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lightsovermonaco · 3 years

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His Good Sweater: Chapter 12

Masterlist

Winding down from the frenzy of the last chapter... Thanks to @acollectionofficsandshit for being my bestie and beta reading! This would have never happened without her ❤

Word Count: 5.9k

Recommended song: "I Don't Care" by Fall Out Boy

“Mon amour, wake up.”

Pierre’s sleep-heavy voice rouses you from the best sleep you’d had in a long time. You’d fallen asleep to the sounds of his even breathing under the soothing touch of his thumb tracing patterns on your side.

You crack your eyes open to see him silhouetted by the white light of the waning moon, his bare chest left uncovered by the blanket slung low over his hips. The sight alone has your mind instantly jumping into overdrive, fighting the need to sleep with the need to continue ogling the bare skin a foot from your face.

“I let you sleep as long as I could,” he says softly, reaching behind him for his phone. “We have to be on the M1 in about half an hour.”

“Mmmph,” you groan, snuggling back under the blanket and closer to him, chasing the warmth radiating from him. “The sun isn’t even out.”

His chuckle shakes the bed. “I figured you would say that which is why I made you breakfast and picked out your clothes. All you have to do is brush your teeth and get dressed.”

You hum appreciatively and press a kiss to his bare sternum. “Is this how you’re going out today? Because I won’t complain but you might cause a few heart attacks.” A kiss to your temple is a small reward for your comment, as well as a concession.

"Don't worry, this is reserved only for you." He stretches an arm above his head, grinning when your eyes immediately are drawn to the way the muscles ripple and pull under his skin. You stare shamelessly as he flexes a little for your benefit, the action going straight to your head.

"As it should be." You bite your lip and let your fingertips dance over his chest, memorizing the way it rises and falls so predictably with each deep breath. Against your better judgement you trail kisses up over his pectoral and spot them along his shoulder, dragging another light chuckle from him.

"My love," he warns, voice tinted with mischief, "we don't have time."

"Oh I think we do." You continue your path over his collarbone and to the hollow of his throat. Taking advantage of his biggest weakness, you flick your tongue over his prominent adam’s apple. The move has his hand engulfing your upper arm, giving you a warning squeeze.

"As wonderful as this is" -he sucks in a sharp breath when your teeth graze his neck- "if I'm late Horner will kill me."

"What's new?" You say, but draw back. The mere mention of his name made you see red and shattered the moment. "Do you really want to go back to Red Bull after how they treated you?"

"No," he admits, slipping an arm around you and tugging you up and into a sitting position, taking advantage of the momentary lapse of lust. "But if I want a shot with a top team when my contract is up, I don’t have much choice."

"Where do you see yourself going?"

Pierre studies you as you slip into the clothes he had selected for you. Nothing fancy, just an AlphaTauri branded navy and white hoodie and some light wash jeans. You don't miss the way his lips twitch upward when you notice it's his hoodie, his last name embroidered in block font on the cuff a dead giveaway even if the hoodie hadn't been ridiculously oversized on you.

Cheeky bastard.

"I think I would look good in sunshine yellow," he remarks. You make a show of looking him up and down under the pretense of imagining him in a Renault branded hoodie or their signature black race suit. Truthfully it was just another excuse to drink him in like the fine wine he was and recall how he had tasted on your tongue last night.

He would look good in any color on the grid but you don't grant him the satisfaction of pointing that out. Instead, you lean forward to toy with the waistband of the jeans he had hastily buttoned seconds earlier. "You and Daniel get along just fine." You snag him by the belt loops and yank him forward back onto the bed. "I think you should go to McLaren.”

“I’d still look good in orange.”

You wind your fingers under his waistband. “I think you’d look best wearing nothing at all, actually.”

“The time,” Pierre protests lightly when you pop open the button and undo the zipper. He groans when you yank the denim down around his thighs, finally submitting to your touch and lacing his fingers in your hair. Your lips explore the planes of his abdomen, any and all thoughts of speed abandoned on your end. "If you don't hurry up we're gonna be late."

"Maybe you'll just have to drive fast. I hear you’re good at that."

**********

"So how is it that they got your car all the way to London?"

"It's got its own private jet."

