Gripping gusto: Lotus Emira Turbo First Edition

As Lotus ventures ever closer to being an EV-only luxury car maker, the Emira seems to be the UK-based brand’s last with an internal combustion heart. Metropol writer Ben Selby shares more. I became rather besotted with the Emira V6 manual when I tested it for Metropol last year, so I was dead […]

Top dog in rough & tumble

When Ford celebrated its Ranger’s decade as the biggest selling utility vehicle in New Zealand, Metropol motoring writer Ben Selby joined in the fun, off-roading at Kauri Bay Boomrock. One of the most congested and competitive car markets in New Zealand, the ute segment has been dominated by the Ford Ranger for a […]

Luxury Powerhouse

Audi’s current SQ7 is quickly becoming hot property for those hankering for a new seven-seater, luxury performance SUV. We had a play with one of four brand new variants now at Christchurch European. Thanks to a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 mated to an eight-speed automatic box, essentially what you find in the hot RS6 […]

Life in the bike lane: E-Mega Store

With petrol fast becoming a luxury, Metropol’s gadget guru Ian Knott parks up his car in the driveway and jumps on the latest Scott e-bike to discover how beneficial they really are. Having recently rediscovered my long lost passion for fitness, when E-Mega Store offered me the latest Scott Silence Evo bike to […]

Bentley takes flight

  The Bentley Flying Spur W12 is not so much a car, but more of a stately home on wheels.     Your average imitation of Sandringham House or Balmoral doesn’t however fly on the roads like this does. Thanks to Bentley Auckland, I was given the chance to experience the first […]

A refreshing highlander

  For some, a Highlander is a rugby player from the deep south, to others, an 80s fantasy film starring Sean Connery. To Toyota, a Highlander is a mid-sized SUV, and a big seller.     For 2021, the Highlander has been refreshed for the fourth time, with a recent launch in […]

Smooth and sustainable

  The Mazda MX-30 has been in the pipeline for some time. Now it is finally here, and set to spearhead Mazda’s goal of a sustainable future.     The MX-30 is available as a Mild-Hybrid and pure EV. My test car was the MX-30 Limited 2.0L Petrol Mild-Hybrid. The 2.0L petrol […]

Defying the limits

  Your pulse is racing. You’ve managed to figure out how the butterfly doors open so at least you can slide into the McLaren GT.   You have been shown the button that raises the vehicle in case you need to go across a judder bar or up an angled driveway without […]

Classy Euro Cars: Christchurch European

The journey from street side to the main office goes something like this. BMW X5s on the left, Range Rover Sport on the right. A few steps forward. Wow, Porsche 911 in front, Audi RS6 at the rear. Finally, to top it all off, a yellow Lamborghini Gallardo and bright red Ferrari […]

Lavish restoration

Enzo Ferrari described the Jaguar E-type when launched at the Geneva Auto salon in March 1951 as “the most beautiful car in the world.” If you take a look from pretty much any angle, it is easy to see Enzo was right.   Now I am an Avengers fan. The 1961 English […]