Driven Archives

Polestar 2 – Driving the Brand’s First Pure Electric Model

Eric Gallina — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 22:57:27 +0000

The electric car is no longer an environmentalists’ token. With plans to end the sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles in the UK, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands by 2030 (Norway will bring in a ban in 2025 and France has a 2040 ban in the pipeline) electric vehicles will be the way forward – quite literally – in the not-too-distant future. Many manufacturers are having to jump in with both feet, sink or swim. And that’s the role […]

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Driven: Volvo XC40 – Behind the Wheel of the Tough Little Robot

Eric Gallina — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 01:13:49 +0000

I went for a drive of the new Volvo XC40 recently. Here’s a video review of the car, it’s design, innovative storage solutions, and my thoughts on the company. For a more in-depth look into the creation of the new C-segment SUV, read my design story.

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Driven: Hyundai i30N – The Performance Car for All

Eric Gallina — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 12:18:46 +0000

Hyundai invited me to out to test drive the new i30N in Cadwell Park, a historic racing circuit that has earned itself the nickname ‘mini-Nürburgring’. The new i30N is the first product launched under Hyundai’s new performance car sub-brand and a brilliantly executed driver’s car, so it makes sense to drive it around a race track to get a feel for it. In short, if you don’t have time to go through the entire video above (I went a little […]

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Why the Ford Mustang GT Convertible is the Perfect Family Car

Eric Gallina — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 07:20:15 +0000

Having children changes your priorities and perspectives. It makes you reevaluate certain things in life: your health, habits, even your job. It also prompts some people to go out and buy the biggest car they can find in the name of safety, putting down vast sums of money on a Chevy Suburban or similar to carry around all the baby addendum you ‘need’. I’m not most people. On a recent holiday to California, I decided to soak in the joys […]

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Driven: BMW i8

Nargess Shahmanesh Banks — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 16:08:06 +0000

Behind the wheel of BMW’s masterful piece of design and technology There has been quite a prelude to this day. The i8 is BMW’s first plug-in hybrid performance car and expectations are running high. The initial Vision EfficientDynamics study caused such a visceral reaction when revealed almost five years ago. The design was fresh; it challenged the conventional vernacular and introduced non-automotive materials and applications. With its overlapping and interlocking surfaces, and aerodynamic flourishes, the production car we’re about to […]

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Driven: Toyota Aygo

Eric Gallina — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 00:12:07 +0000

Toyota has built a reputation for reliability, creating dependable products that users could rely upon to get from point A to point B economically. Their designs were made to appeal to everyone, not just a small percentage of buyers. Such was the case with the first generation Aygo, which went on sale nine years ago. As the first collaboration between Toyota and PSA Peugeot-Citroen, the Aygo was created as a tool — a functional vehicle for which design wasn’t seen […]

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Driven: Volkswagen XL1

Eric Gallina — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:00:22 +0000

We drive VW’s efficient spaceship through London. Automakers are constantly devising concepts and prototypes that will keep them relevant into the future, be it ten or 20 years ahead. And so Volkswagen, at the behest of then CEO Dr. Ferdinand Piech, set a plan in motion to create the most frugal, environmentally-efficient vehicle ever to grace the roads. The innovative 1-Litre concept hit the streets in 2002 with Piech — grandson of the late Ferdinand Porsche — behind the wheel. […]

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Driven: Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Eric Gallina — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 09:02:36 +0000

Mercedes-Benz launched the third generation of its entry-level A-Class and invited us out to drive the new car and chat with its exterior and interior designers. The A-class eschews its predecessor’s upright demeanor in favor of an altogether sportier aesthetic. The one-box design has now taken on a new form, which was previewed in concept form by the Concept A revealed at the 2011 Shanghai motor show. The interior has also moved decidedly upmarket, with a 7-inch standalone navigation screen […]

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Driven: Land Rover Range Rover

Eric Gallina — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 11:33:55 +0000

The Range Rover has been the defining luxury SUV since the first model made its appearance 42 years ago. So pragmatic was the concept that Land Rover has only seen fit to renew the model four times in as many decades. As is typical with nearly every model line, the Range Rover (known internally as the L405) is larger and far more luxurious than its forebear. But it has also retained and built upon the unparalleled off-road capabilities that made […]

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Driven: Vauxhall Astra VXR

Eric Gallina — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 11:29:48 +0000

Vauxhall’s VXR moniker has a relatively short history that began with the launch of the VXR220 Turbo in 2004. Since then, various models have been created, including the previous generation Astra VXR, which garnered the top spot on the power podium at the time and delivered its 238bhp through the front wheels with enough zest to tear the steering wheel from an unsuspecting pilot’s hands. Now, with the launch of the new VXR, Vauxhall is upping the stakes yet again […]

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Driven: Toyota GT86

Eric Gallina — Mon, 28 May 2012 14:55:59 +0000

Toyota’s rear-wheel-drive sports car stable has been empty since production of the Celica and venerable MR2 ceased... LOGIN OR SUBSCRIBE TO VIEW

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