You roll your eyes and smack the hand resting on your thigh. His response is a light squeeze and a chuckle before he continues, "They've got a few spares they keep around for when drivers come to town. I can't be seen in a Mini or it would cause a scandal."

"Oh yes it would be quite tragic." His hand charts a dangerous path along your thigh. He knows exactly what he's doing as he slots a thumb between your legs and presses it tight to the apex of your thighs.

You snap your knees shut, effectively trapping his hand "Now you're just being cruel."

"Only dishing out what you did this morning," he points out and wiggles his hand free to rest on your knee instead. The message was clear: he had shaken you well enough for his liking and was perfectly content to leave you frustrated until he could get you home.

“So catch me up on what I’ve missed,” you say, determined to distract yourself from Pierre’s slight teasing. “What’s new in the life of the rising star in Formula 1?”

“Rising star,” Pierre mumbles and rolls his eyes. “Not yet, my love. Getting there, but not yet.”

“Please, you’re too modest. Last night when you fell asleep- you were out like a light as soon as your head hit the pillow, don't give me that look!” Pierre picks his jaw up off the floor and shakes his head as you continue, “I read plenty of articles that called you the next big thing, right up there with Max.”

The comparison didn't seem to sit right with him. He shifts in his seat, rolling words over on his tongue. “I’m sure you’re caught up then. I haven’t done anything really besides train and race.”

“I did notice you’ve beefed up a bit.”

“Yet another reason to thank Pyry.”

“At this point I should send him a fruit basket for his trouble.”

“Maybe you should.” Pierre grins, hand leaving your thigh for a split second to upshift. “What about you? How’s year four treating you?”

“Ugh, don’t get me started,” you groan. “My senior project is already killing me and I’ve only just started it. We have to design a building from the ground up- I mean I like architecture but I’m trying to be an engineer, not an architect. I dunno why I have to be the one to design a building! At this point it’s just a brick box.”

“Sounds challenging,” Pierre notes, flooring it when he merges onto the highway. Though the speed makes your stomach flip, you don’t miss a beat.

“My team doesn’t do much either, I’ve been doing most of it. I could rant for hours about it.”

Pierre glances at the clock, then back to you. The blue of his eyes is blocked by his signature purple tinted sunglasses, shielding them from the rising sun that casts him in a warm orange glow. “Humor me. We’ve got time.”

The hour and a half drive was by no means dull with Pierre's teasing touches and endless string of questioning along the way. He asked after every aspect of your life that had transpired in the last four months, only stopping you once in a while to interject with an opinion or anecdote. He didn't stop at your life either, even asking after Ben's relationship. You'd been happy to report that he had indeed wooed his crush and had officially asked him to be his boyfriend.

"Those secret French lessons paid off," Pierre jokes as he pulls up to the imposing glass fronted building that served as Red Bull Racing's headquarters. The sweeping curve of the entrance was flanked on either side by two-story red and yellow bulls; proof that the team's dramatics extended far past the track. Anyone approaching for the first time would have been intimidated by the sheer size of them that suggested they were ready to stomp on their competition at a moment’s notice.

“Guess it’s time.” You sigh and undo your seatbelt and fiddle with the buckle, doing your best to stall. There was no reason to be this nervous. You were no one to these people; the focus would be entirely on Pierre. You would be an afterthought, not that you minded because it made it easier to fade into the background.

Pierre picks up on your hesitation in a heartbeat. “I’ll keep them off your back,” he promises and you nod, the single sentence taking the edge off. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” You reach for the door handle but Pierre tsks and you pause.

"You know better." You bite your lip to keep back the grin fighting its way to the surface as he comes around to open your door. He offers you his hand and you gladly take it and are pleasantly surprised when he threads his fingers through yours and heads for the entrance.

The atrium serving as the lobby is breathtakingly gorgeous. You had to hand it to the interior designer; they knew what they were doing. Sleek white marble floors are accented by red and yellow leather chairs scattered in small groups throughout the grand space. A tiered circular modern interpretation of a chandelier hangs above to offer guidance to the accountants, engineers and artists that weave through the lobby on their way to their respective wings or offices.

A waist high, glass front cabinet of drivers helmets serves as the reception desk. The unmistakable scent of a fresh cup of coffee hits you as you approach and the secretary hands a steaming paper cup to someone before they scurry off, presumably to a private office if they were important enough to warrant special attention. The first rays of morning sunlight glint off the silver Red Bull logo inlaid in the black marble behind the woman at the counter, making you squint.

"Bonjour Monsieur Gasly," she says in perfect French. "Ça va?"

"Bien," he says simply and switches to English for your benefit. "Has Christian come through yet?"

"He has," the woman says, glancing sidelong at you. Whatever conclusions she draws about you are insignificant enough that she writes you off immediately, angling her body towards Pierre and resting her chin in her hand. The posturing puts her ample chest on display, nearly spilling out of her billowing blouse, but Pierre's eyes don't wander. "He's not expecting you yet. Voulez-vous un cafe?"

"I'm good." The woman may have been determined to alienate you but Pierre was having none of it. Pierre turns to you, a grin playing on his face. This was your first test as an official couple and he intended to see how you handled it. "How about you, my love? Coffee?"

The woman's eyes slip to where your hand remains clasped in his. She cocks her head so slightly you think you might be imagining it until Pierre's grip tightens, a silent encouragement. Your confidence soars. If this was how Daniel's girlfriend felt when the two of them were out, you finally understood why they didn't hide. It was a rush knowing that everyone wanted Pierre but he only wanted you. No matter how blatantly women threw themselves at him, there was no doubt in your mind that he would never give a single one of them the light of day.

It was about damn time you afforded him the same unwavering commitment as he had shown you.

"No thank you," you reply sweetly with a mocking smile directed to the woman. You lean in and drop your voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You might want to fix your shirt though, it’s… slipped. I know I'd hate for that to happen to me and no one tell me, especially at work. I don't think I'd ever recover from it."

Her face immediately turns scarlet as she stands straight and folds her arms over her chest. "If I were you-"

"Let Horner know I'm here," Pierre interrupts and it's somehow the hottest thing he's ever said. His purely commanding tone leaves no room for argument.

"Of course," she replies with a sharp smile in your direction that makes your spine stiffen. "Good luck. Christian is in rare form this morning."

"Just ignore it," Pierre murmurs and sweeps his thumb over the back of your hand as he leads you across the cold marble and down a carpeted hall. "You handled that well.”

“I may have gotten a few pointers from Daniel’s lover.” Your soft smile doesn’t quite reach your eyes. The short interaction had sapped most of your confidence, leaving you on uneven footing. “I would rather not have to deal with that again soon though.”

“I can handle the women easy enough when I know I’ve got you to come home to.”

The tightness in your chest eases further when the hall opens into another startlingly white space, this time packed with rows and rows of navy cubicles. But that's not where your attention is drawn- instead, your gaze is immediately snagged by the case of trophies towering high along the back wall. Cups of every shape and size shine within, each one representing a different podium for the team achieved in various years and tracks.

"There must be over a hundred," you breathe, mesmerized by the glinting silver and intricate craftsmanship. The case was easily thirty feet tall and you had to crane your neck to catch a glimpse of the ones in the top row. Each one told a story of blood, sweat and tears, each one earned by a driver who had made countless sacrifices to be where they were and finish on a podium.

"A hundred and eighty five to be exact," he counters, laughing at your amusement. "Your inner architect is screaming isn't it?"

"Only a little."

Pierre laughs outright at your white lie and tugs you along. "You can stare on the way out. I'll even show you which ones were Max's."

"Did you memorize what all his trophies look like?"

"Hey, meetings with engineers get boring. It's one of the more interesting ways to occupy your time when they are going on and on about fluid mechanics and thermodynamics- you know, stuff you understand but not me."

"Oh whatever, you enjoy those meetings and you know it."

"Only a little," he quotes.

People recognize him as you pass and some nod or give a simple greeting as they go about their morning but no one stops him to chat. The air feels a bit hostile, like no one knows what to do with him now that he's walking through the building after a nearly two year absence.

"Do you miss it?" You ask after he smiles at someone for the millionth time.

"I miss the team," he admits, "but not the management culture. My team was great- they supported me any way they could but it didn't help that Horner didn't exactly encourage them to believe in me. It's hard to crank out results when there's no one on your side."

"I'm on your side," you point out, nudging him with your hip. "You've got me forever, no takesies backsies."

