PORSCHE vs PORSCHE + THE NEGLECTED LEAF + GOLF BAGS
SPONSORED BY
Too many Porsches
Okay CAR, I get it. You love Porsches. You love driving them and writing about them. Each month I wonder what proportion of your editorial is going to feature the brand, especially those limited models that have al-ready sold out or have an epic waiting list. (How advanced are the plans for the cover story on an expedition in the 911 Dakar special?)
Your choice for best manufacturer over 60 years was a no-brainer but the two issues I’ve read since have continued to be too Porsche-heavy (although to be fair the Kamm 912c is only a restomod Porsche). There are too many comparison tests that crowbar in Porsche models and Our Cars and GBU reads like advertising copy. I am sure you are sincere, and that you’ve worked out it’s what many of your readers want. But it’s not for me. My subscription renew-al is due and I’m afraid I’m off after 30 something years.
We wrestle with these questions all the time, and never find any easy answers. Life would be much simpler if Porsche made bad cars or dull cars, but the fact is they’re all somewhere on a spectrum from good to astonishing. Sometimes we need to point out that a particular Porsche might not suit a particular person, but mostly we have to referee the race for second, and keep on buying lottery tickets. CO
Eyes off the prize We already have legislation designed to ensure that a driver is not distract-ed when in charge of a vehicle. Fore-most among this is the restriction on use of a mobile phone. I believe that most drivers accept the logic in this legislation, even though the tempta-tion might be strong.
However, we now have another major distraction – the touchscreen – which appears to be taking over most of the standard in-car controls. The level of concentration required to focus on a screen, find the correct menu item and then stab it with a finger must surely be equal to that required to use a phone.
I accept that the use of a phone may take up considerably more time and hence may be a greater distrac-tion, but have we got this wrong?
Yes, I think so. But touchscreens allow for de-cluttered cockpits, stuff like Apple CarPlay and, via updates, the potential to upgrade interfaces over time. But the fact remains it’s an absolute joy to jump in a car with knobs for ventilation controls – see page 115. BM
Turn over an old Leaf
My 2019 Nissan Leaf is quite simply the best car I have ever had in 55 years. It beats my previous Vauxhall Insignia with its instant torque, bet-ter acceleration, cheaper running costs and smoother ride.
In summer I can achieve the stated 4.0 miles per kWh and almost 240- mile range. On motorways I get close to 200 miles in summ
