The marketing blurb of the Volkswagen Grand California promises freedom, flexibility and a ‘Teutonic’ level of competence – sounds lovely. But I think what it actually delivers over a four day trip from Hampshire to the Lakes and back was a family holiday with just enough chaos and adventure to be utterly memorable.
Images by Hayden Povey
On the whole, cars have an extraordinary habit of encouraging somewhat unrealistic behaviour. The marketeers will almost certainly suggest that ownership could, at any moment, lead to paragliding, wakeboarding or something faintly instructional involving ropes, karabiners and a face mounted GoPro.
Images By Hayden Povey.
The modern SUV has become the de facto family chariot. Tall, comfortable, laden with technology and more often than not, about as likely to see mud as a Dyson showroom. Yet for all their polish, there’s a sense that the SUV has lost touch with its original brief: utility.
I have officially entered the realm of the middle-aged man. Because for a little while now, I have been yearning for a bit of rose-tinted, unfiltered wanderlust. The kind where you simply go wherever the wind (or Google Maps) decides to take you. And while the grim realities of motorway snarl-ups and the endless dual carriageway roadworks have been quietly airbrushed out of this scenario, I’m going to roam up and down England and Wales – just for the sheer love of it.
Audi is offering its customers in Europe and other markets* a retrofit program for cars with EU5 and EU6 diesel engines. A total of up to 850,000 cars worldwide with six-cylinder and eight-cylinder diesel engines (V6/V8 TDI, EU5/EU6) will get new software. This will further improve their emissions in real driving conditions beyond the current legal requirements. The action will take place in close consultation with Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). In this way, Audi intends to reduce overall emissions, especially in urban areas.
Volkswagen and the digital company Metaio have developed an augmented reality app that will instruct owners of the Volkswagen XL1 how to maintain, dismantle, repair and service their new car.
The app is called Marta and is the future of learning and instruction manuals. It combines the use of the tablet camera and the manual information to provide live instruction, in real time, as you fix your car.
Watch the video here:
