Volvo XC90 D5: The Video Review

Remember way back in January I brought you my review of Volvo's all new XC90? If not here's a link to it so you can familiarise yourself. Well now it is time to give you my video review, filmed after my week with the car ended I can only apologise that it has taken so long to get this uploaded! As you'll see I'm no Steven Spielberg when it comes to films so the editing might be slightly awful, but hopefully it will give you a greater sense of what Volvo's new flagship is like both inside and out.

10 Things Only Petrolheads Think Are Cool

This video basically captures the inner working of my mind, every point is just so true, plus it made me laugh.

Self driving Range Rover's

Autonomous cars are coming and as much as petrol headed individuals like me dislike it there is little we can do. However at least some manufacturers are going about the transition in interesting ways, Land Rover being one such company, by doing it in a wonderfully James Bond fashion.

The reason why?

The video showcases some of the companies latest self driving technology, a Range Rover Sport you can drive via an app on you phone. The idea behind the tech is that it allows the driver to negotiate difficult terrain easily, no hidden obstacles when you can walk round the car to check right? It also removes the driver from dangerous situations such as a rollover. To stop owners getting carried away though and start thinking they've got a giant R/C car the app limits the Range to just 4mph. Plenty fast enough for crawling over tough terrain but pretty much useless everywhere else. Apart from a car park of course, where if you find some thoughtless individual has blocked your door, simply reverse the car out, useful but also something that looks hopelessly cool.

   

It looks like real car

The best thing about the autonomous Range Rover for me though, is that it actually looks like a real car, not some horrible tofu box like the silly grinning Google car. It also still has a wheel and pedals for the times when you want to go faster than 4mph. The technology is merely in prototype form right now though, but with cars already able to parallel park themselves I doubt it will be long before we see Land Rovers self driving app in the appstore.

 

Zip lining New Jaguar XF almost here

What's the main criteria you look for when buying a new car? That its economical, safe, comfy, affordable perhaps? How about its ability to zip down a high wire line? Well Jaguars brand new XF posses this rather unique ability. Tomorrow will see the Jags 5 Series rival revealed to world live online by way of a zip line. Yes that's how the one and a bit tonne luxury motor will be revealed before its full public debut at the New York Auto Show on the 1st of April. Watch the teaser videos below for the build up.

Ever since the original appeared in 2007 I thought the XF was a beautifully proportioned, elegant saloon and if Jaguars latest F-Type and XE are anything to go by the new XF should be spectacular. I'll be tuning in tomorrow (8am AEDT on the 25th in Aus) to see what the next gen XF has in store, there's also a chance the whole stunt could go horribly wrong and that's surely worth tuning in for too!

Teaser shot of the new Jaguar XF