What's The Alternatives?

[anchorman]

I thought the RAF had scrapped the lightnings. They'll sell anything to help fund a scrap in some far off land just because George B says so. Somebody told me there is a warehouse (catterick I think) with new LRs and Triumph moter bikes and stuff from years ago that are still in the box. What would you give for a look around such a place???

[chatman]

I thought the RAF had scrapped the lightnings. They'll sell anything to help fund a scrap in some far off land just because George B says so. Somebody told me there is a warehouse (catterick I think) with new LRs and Triumph moter bikes and stuff from years ago that are still in the box. What would you give for a look around such a place???

Had the chance years ago to take a tour of the plane grave yard in Arizona....Well just a stock pile of American used bit's and bob's....Believe they are also the biggest company in the US of A who sell parts back to the Forces worth Billions $$$$.......(bit off topic I now but hey that's us :rolleyes: )

If this ever gets the green light (or TATA shelf it)

CLICK HERE

[bothwell_buyer]

Ah've got a Humber an it disnae look onywhere near the ornage wan pictured

[Fujisan]

Something of interest......maybe......Nissan have put on a third shift at Sunderland to build the Qashqai.

Read the full story here.

[Manxrav]

And their even starting to build it in Japan to take some of the "heat" off Sunderland

Clare

[dave.m]

I actually quite like the Qashqai and considered buying one when looking at Ravs. Good find Fuj, the short

video was quite interesting.

Clare, re Qashqai's, is that the scottish guy you know (scott) who was posting here recently ? If it was you

were right he does seem to know his onions when it comes to Rav's but as you said he now has a QQ.

[Manxrav]

Hi Dave, yep Scott Cummings was one of the first Rav guys to have his own webpage. Anything on the tecky side of the Rav he was relly on the ball,( wev,e got our own Guru Anchorman). He did not like the 4.3 model when it saw light of day and sadly is a QQ man now.His input into their forum is massive and is always on the ball. He finished up with the QQ 2ltrdci 4 wheel drive, top of the range one. Sadly TOC and R4W loss

Clare

[dave.m]

Hi Dave, yep Scott Cummings was one of the first Rav guys to have his own webpage. Anything on the tecky side of the Rav he was relly on the ball,( wev,e got our own Guru Anchorman). He did not like the 4.3 model when it saw light of day and sadly is a QQ man now.His input into their forum is massive and is always on the ball. He finished up with the QQ 2ltrdci 4 wheel drive, top of the range one. Sadly TOC and R4W loss

Clare

Yeh I've read some of his threads on the QQ forum, seems a top bloke. ;)

[Fujisan]

Volvo XC60 winter testing.

XC60 concept:

"Volvo’s new XC60 crossover has been caught winter testing inside the Arctic Circle ahead of its launch date early next year.

Although the test car is very heavily disguised, enough detail is visible to know that the production car is going to be very close to the concept’s size and use the same proportions.

At the rear the angle of the hatch can be seen through the cut out in the back of the cladding, along with the lights that clearly echo the shape of the concept’s. The real, lower roofline is also visible behind the extensions to the disguise on the side of the car.

That rear hatch is likely to feature a production version of the concept’s clever split tailgate, in which the lower half lifts out and up rather than folding flat, which takes up less space.

The XC60 will introduce a new look for Volvo, especially at the front of the car where it will use a bolder grille with a more prominent Volvo Badge and long, wraparound headlamps. Volvo design boss Steve Mattin described the lower half of the car as having the muscularity of the XC range, with a coupe-like glasshouse on top.

Underneath is a modified version of the V70 platform using XC70 running gear to supply the four-wheel drive system. Off-road capability should be slightly improved on the XC70’s thanks to its greater ground clearance, although the car has been tuned for on-road handling."

[dave.m]

Hmmm, I quite like that Fuj, Volvo being owned by Ford probably accounts for the likeness with the forthcoming

Ford Kuga. Which I also like, which is how this thread started many moons ago

[anchorman]

Its a bit "blingy" but it does look good.

Good to have you back in circulation Fuj'

[chatman]

Buy this weeks copy of Auto Express as it has a write up and road test of the VW Tigian.....Looks similar to a RAV in the Blue colour :D :D

I see a Ford Kuga the other week as well (doing some work over at Ford) looks nice in White.....Also glimpsed the new Focus as well....front end look very nice....sort of shrunken Mondeo...

Cool when I'm due to change the RAV....will have loads of choices to choose from...(another note the Kia Pro-Ceed 3 door looks very nice :unsure:)

Also got some spy shots of the the new TATA Freelander (if they buy LR) not so sure about it's Off Road ability but should fit into the TATA look and feel of things.... :P :P :P :P As you can see this model has been equipped with special off road tyres and beefed up suspension and stiffer shocks for better ground clearance...and I'm reliably informed that it can handle the school run with ease and bump up onto kerbs easily with out folding up like a piece of paper :lol: :lol:

[Fujisan]

Hmmm, I quite like that Fuj, Volvo being owned by Ford probably accounts for the likeness with the forthcoming

Ford Kuga. Which I also like, which is how this thread started many moons ago

It'll be interesting to see how the XC60 and the Kuga shape up when they hit the road. It would be my guess and only my guess, that the Volvo will be aimed towards "aspirational" families and the Kuga to the young single person "lifestyle" market.

Its a bit "blingy" but it does look good.

Good to have you back in circulation Fuj'

I would suspect that the production version will be toned down a lot, compared to the pictured concept car but it will still be a striking image in your rear view mirrors!

Thanks, Anchorman The end of a very busy week at work :P

[anchorman]

Buy this weeks copy of Auto Express as it has a write up and road test of the VW Tigian.....Looks similar to a RAV in the Blue colour :D :D

I see a Ford Kuga the other week as well (doing some work over at Ford) looks nice in White.....Also glimpsed the new Focus as well....front end look very nice....sort of shrunken Mondeo...

Cool when I'm due to change the RAV....will have loads of choices to choose from...(another note the Kia Pro-Ceed 3 door looks very nice :unsure:)

Also got some spy shots of the the new TATA Freelander (if they buy LR) not so sure about it's Off Road ability but should fit into the TATA look and feel of things.... :P :P :P :P As you can see this model has been equipped with special off road tyres and beefed up suspension and stiffer shocks for better ground clearance...and I'm reliably informed that it can handle the school run with ease and bump up onto kerbs easily with out folding up like a piece of paper :lol: :lol:

Can't be any worse than the current one. I think the designer hade a ladybird on his pencil when he came up with that!!!

[dave.m]

Personally I think Tata are taking the p^ss, dont they think we'll notice where they copied it from ?

[anchorman]

What has bothy's 3 door petrol got to do with it Dave?

(Oh hell what have I started)

[Fujisan]

Infiniti to show new FX45 in Geneva

• Revised 4x4 gets European debut

• 4.5-litre V8 engine gives 315bhp

• Prices expected to begin at £43,000

Infiniti will herald its forthcoming arrival in Europe by launching its updated FX45 4x4 at the Geneva motor show in March.

The second-generation off-roader has a 4.5-litre V8-powered engine and is expected to produce around 315bhp, have a 0-60mph time of 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 140mph.

A DVD sat-nav, 20-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, leather seats, bluetooth, air-con and a lane-departure-warning system are expected to be fitted as standard to the BMW X5 rival.

Prices are tipped to start from £43,000.

Infiniti will also show the rest of its cars intended for sale in the UK from late 2008. These are the V6-powered G Sedan, G coupe and EX coupe-4x4.

[Fujisan]

Renault heads offroad with Koleos

"Renault has issued photographs of the car that represents its first, tentative step into the 4x4 market: this is the new Koleos, a 4.5-metre 'soft-roader' that will give the French maker a car to pitch against the Toyota RAV4, Vauxhall Antara and the new Ford Kuga this summer.

The Koleos is, for Renault, one of the most valuable fruits of its alliance with established 4x4 maker Nissan: it was designed by the former, but engineered and developed by the latter, and comes packed with the Japanese brand’s specialist 4x4 technology such as electronically controlled all-mode active four-wheel drive and hill descent control.

Based on the brands’ ‘Alliance C’ platform, the Koleos shares mechanicals with both the Nissan X-trail and Qashqai. It will be built in Korea, at Renault-Samsung’s Busan plant, where it will share a production line with Korea’s native Samsung QM5.

The Koleos will be available on a global scale with a choice of three powerplants. Nissan supplies the car's range-topping petrol engine, a 168bhp 2.5-litre option which is, according to one Renault UK spokesperson we referred to, “unlikely to be offered in Britain.” Instead, UK buyers will be limited to two 2.0-litre diesel options, one with 148bhp and one with 173bhp.

The less-powerful of the two oil-burners will be available as a front-wheel-drive-only model, offered for around £18,500; the range-topping model is likely to come in around £22,500. Sales will begin this June."

IMHO, this followed the H**** C*^ down the ugly tree and fell on top of it!

[anchorman]

Infiniti used to be Nissan Badge engineering but I don't recognise that unless it is a Murano platform.

I think that Renault/Nissan relationship is awkward with too much crossover. I don't have good experience of French cars. It looks a bit Fiesta-ish from the side.

Interesting though!

[nest]

I owned a Renault Megane. One day, I heard a noise in the dashboard when I pressed the recirculating air button. The service told me that a little engine was broken. They took it off. I looked at it - Made in China. Pitty. I now can see why the french car aren't very reliable...When I took the RAV, my wife got the Megane. Now she drives a Yaris. Much better choice for a city-car...But that's another story...

Infinity looks nice. But a little too expensive. I don't know if it's worth it to pay that money for a car...

[src]

Hi Dave, yep Scott Cummings was one of the first Rav guys to have his own webpage. Anything on the tecky side of the Rav he was relly on the ball,( wev,e got our own Guru Anchorman). He did not like the 4.3 model when it saw light of day and sadly is a QQ man now.His input into their forum is massive and is always on the ball. He finished up with the QQ 2ltrdci 4 wheel drive, top of the range one. Sadly TOC and R4W loss

Clare

Yeh I've read some of his threads on the QQ forum, seems a top bloke. ;)

Stop it your making me , Anyway thanks for the comments guys. Yes Anchorman is the guru round these parts

[anchorman]

Aw shucks

[Manxrav]

You see 2 quality blokes posting back to back. Looks like Scott still has a soft spot for Rav,s

Clare

[dave.m]

Anybody seen any photos of the new longer 7 seater Qashqai ?

[bothwell_buyer]

What has bothy's 3 door petrol got to do with it Dave?

(Oh hell what have I started)

duuuuhhhhhhhh

mines got shiny wheels!