MUSIC, MOTORS AND PLACES TO GO
MOTORS, MOTORS, MOTORS |
It's a car and it's like no other by Graham Philpot No, this is not a joke. For in deepest Sussex there lives a Ford Capri that is allegedly haunted. And it seems, not even the 'cloth' can stop it. When Keith Tagliaferro (pictured above with the Capri) purchased the car in 1997, he thought he had simply bought a 16 year-old banger for which to get from A to B in. He didn't realise that he had also bought the devil's personal choice of transportation which had a thing for killing other cars that came close to it and often had mysterious floating black mists in the shape of a female being seen sitting in, and passing through, the car. He blames the purple car for a string of bad luck and strange events, including being struck by lightning, the death of a family pet, ghostly faces appearing in the rear view mirror and rust appearing on the bodywork overnight. He has also witnessed countless phenomena at which ever address he and the motor reside at, including poltergeist activity and evil ghostly apparitions. The Capri even seems to have a hatred for journalists - any of us who have come into contact with Keith and the car have had something horrible happen to them, including their house being burned down and being the victim of a grizzly car accident. Even as I write this, I'm sure I just saw something over my shoulder... "When I looked out at the car it appeared to be glowing with a strange sort of mist around it. In 2002, the Capri was being a little devil, and was royally playing up. This time, the battery wasn't working, so Keith and his friend Paul attempted to jump start it. Before Keith even had time to connect the jump leads properly, the car jumped into life and the spark from the battery came close to burning his hands. Slightly rankled, he shouted to Paul that it was too early to turn the car over. As he was saying this, Paul was jumping out of the car in sheer fright. When asked what was wrong, Paul claimed that the keys turned in the ignition without him doing anything, and then a "cloaked figure in black" came from the back seat and exited via the passenger door into the bush! Keith even personally witnessed the black figure again at 3.30am in his house in January 2004, as he was woken up by some banging downstairs. When he opened his living room door, the figure was seen to be looking at a picture of ARK 666Y that was hanging on the wall. Stuck rooted to the spot in sheer fright, the figure looked straight at him, and appeared to be a sixty-something year-old male. With that, it just disappeared... So what could be behind these paranormal occurrences? Some experts have suggested that it could be the car or the licence plate that is haunted. It may even be that it is neither, but rather that his houses have been haunted, or that Keith is somehow projecting these images and events through his subconscious. The main suggestion has been that it is Alistair Crowley, the famous black magician that is using the car from beyond the grave; or perhaps it is one of the women that committed suicide after being used by him. The truth is that we will probably never know whether this is all just pure coincidence or a true haunting. But as of this year (and after three years in storage), ARK 666Y has been available to hire for anyone brave enough to find out...
Audi A4 Avant 2.5 TDI S line Its always been difficult to pin down Audi. Are they a cheaper adversary to BMW, or are they an upmarket VW? Launched in 1996, the Audi A4 helped to launch the firm into the ultra-competitive fleet market, whilst offering a more upmarket image to their brand to rival the BMW 3-Series. Now in 2005, Audi have relaunched the A4, claiming that it has been “comprehensively redesigned and dynamically transformed.” So has it? Well, initial impressions are good. The A4’s body has been rounded off to enhance the car’s sophisticated image, with flared arches and smoother contours. A new corporate nose has been added to create a more masculine presence and a sense of ‘attitude’, while new rear light clusters smooth the tail end out, to give a more complete look. Audi have resisted BMW’s method of introducing a radical ‘flame’-esque blueprint, instead opting for a more conservative approach. However, they haven’t rested on their laurels, as every body panel bar the roof section has been replaced, creating a totally new car that is 41 millimetres longer than its predecessor. Build quality has also been actively improved, and the doors give that impressive Germanic ‘clunk’ that you know can only come from a quality vehicle. Inside, the A4 boasts leather, satellite navigation, new seats and seat fabrics, a DVD player and an improved dashboard with an all-alloy effect. The sat-nav system is confined to one easy-to-use screen, where you can enter your destination and then the sexy female voice tells you where you are going wrong, as well as highlighting your mistakes on the instrument panel. Safety has also been high on the firm’s agenda, so enhanced features including new curtain airbags and active head restraints feature, while the car’s safety intelligence system has been upgraded. Audi have been keen to push the ‘S line’ tag with the new car, to give it a sporty yet sober image. This branding seemed especially difficult with the diesel, as the 2.5 TDI lacked enough authority in its previous incarnation to really trouble petrol power. In fact, the 1.9 PDI was the real driver’s choice, which was also found in the Golf GTDI. This time, however, Audi have delivered a superior powerplant. We were pleasantly surprised at how much extra power and torque Audi had crammed into the limited space, which has given the engine a new lease of life. On the motorway, it is refined and quiet, yet on A roads, you can open it up to a brisk pace. Apart from a slight turbo lag when changing down from fourth to third to pick up revs, it seems far more rewarding than the outgoing version. The 2.5 TDI is frugal too – I managed to get from London to Hereford on just a quarter of a tank of fuel! The new 6-speed manual gearbox unleashes a new dimension of diesel driving, giving the driver plenty of range to either put foot to the floor, or to travel in a relaxed cruise to their destination. Although at times it can be found wanting, each cog seems to know its place, which offers the driver a smooth transition through each stage of selection. The clutch is set quite high though, which can prove to be a bit of a thorn in the crown when city driving. Out on the track, the Audi demonstrated that the handling had also been refined. The car had less oversteer and pitch into the corner, which offered a more rewarding drive. The car can match it’s looks by being more aggressive into the corner and with improved suspension, it doesn’t embarrass itself at all. