Fiery Ferrari: Christchurch European

The term ‘X-Factor’ could be aptly used to describe the sensation of driving a Ferrari, writes Metropol’s motoring man Ben Selby. This mint 2003 Ferrari 360 Spider in the classic Rosso Corsa red was lent to me by the team at Christchurch European. What resulted was a simply marvellous way to spend a […]

Summer motoring is around the corner: Christchurch European

How better to enjoy warmer weather and longer days than in a Ferrari V8 convertible with the hood down? Two of Ferrari’s best are in stock right now at Christchurch European. A Ferrari 360 Spider (read our review on page 80) and Ferrari California are the latest hot property to land at the […]

Iconic Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Devour any terrain and look great while doing it in the iconic boxy luxury of the G450d SUV. All for a price tag that makes it the best value G-Wagen of the current range, writes Metropol’s motoring man Ben Selby. The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen is up there with some of motoring’s all-time greats (the […]

EYE of the TIGER: Blackwells

Synonymous with the strength, speed and commanding presence of the tiger, Chery’s Tiggo is taking over the Christchurch cityscape, finds Metropol writer Ben Selby. Founded in 1997, the Chery brand has fast become one of the largest vehicle exporters globally, selling 14 million vehicles worldwide. Having re-entered our market with a wide selection […]

Ka pai! Google Maps learns to pronounce te reo Māori

A Kiwi accent landed on Google Maps in July, and now, New Zealanders can hear Aotearoa place names the way they should sound. Acollaboration between Google and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission) and new AI-powered text to speech technology means New Zealanders can hear the correct pronunciation […]

Oh, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz

The Mercedes-Benz GLC meets the moment with an extra dosage of fuel frugality in the form of the new GLC350e. Ben Selby takes it for a drive. The ‘e’ part of the equation refers to the addition of plug-in-hybrid technology. The GLC350e is capable of 132km (NEDC) on battery power alone and an […]