"I'm grateful for it," he murmurs and gives your hand a squeeze. He hadn't let go once; not when he had to open a door or the two of you had to walk single file to let people pass.

The building was a labyrinth and if it wasn't for Pierre you'd have been lost the moment you set foot inside. He navigates the twisting halls with ease, having no need for the countless signs posted along the way.

He leads you up a set of steel stairs after what seems like ages. When he knocks on a heavy oak door, his grip on your hand turns possessive like he suspects the office’s occupant would try to rip you away from him.

“Morning.”

God, even the one word makes rage simmer in your veins. The voice precedes the man and Christian Horner swings open the door, a plastic smile splitting his face. He doesn't bother acknowledging you with a greeting, instead addressing his driver directly.

“I wasn’t expecting you to bring a guest.”

“A pretty face was needed around here,” Pierre snaps back without missing a beat. You bristle, free hand curling into a fist. If there was one person you didn’t mind teaching a lesson to, it was Horner. He had little respect for anyone he viewed as disposable- up to and including “underperforming” drivers.

Christian raises an eyebrow. “Sure. She can wait out here- you and I have terms to discuss.”

Fine, Horner wanted to play dirty? So could you. When it came to staring him down, you became fearless. He was the one person you refused to let intimidate you.

Drawing on your newly minted confidence you smile up at Pierre and silence the protest forming on his tongue with a grin. “Gimme a kiss, race winner.”

Pierre doesn’t hesitate to press his lips to yours. Cupping a hand to the back of his neck you draw him in and nip at his lower lip. The hand on your hip tightens at Christian's scoff but Pierre makes no move to break away. You linger a moment longer than necessary to drive your point home: you didn’t care what Horner had to say about you, you were here to stay and he would have to get used to it.

Pierre gives you a small, blissed out smile before dropping your hand and following Horner inside. The door clicks but doesn't shut all the way, Pierre leaving it cracked for your benefit.

Uninterested in eavesdropping on small talk, you lean on the metal railing to observe the research and development garage coming to life on the floor below. Hybrid engines in various stages of disassembly dot the space, small teams of mechanics and engineers tweaking components to reduce weight or increase horsepower. Pistons and valves are scrutinized and exchanged before being placed under stress to test their strength.

An FIA official in a red jacket wove through the garage to observe and jot notes down on a clipboard. He looks over the shoulder of an engineer pouring over formulas on a whiteboard, startling him when the official asks a question. Someone calls your name from below and you search for the origin, finally spotting the woman and waving back at her.

Management may have their qualms with Pierre but it was clear there were still some within the team that had his back. They were likely the same ones that knew he would have to leave the Red Bull umbrella to find any semblance of success. They may not have possessed the guts to stick their necks out for him when Horner had cut him but they were at least happy to see him back around headquarters.

"You sure you'll rise to the challenge?" Horner's question drags you back to the mezzanine.

"I'll take seventh. I'm only a few points away and we have plenty of races left."

He had five races to catch up to be exact. Pierre currently was comfortably ahead of the pack in ninth, Sainz was only three points ahead in eighth, and Norris ten points beyond in seventh. It would only take a DNF or two from his rivals and a few podiums to pass them up.

"Right," Horner starts. "There's a reason you've done so well this season and it's not luck. You've been racing exceptionally well and I don't want that to change."

"If there's something on your mind just get on with it." Pierre's voice is calm and collected in a way yours wouldn't be if you had been in his shoes. You've been dying to rip into Horner since the day he wrote Pierre off.

"There's been a fire in you the past few months since she has been gone-"

"Leave her out of this."

The tone sends a chill down your spine. It maintains the same level headedness that Pierre had perfected over the years and you had come to expect when he was backed against a wall, but it was laced with an unspoken threat. The intent was clear: he would walk out and abandon his chance for a seat at Red Bull if it meant protecting you.

You creep to the door to peer through the crack. Horner crosses his arms, a sly smile on his face. "You would sacrifice your chance at a championship winning seat for her? Everything you've worked so hard for, gone in a flash, because of her?"

"Without question," Pierre answers immediately. The conviction and commitment behind it nearly makes you stumble. "I'm sure there's plenty of other teams that would love to have me after the season I've had. She’s not going anywhere, so either you stop disrespecting her or I walk out."

