ESM lives, like rather a lot of people in the UK do, in a city. As such, sensibly (and predictably) ESM drives what is best described as city-car. The end result is making this writer rather well positioned to pass judgement on Volkswagen’s new baby; the up! VW’s recent track record with the smallest of…
Sky Sports F1 HD First Weekend – Rated & Reviewed
The past three seasons of Formula 1 coverage by the BBC had made me forget just how bloody irritating advert breaks are in the middle of practice sessions and qualifying. Sky Sports F1 seemed to feature rather a lot of them during its broadcasting including, ironically, a lot for its own F1 channel. But, in…
The Final American Week Admission
The past seven days of EngageSportMode have featured a number of confessions; my love for NASCAR, the fact I like Avril Lavigne (who is technically Canadian) and that sometimes I can be wrong. Having been through all this, it’s probably worth noting that after so much discourse about products of the USA, I’ve never actually…
A Final Thought on the Ampera
I spent this morning trying to think of a good way to explain the Vauxhall Ampera through some kind of analogy. This involved a lot of thinking and research; including establishing whether there was any link between the Ampera and those leaked Christina Hendricks photos. For reference, unless it was a Fiat distraction ploy, I…
The Confessions Just Keep On Coming
Along with liking NASCAR, Engage Sport Mode is also willing to admit to other things. Like enjoying the music of Avril Lavigne (and seeing her live), thinking additional jalapeno peppers can improve everything and occasionally being wrong. In this instance, the “being wrong” relates to a prediction made on this very website back in January. In that post I…
I Could Afford That / Classified Dreaming #3
Certain things cross the transatlantic divide rather well; television shows, rock music (I’m looking at you Springsteen) and a growing tendency to litigate over anything. Other things have tended to find the journey across the “pond” rather more difficult. Many of the products of Motor City have failed to make the adjustment to life in…
What ESM Aspires To Be Like
Top Gear was on TV tonight. Whilst being better than the past couple of weeks, the cliched analogies from Clarkson are really becoming tired. I’ve heard the “gearbox doesn’t know what it is” line god knows how many times in the past decade. It just isn’t funny anymore. Also, the production is now so OTT…
Well I suppose quattro is four in Italian
The previous post on that turbo-cento got me thinking about a new car which it’s very, very similar to. Well, similar in that it’s essentially a small city-car with a turbocharger attached. So like two peas in a pod then; yesterday’s Fiat and today’s Audi A1 Quattro: I have to admit I am a fan…
A Further Update on Italian Week
After the Alfa Romeo-fest which the previous post turned into, I felt the need to redress the balance in favour of other marques from the boot-shaped state. I had to include this car somewhere, as it transported me back to a time long forgotten; before the dominance of the internets, twitter and public opinion in the…
I Could Afford That / Classified Dreaming #2
If you’ve somehow managed to avoid all cardshops, department stores or Moonpig adverts recently, then you would’ve missed the fact it was Valentine’s day yesterday. Fortunately I did remember so I’m here to bring forth another installment of I Could Afford That/Classified Dreaming. To perpetuate a very tedious link (for which I apologise profusely) Italy…
Crap Cars I Like #2 – 1992 to 1998 Mk3 Golf GTi
If the first CCiL feature involved cruelly berating an essentially well liked and positively received car for its poor sales, then this one will certainly make amends. The Mk3 Golf GTi was always destined to be universally unloved and unwelcomed by the motoring press and the wider car buying public. Following in the footsteps of…
ESM is on a train
Right now ESM is on a train heading to Glasgow. In Scotland. Which is a lot like going to a foreign country; the money is different and the language is almost impossible to understand. As a rule I tend to avoid public transport. I dislike having to stop and wait for everyone else to get…
