Even though they are fairly aggressively styled, the V40 manages to maintain a sense of beauty with its high shoulder rear, integrated LED lighting and soft Swedish contours. Competing squarely with its German hatchback rivals, the V40 is undoubtedly the better looking car than the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and even the newly revised Mercedes A-Class. Even though the Swedes have managed to get away with classing the V40 as a hatch, it is in fact replacing the previous model Volvo S40 and the V50.

The interior is typical of a car in this category and boasts premium leather and soft rubber with interior lighting being used cleverly to add to the internal ambience of the car. The build quality is definitely worth the price of the car and offers the driver a sense of security behind the double glazed glass and extra heavy doors. It is a Volvo after all and we’ve come to expect a certain level of warm cuddly feelings knowing that you’re seated in an incredibly safe car. So safe that it is also the first car that sports a pedestrian airbag and once again firmly placing the Swedish premium car brand at the forefront of vehicle safety innovation.

All 3 Volvo V40 models drive incredibly well and the car is pretty well planted onto the ground as a result of some clever weight distribution techniques and the placement of the engine in the front bay. The steering is responsive and as you’d come to expect from a car in this league it has adaptive powered steering to help keep things in check at various speeds. Boot space is pretty substantial for a car of this size and the usage of a very wide tailgate with low overhangs definitely helps with loading larger items. Rear passenger leg room is substantial enough to fit 3 large adults with the high design of the car helping to aid in shoulder space for rear passengers.

The highs:

• The styling. This is one hellava good looking car.
• The practicality of the car. The large boot with 60:40 rear split seats, the legroom in the rear & the solid built quality.
• The ECO mode. This was my favourite of the 3 themes that came with the car & I absolutely loved it.
• All Volvo V40 models come standard with with a 5yr/100 000km Volvo Plan.
• Volvo’s tend to be cheaper to insure.

The lows:

• The interior leather options. While I did have an all black version which I loved, I was also given a black & cream leather combo for the interior styling, which was probably the worst looking interior I’ve ever seen.
• Performance mode. These are not performance cars and theres absolutely no point trying to drive this car like a performance car either, so why the inclusion of a performance mode baffles me.

Here’s a link to the full spec brochure of the Volvo V40 including the Cross County and the Volvo V40 R-Design.

The VW Golf 7 model lineup & prices are:

• 1,2 TSI with Bluemotion Technology Trendline (77 kW) 6-speed manual – R233,800
• 1,4 TSI with Bluemotion Technology Trendline (90 kW) 6-speed manual –  R 246,700
• 1,4 TSI with Bluemotion Technology Comfortline (90 kW) 6-speed manual – R264,900
• 1,4 TSI with Bluemotion Technology Comfortline (90 kW) 7-speed DSG – R279,400
• 2,0 TDI Comfortline (81 kW) 5-speed manual – R282,300
• 1,4 TSI with Bluemotion Technology Highline (103 kW) 6-speed manual – R293,600
• 2,0 TDI with Bluemotion Technology Highline (110 kW) 6-speed DSG – R334,800

These prices include VAT and emissions tax.

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It’s beautiful car to look at, it’s quite a big heavy car, so the doors are heavy and the leather feels like it came from well-fed cows, the carpets offer a similar plushness as to carpets found in extremely expensive hotels and the power… well… let’s just say that it is undoubtedly the most brutally powerful car that I’ve ever driven.

It’s top speed is limited to 250km/h and launches from standstill to 100km/h in under 4.9 seconds using 510hp with an incredible torque reading of 625Nm developed from its 5.0l Supercharged engine. This power while impressive among other luxury sedans, it’s performance is also comparable to sportcars, with t being quicker than most Porsche’s, which makes this feat even more impressive due to the fact that it is a long-wheelbased hotel room.

What I liked:

The gadgets: This car is full of them. Wireless headphones in the rear for each TV screen, hard-drive powered media centres, dual sectional sunroof, rear motorised sun visors on all windows, heated & cooled adjustable seats in the front and rear, multiple USB ports, table tops in the rear which is appropriate for documents and laptops. This list can go on.

The luxury: Soft leather seats, solid wood panelling, leather dashboard and door linings, super-soft plush carpets with foot rests for rear passengers, massage features on all seats and the mega-multifunctional steering wheel.

The look: the design of the XJ series is incredibly seductive with its large swooping roof line and soft curves on the rear, but maintains its aggressive design heritage with its flat front diamond grill and 20″ wheels.

What I don’t like:

The price: After driving this car for a week, it was incredibly difficult to give it back and I’ve wanted one since. The only catch to getting one of these puppies is that it costs a staggering R1.8million excluding extras.

To demonstrate it’s brutal power, here’s a drag race video of it beating the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GTS and the Mercedes Benz S65 AMG in multiple tests:

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In this 23rd Bond movie, Daniel Craig leads again as 007, this time to protect M’s dirty past that has come back to haunt her.

The movie, Skyfall, is expected to release in SA on November 30th 2012. I can’t wait for it!

To experience the campaign, click on the ad block below

The hot-hatch segment is a very popular car segment among enthusiasts and while the GTi has ruled this domain for years, it has received solid challenges for top spot of the hot-hatch market. The Ford ST has always been an alternative in South Africa and rightfully so. The new Ford Focus ST brags about 188kw and rumours of a 0-100km sprint in 6.4seconds.

To get a chance to drive this puppy on a racetrack, simply enter the competition at the Ford ST Experience website, sit back and pray that you’re picked. I’m definitely entering!

Best Buy

Coca-Cola: Superstition

Coca-Cola: “The Catch”

Bridgestone

Budweiser – Return of the Kind

TaxAct – Free to Pee

Happy Grad – The Movie

Doritos – Man’s Best Friend

John Carter by Disney

VW – The Dog Strikes Back

America’s Got Talent – Howard Stern

H&M – David Beckham for Him

Chevy Sonic – Stunt Anthem

The Avengers by Marvel

Teleflora – Adrianna Lima

Cars.com – Confident You

Doritos – Sling Baby

New E-Trade Baby

G.I. Joe: Retaliation

Camry Effect – “Connections”

Hulu Plus – Hulubatory

The Voice – Vocal Kombat

Chrysler – It’s half-time in America

Smash Clip

Fiat 500 Abarth – Seduction

Toyota Camry – It’s Reinvented

Coke – “Aarrgh”

Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt

Century 21 Real Estate LLC

Acura NSX – Senfield – Transactions

Budweiser – Eternal Optimism

Bridgestone – Performance Basketball

NFL Timeline

2012 Honda CR-V – “Matthew’s Day Off”

MetLife – Everyone

Act of Valor – The Movie

Hyundai Genesis Coupe – “Think Fast”

Bud Light – Rescue Dog

Time Warner Cable – Enjoy Better Anthem

2012 Kia Optima – “A Dream Car. For Real Life”

Career Builder – Business Travel

Thursday Comedies – Crank

Samsung Mobile USA – Thing Called Love

Prudential Financial – Linda Gutherie

Swamp People

NFL Fantasy Million Dollar Fan

Awake – Which is Which?

Cadillac ATS – Green Hell

GoDaddy – QR Code

Suzuki “Sled” – Ben Kahle

Football – Chase QuickPay

M&M’s – Just My Shell

Pepsi – King’s Court

2012 Chevy Silverado

Here’s the the video: