Jeep Wrangler 12’

If you can imagine the Grand Cherokee and the wrangles as brother...well the Cherokee would be at law school, while wrangler is at home working the farm on the side of a mountain. Now the new look is similar to the old hard boxy styling but with a few softer edges and some prettier characteristics, which in the right color can look hardcore. The wrangler never forgot its off-road origins and stayed true to them, in fact stayed so true that the wrangler can be a pretty noisy affair. Depending on the tire options you select when buying your wrangler, it could be a bigger decision than you think. With the possible off-road tires they have to offer the tire raw when driving on the highway or normal roads at 55+ can be a little annoying when the music is not turned on, or the windows are down. But that is because the wrangler does not want to be on the roads following rules; the interior is simple and basic. It has a stereo, AC, Heater and a window for if you would like to stick your tomtom SAT NAV up. This car would be happiest mudding or climbing up a steep hill trying to discover new land. What I am saying is if you want an off-road vehicle to drive around in the city with, then the Wrangler is not for you. At $22,000 It is a bargain for sure at it still has a 3.6 V6 from Mercedes that gives it 285hp to play with, and it needs that power to haul the heavy duty Axels put on the Wrangler as standard because Jeep expect this car to take beating, and this car is ready for it. Mountains and mud yes, Roads and cities for this car is a no for sure.

Jeep Grand Cherokee 12’

Since Mercedes brought jeep the styling has been getting better and better. The jeep range now for the most part is using the Mercedes engines so are you really buying a Jeep or a Mercedes for cheaper? Well I think it is the latter. The design of the interior on the Grand Cherokee is immaculate and clearly has had some serious thought into the layout. The leather interior is of a high stand and is extremely comfortable, the multi-media system...yep you guessed it come from a Mercedes. Now it might be a lower end of the market Mercedes but even that is better than most cars out there today. The 5.7 V8 Mercedes engine is hard working and reliable as it pumps out 360hp whilst jeep still claim it’s off road capabilities have not been lost. I think a lot of attention has been put on the looks and road performance as they know many of these cars will end up doing school runs for parents, that the off-road aspect may of actually slipped a little. This model is one of the first Jeeps to get a four star safety rating as jeep was known for being a little dangerous to crash in but with the new found looks, performance and safety it looks like Mercedes can expect a few more sales in the upcoming year.

Infinity M65

The infinity company has been around in America for a little while now and has finally began to creep over to the British shores this past year and I think it might catch on. The infinity range has essence of quality to them with no weaknesses, whilst give a lot for the money. The M65 for me is a cheaper BMW M5. No I am by no means comparing the 2 because surely the Infinity will lose but the styling, the sound, the size and target audience is almost the same. The M65 offers more than enough for to enjoy whilst indulging in the comforts that surround you. Yes they have a little fake wood on some of the interior which I really don’t like but the SAT NAV system and entertainment system is all very simple and easy to use. When I talked about this car to my uncle back in England he had never heard of Infinity or an M65 so he looked it up on the internet and liked what he saw and read. A 5.6 V8 producing 410hp whilst averaging 20mpg, he was surprised he had not heard about these cars sooner. I feel like Infinity has a seen a small niche in the market behind the M5 and the E class AMG, and saw nobody was filling the void. A quality sedan made for business with bundles of power for cheaper at $60,000 than the BMW’s and Mercedes. We will see how well this niche works in England over the upcoming years but I have a good feeling and expect good things for this car. A much better than I initially thought when I first heard about Infinity.

Volvo S80

The S80 is the sedan version of the V70 really. It is the same 3.2 in line V6 with a little power reduction as now it produces 240hp which is still certainly no slouch, and still manages to average 24mpg. So why am I doing a car that seems to be the same? Well I think the S80 can do the family stuff if you want it too but I honestly feel this is a cheaper E class made for business men and women with Highways to eat up on the way to clients and meetings. It is a very smart, slightly sportier looking design which just looks successful. Cars say a lot about the drivers and the first impression is very important when it comes to business so you don’t want to be pulling up in a Station wagon, but you don’t need to be spending buckets of money on a Mercedes either. The Volvo S80 offers that go between, not too expensive, represents you will and can double up as a family transporter when required. It is a sensible purchase for families and businesses at only $38,000. They are very well made, they offer more comfort than most cars in this price range and look damn good too.

Volvo V70

Volvo has been producing cars for around 20 years but the start of the road was not very smooth with boxy cars that did not excite anybody. The designs have slowly improved and improved until 2003 when the new shapes really came in and looked great. Ever since then the looks of these Swedish mad cars has been getting better and better. With a reputation of being tough, reliable cars many police in Great Britain use the V70 for highway patrols, because after a little inexpensive tweaking these cars can really fly and handle too. As a family car the V70 works just as well offering plenty of space in the back and an open trunk that could fit all your family might need with ease. Even some work men; plumbers, electricians use the V70 as it offers comfort and reliability with enough space for the majority of the equipment. Volvo used an in line V6 that produces 325hp from the 3.2 engine which is not bad for a station wagon. Volvo has managed to create a look that instantly everybody knows it’s one of their cars with the famous stretched break lights down both sides of the trunk and the Volvo grill which is unique in its own way. I struggle to think of any station wagons that can compete with the V70 without jumping up in costs. This car really is a triple threat as it covers family, work and fun categories with ease.

Chrysler 300C

Detroit is coming back in a big way with the new 300C. This is a great looking car with attention to detail that has been lacking Chrysler over the past years. They put in over 42 different safety aspects to the new line up of cars for no extra charge and one safety aspect is an automatic crash detector which knows when you are in a crash and notifies the authorities to where you are. Not a single car on the market offers this free of charge and not even the half a million dollar Rolls Royce. The  styling looks great with the blend of chrome, the car looks sophisticated and tough with class and intelligence. Fuelling the TV commercials with Detroit home grown hero’s they are pushing the fact that Chrysler is back on top and they are doing a great job because they have me convinced with the new look and style. The 300C has a 5.7 V8 producing 383hp with an 8 gear transmission which averages 31 mpg... not many cars can match that power and performance no matter how expensive you go.  So how expensive is the new Detroit pride going to cost you? Well for around $40,000 should arrange for you to have a new beauty parked in the drive way that will certainly let the neighbours know you have arrived.

I do not claim to own the rights to this picture or intend to copyright.

I do not claim to own the rights to this picture or intend to copyright.

I do not claim to own the rights to this picture or intend to copyright.

I do not claim to own the rights to this picture or intend to copyright.

Hummer l vs ll

The first Humvee was designed just for military use by the US army. It was famous for its ability to take on any terrain without getting stuck. The designers had worked tirelessly to figure out the correct wheel base length and width to stop the car from being immobilised in the battle field. The H1 was never designed or planned to be released to the public until the Terminator himself and the main man in California Arnold Schwarzenegger began asking and asking for a Humvee he could buy, after many years of asking he finally got his H1 which made them wonder if they could release the car to the public with success and boy did it pick off. They didn’t need to do much with the H1 exceopt change the seats and cover some of the metal up with a little plastic to make it look a little more professional and then slap a Six figure price tag on the windscreen and watch the celebrities and athletes come flocking to get this special piece of machinery. I don’t believe this car would of been half as successful if it was not for Schwarzenegger getting one first. The H1 was so basic and just dull inside the only reason people wanted it for the size and status. It looks mean and pretty much with destroy anything in the road ahead. You can still pick H1’s up today but be prepared to spend between $50-150k depending on the condition. The 6.1 diesel V8 on manages a shocking 8mpg so be prepared to stop often and when you do... the big tank in the H1 is going to take a chunk out of the bank costing well over $100 to fill it up.

The H2 is the modified more friendly Humvee that is designed for the road and not for the military. The shape is a lot softer and a little more normal which I think takes away from the original appeal. The H1 looked like a damn panzer tank rolling through Beverlly Hills. It was so dominant and intimidating, but the H2 is more like a big softy. The only plastic on the H1 was covering up the raw frame inside the car, the rest of the car was unforgiving metal which again was part of the appeal. The engine is a tad smaller with a 6.2 V8 that only managed 9mpg so the running expenses certainly did not go down except for the original purchase cost being down in the $70,000 area. The power output is up from 300hp to 393hp but the horsepower was not the point of owning a Hummer. What I am trying to get at and you may of guessed was that the point of owning a Humvee was cause it was special. Civilians were not meant to have it, it was a military vehicle. It was a statement about you and how you wanted to be looked at, it was a hardcore off-roader that could handle anything. If a warzone broke out in LA this car could handle it and I feel the H2 was fall victim to Hollywood syndrome and not want to get dirty or scratched. If you want to get a Hummer you go for the original, the daddy, the H1.