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that the new A4 Avant is flawless. For a start, the luggage space is cramped in comparison to other tourers, such as the BMW 5-series Touring or the Rover 75. With a family of five, competition for luggage space could become more spirited than Formula One’s insistence in slowing down Michael Schumacher. Another moot point is all-round visibility. Should a car be going past you, or you come to a roundabout, it is difficult to see out of the side with the low-slung roofline drowning side-on eyesight. And with the car effectively a family orientated vehicle, the amount of storage space is especially deprived. Audi have been keen to increase the amount of cupholders, but have reduced space for essentials such as larger doorbins and glovebox. Although minor points, they can become increasingly frustrating when you find old sweet wrappers and cans on the floor. Taller people may also find the rear headroom restrictive, although there is generous legroom. Should you decide to purchase the new Audi A4, you will be buying into a stable, economical mode of transport, with good looks and a lively engine. Although no BMW beater, the revised model is much improved and deserves a serious look. And with strong residual values, both you and your bank manager can retain a harmonious relationship. The only word of caution is the options list. If you are not careful, you could nearly end up paying £45,000 for an A4! RIVAL
The new and revised Audi A4 is firmly pitched at the more executive end of the business sector. Its closest rival is the BMW 325CI Sport Touring, which is more refined than the A4, is far more rewarding to drive and is still the class leader. 1st OPINION The new Audi A4 has clearly underlined its intentions to take on the new BMW 3-Series in all guises. As with the saloon, the estate fails to match the ride, handling and overall quality of the BMW, but its not a bad overall effort. The engine and handling are much improved, and now moves the car into second position in the fleet market sector, ahead of the ageing Mondeo and Vectra. STAR RATING: 4
SPECIFICATIONS: Audi A4 Avant 2.5 TDI S line (163 PS) Engine: 2496cc V8 Diesel, 163bhp
The motorist - Persecuted or Protected
Andy Gallichan had never been in trouble with the law before. He didn’t even know that he had broken the law. It was his usual daily routine: wake up at 7.30 and amble downstairs to the doormat, where his post lay, looking up at him like a dog who wants to go for a walk. So what delights would Andy discover on this cold, Monday morning in Malvern? A congratulations letter informing the 46 year old that he had won that holiday of a lifetime? No, of course not. It is a speeding fine from the local police force, and the complementary docking of three points from his licence. It was certainly a mistake going to Swansea last week. Tracking around his local Tesco, with his trolley covering ground rather quickly, Gallichan tells me that he feels that speed cameras are a tax revenue for the government. “They don’t differentiate between a dangerous driver, and someone who is doing 32 or 33mph, with their eyes on the road,” he reasons. “A policeman with his radar gun can use his discretion. Speed cameras criminalize the population, which makes them anti-establishment. Did you know that on the M25, you could in one single journey, loose your licence from it being clean? And that one on the M4 near Swansea is on a corner next to a bridge? It is just plainly unethical.” - Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not going to sit here from the safety of my laptop and bleat endlessly to you that speed cameras are wrong, the police are milking you for your money, blah, blah, blah. Neither am I going to go to the top of the Mendip hills at night in a bright yellow jacket and shout in defence of the cameras (primarily because it is rather cold at this time of year, and I would be a dead cert to be locked up under another Government scheme). Speed cameras have been installed not only to take mug shots of us picking our nose at 60mph, or so that officials can laugh at our choice of transport as we flash by, but to stop us dying on our roads. Because the reality is that we are pretty poor drivers as a nation. According to Gloucestershire Council’s Lorraine Walker, ten people every day die driving their car. She is keen to point out that over the last three years, 91 people were killed and another 895 were seriously injured. It would appear that our twin airbags and reinforced strengthened super turbo deluxe safety shells still don’t save our lives as often as we would like. This week, Labour MP Sally Keeble proposed a new bill to see motorists prosecuted for causing death by careless driving. Now this is all well and good on a government white paper, but can it work here in Gloucestershire? Andrew Howard, Head of Road Safety for the AA, is keen to support Keeble’s proposal. “It has to come,” he says. “The AA want to see how the courts apply it. Look, there are 3500 road deaths every year. Most of the accidents were their own fault.” However, he says that at the moment, there is no real alternative to the safety camera. New figures released last week highlight the developing trend with their conviction rate. It is estimated that 39% of British motorists can boast three points on their licence, while only 15% could just three years ago. Does this point to the persecution of the motorist? “Well, insurance companies are well aware of these figures,” comments Craig Cheetham, a vastly experienced former motoring journalist, and now PR manager for Vauxhall. “In fact, they disregard three points as matter of fact. They know people will be caught. It’s just a matter of time.” Cheetham, however, is one of the few motoring insiders who actively support the use of safety cameras. They just need to be in the right places, within the correct speed conditions. “They authorities should place ten in front of every school in the country,” he argues. “Then the motorist will see that speeding there is socially unacceptable.” The AA is quick to point out that most people, when asked within their own homes, are in acceptance of speed and safety cameras. Howard also points the blame “on the 75% of the media who say it’s all about money. That is simply not true. It is not an expensive tax. The installation and maintenance of speed cameras cost in excess of £133 million per year. The same £20 million goes to the Treasury, as it always has done. The remaining £113 million goes back into the system.”
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