You clench your fists, ready to burst in and demand Pierre stop being a fucking idiot. His long term plan saw him at another top team that would take care of him and nurture his skill- a long stint at Red Bull Racing was never in the cards. It wasn't an environment for everyone. Some people like Max thrived in it, letting the toxicity roll off their backs but for Pierre it was a cruel form of punishment. However, a seat at Red Bull for the 2022 season could mean the difference between an offer from Alpine and an offer from Haas when his contract was up for renewal.

The idea of seeing his number stickered to the floor in a Red Bull garage excites and intimidates you. Last time he hadn't been given the chance to prove himself. Would they still hold that against him? Knowing Christian, he probably would. On the other hand, it meant that they admitted their mistake in cutting him mid-season, whether they said it outright or not.

Pierre's redemption day was on the horizon and you couldn't wait to see the look on Horner's face when he finally won. And the longer Christian stays silent, the more potent the urge to throttle him grows.

Christian gives a slow clap. "Now there's the unwavering commitment that was missing during round one."

Your heart hammers in the dead silence as papers are shuffled. "Here's the contract. Terms are as discussed, you secure seventh in the world championship in 2021 and the second seat at Red Bull Racing is yours for the entire calendar in 2022. No demotions, substitutions, or shuffling of drivers unless medically necessary or mutually agreed upon by all affected parties."

"And the same spec car as the number one seat," Pierre insists, spine straight. "Same strategy."

Christian waves a hand. "Yes, that's in there too. Feel free to take a moment and read it over."

He does, allowing Christian time to pour a knuckle of whiskey and set the glass before Pierre. He pours himself an identical glass and waits until Pierre signs and initials all the boxes before raising it in acknowledgement.

"Congratulations. Welcome back to Red Bull- conditionally."

Pierre leaves the glass untouched and remains silent, staring his potential future team principal down. He gives the man no margin to question his abilities further, conveying all he needs to with a look that would have had you shaking at the knees. Even if you can't see his face, wrath radiates from him in waves and you wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of it when it explodes.

"Right then." Christian lowers the glass, his fake smile vanishing. "I look forward to seeing what you can do."

"Don't worry. I'll deliver."

You step back and allow him to set the mood as he exits the office and slams the door behind him. Pierre sighs and scrubs a hand over his face. "You heard all of that right?"

You nod. "You wouldn't have really walked out, right?"

"I almost did."

He says it like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Like you should know that he would choose you over all of this, that all of his dreams and everything he had sacrificed to achieve them thus far meant less to him than you did. How many times did he have to prove his unwavering commitment before you realized it was true?

Pierre laces his fingers through yours, the heat welcomed by your ice cold skin. It was as much a comfort to you as it was to him. "I just have to grab some things from Max's office and then we can head out."

His jaw is still set after his stand off with Christian and you want nothing more than to ease his mind. Publicly comforting him with a touch to his chest or a kiss to his neck was out of the question so you settle on temporary distraction.

"Hey, you know what I want to see?"

"What's that?"

"That room full of all the old chassis. You know, the one that they hold all the fancy virtual events in? I wanna see those."

"I think I should be able to get you back there." He veers down a hall and you yelp, pulled along by his momentum. His attitude brightens a little at your laugh. The grin he throws your way is your own personal sun, warming your soul.

"Hey- hold on." You pull him to a stop and lead him into an alcove. The inch of space between your chests is charged with electricity, begging to jump from one to the other.

"Can I help you?" He asks and grins down at you.

"No," you say nonchalantly. "Just wanted to be selfish for a second."

You rise up on your tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips. He melts into you, one hand coming up to cup your jaw while the other finds the small of your back. You side your tongue over his lower lip and he presses you against the door leading to who knew where and opens his mouth to you. You sigh into the kiss, arms winding around his neck and losing yourself in him.

Now that you had gotten over your anxiety, everything was so much easier. You know there's press roaming about the building and any number of them could pass by at any moment but you genuinely couldn't care less. Let them talk; you were over caring what anyone thought or said.

All that mattered was the man beneath your fingertips. You would endure a lifetime of insults if he was the one to soothe the wounds afterwards. As long as you both were happy, no one could come between you ever again.

Pierre pulls away when someone passes by and coughs quietly. "You're trouble," he murmurs, leaving an arm propped next to your head and effectively caging you in.

