NEW CAR NET
Pat Holliday's Blog   Pat Holliday mans the news desk at NEWCARNET.co.uk and takes... Read more >
  Falling in love with Citroen
  by Pat Holliday 05 Mar 10 - 17:57

Posted in cars, news 

BBC presenter Fiona Bruce was among guests at the GQbyCitroen launch evening
BBC presenter Fiona Bruce was among guests at the GQbyCitroen launch evening

Don’t the good people at Citroen ever sleep? Less than 48 hours after the hectic Geneva Motor Show press day, they unveil another new car in Central London. Called the GQbyCitroen, it’s the “fantasy motor” of men’s magazine GQ, realised by Citroen.

Following the DS High Rider and surprise reveal at Geneva of the Survolt, my weary brain was half expecting a tarted up DS3 with GQ decals. In actual fact it’s a unique GT with a Mark Lloyd design and Savile Row interior. 

Hosted by GQ, the launch party had a faintly eclectic guestlist. The deadpan comic Alexei Sayle, rock star supreme Nick Mason, the gorgeous Fiona Bruce… Midway through explaining to my missus why the GQbyCitroen’s wing mirrors were too small for a production car, she noticed David Ginola nearby. The charming French football legend quickly reduced her to a swooning mess. I’ll, er, finish explaining pedestrian-friendly crumple zones… later…

The point of the GQbyCitroen? As a company rep put it, the problem is thus: in France, around one in every six cars sold is a Citroen. In the UK, it’s closer to one in 20. The plan is to become an ‘aspirational’ brand, hence the tie-in with a stylish magazine. They want cars that will make people swoon, to fall in love with Citroen.

I already love where Citroen is going. Just so long as they don’t reveal any more new cars before Monday. Some of us need to get some sleep.

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Massimo Pini's Blog   Editor-in-Chief, Massimo Pini trained as an automotive designer before setting... Read more >
  Jabra’s precious Stone
  by Massimo Pini 05 Jan 10 - 15:27

Posted in news 

The elegant Jabra Stone headset is also exquisitely packaged
The elegant Jabra Stone headset is also exquisitely packaged

The elegant packaging of the Jabra Stone gives you the first clue that you’re in for a treat. The delights within are revealed through a series of precision-engineered twists and clicks.

It’s unlikely to win any awards for the greenest packaging but the presentation case is a thing of beauty in itself - perhaps it seemed logical to seat the Stone in a box that wouldn’t disgrace a serious ‘rock’?

And now to the content within.

The Jabra Stone headset earpiece appears to have been delicately scalloped from a solid smooth pebble (or Stone), the remainder of which forms the charging base.

Having charged the unit, pairing the Stone with my iPhone was a doddle. I didn’t even consult the instructions and was underway in no time.

The Stone sat comfortably in my ear. Its light weight meant that I soon forgot I was wearing it. Generally a good thing except for the time when I dozed off on the sofa, awaking a while later to find my baby daughter playing with it as it had fallen out during my slumber.

The ’swipe’ volume control is slick and sound quality is very good. My friend at the other end of the line didn’t even realise that I was ‘hands-free’.

Uniting the headset with its charging base restores it to its pure, almost ovoid, state.

The only minor gripe is that the plug adapter cable is on the short side. Perfect for desktop outlets but mine were fully occupied at the time.

Talktime on the headset is short compared to previous Jabra units I’ve tried at only 2 hours, but the charging base can store an additional 6 hours.

In summary, the Jabra Stone is the first bluetooth headset I’ve come across that could genuinely be described as cool.

It’s designed to be worn on your right ear only (fine for me) and retails at around £69.99.

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Charis Whitcombe's Blog   Charis Whitcombe writes the She Drives section of NEWCARNET.co.uk, and... Read more >
  Myths and Lies
  by Charis Whitcombe 19 Dec 09 - 12:58

Posted in news 

As a child, I was regularly warned to keep away from swans, because “they can break your arm”. Friends tell me they were given the same instructions. Why, then, aren’t the riverbanks littered with less cautious children, wailing and clutching their shattered limbs? It’s a lie, isn’t it?

Having your arm broken by a swan is, I reckon, about as likely as blowing up a petrol station by talking on your mobile phone. On an average day, how many mushroom clouds of black smoke do you see in the distance, as yet another Shell station explodes? Fewer than ten, I bet.

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Graham Whyte's Blog   Graham Whyte has been an automotive journalist for more than... Read more >
  A tale of two dogs
  by Graham Whyte 05 Nov 09 - 15:07

Posted in cars, driving 

One of our favoured tea stops when we are out filming is at Wisley in Surrey. The tea bar is located in a wooded area, and served by ample parking, arranged in bays.

Last week, there we were, sitting quietly at a picnic table, enjoying the autumn sunshine, when onto the grass drove a BMW X5, which stopped a few short feet from our table. I say ‘on the grass’ as distinct from ‘in one of the many empty parking bays’.

When the driver got out I politely pointed to the bays and asked if she wouldn’t mind using one of them, rather than park two tons of German mean-machine on the fragile chamomile- and clover-studded grass.

In reply, she suggested I do something physically impossible, then trounced off into the woods with her designer dog, which looked every bit as arrogant as its owner.

Incidentally, the BMW looked rather like the one in the photo I took at the time. I hope you can read the number.

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