance bargains you need to think big, reckons Meaden
3 Oct 2018
'Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the perplexing One Car For Life challenge, or OCFL, for short.'
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

'Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the perplexing One Car For Life challenge, or OCFL, for short.'

Your perfect three-car garage? Child’s play, says Meaden. What you really want is to identify your automotive soulmate
11 Sep 2018
"It was an inexplicable BMC parts box made me nostalgic for a time when people were less wasteful”
Richard Porter opinion
Opinion

"It was an inexplicable BMC parts box made me nostalgic for a time when people were less wasteful”

Finding a carefully stored old car part in his father’s garage has got Porter feeling nostalgic for simpler, more resourceful times
4 Sep 2018
‘High summer might seem like an odd time to ponder the merits of driving in the rain, unless of course you’re British’
Richard Meaden opinion
Opinion

‘High summer might seem like an odd time to ponder the merits of driving in the rain, unless of course you’re British’

There’s a natural antidote to the crushing ability of modern performance cars, says Meaden, just keep an eye on the Met Office
31 Jul 2018
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