"And you're dangerous," you tease, tugging on his hair and exposing his throat enough to nip at it once. "Together we're the perfect pair."

He groans and leans away. "Keep that up and I might have to stay in London an extra week."

You slip out of his grasp and give him an unrestrained grin. "Don't threaten me with a good time." You spin on your heel and set off down the hall, swaying your hips a little more than necessary.

"You know where you're going?" He calls after you.

"Someone will point me in the right direction, I'm sure."

"Someone like me." He catches up to you and once again takes your hand in his. He was enjoying showing you off almost as much as you enjoyed hanging on him.

"Maybe we should head right to Max's office and hurry home, huh?"

"Maybe-"

"Pierre, there you are."

You both turn to a woman hustling up the hall after you. She’s slight and her brown curls bounce as she jogs to where the two of you pause at a bend. You glance up to Pierre to see if he's just as confused as you are.

"Hey Mary," he says cheerily. "How are you? Sorry I didn't check in with you when I got here."

"Oh it's fine- why aren't you in the Alpha samples I sent?” The woman props a fist on her hip and tips her head to the side. “I think I got your size right now that I’ve laid eyes on you. I was hoping for a shoot today since you've finally come by."

It takes you a moment to register that she's addressing you. You shoot Pierre a look and he offers you a tentative, closed off smile. "Um, what Alpha gear?"

The woman's chocolate brown eyes go wide. "The ones I've been sending to Pierre. Hoodies, dresses, jackets. All the stuff from the new line. They have been sending the samples to you, right?"

"Um, yeah I've gotten them," Pierre says, rubbing his neck. "I haven't given them to her though."

"Oh, I see!” Pink tinges Mary’s cheeks. “I must have missed a memo. I just thought that you'd want to do a shoot with her today, since we already had a quick one planned for you. After all, you talk about her all the time."

"He does?"

Mary nods. "Oh yes, we've all heard plenty about you. You're lucky to have someone so enamored with you. I just dropped off some more samples in Max's office as a little thank you for letting us steal him so often-"

"Okay, thank you Mary," Pierre says abruptly. "I'll get back to you on that."

Pierre steers you away and down the hall. "What was she talking about? Why would they want me to come by for a photo shoot?"

Pierre runs a hand through his hair and pauses outside Max's office. The Dutchman must have been away because Pierre pulls out his key and fits it in the lock. "I just- come on."

He waves you inside and you obey, letting him close the door and grant you some semblance of privacy before continuing.

"I never formally told anyone that we broke up. Most people came to their own conclusions once they didn't see you around for a while. Some people didn't get the message. Obviously Mary was one of them. I would still talk about you, I couldn't help myself. There was one shoot where Yuki and I were together and he mentioned off hand that you'd be a good brand ambassador. I tried to explain that it wouldn't work but Mary wouldn't hear it and she just kept sending me more and more samples.”

You draw a breath and interrupt his rambling. “But where-”

"I had it all in a box in my office but I struggled to concentrate with a reminder of you hanging over my head. I sent it over here to Max and that's where it's sat ever since. I used the excuse that Max was in town more often than I was and no one read too far into it."

"Why didn't you tell me?" You whisper. "I would've taken them. I'm sure you got an earful from Mary."

"Would you have?” Pierre pauses, your silence in the face of his frustration speaking volumes. “I waited four months to hear from you. Tell me that sending you thousands of dollars in unreleased merch wouldn't have made you even more hesitant to come back to me."

Not knowing what else to say, you let your gaze fall to the carpet. Sending you expensive things would have felt something like a bribe, like he was trying to influence you with fancy clothes.

Pierre shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter, it’s in the past now. We can take it home today and you can wear it when I take you for dinner and Alpha will get the press they’re after. Everyone will be happy.”

He wasn’t happy. That much was plain to see. He hadn’t been able to stomach seeing something intended for you, even that minute of a reminder had been too much for him to bear. God, you had thoroughly wrecked him. You were lucky that there were still enough pieces of him left to heal.

“I didn’t realize you were hurting so bad,” you say, voice barely above a whisper as you cross the cramped space to him, stepping over piles of strewn paperwork carefully so as to not disturb whatever random order they were placed in. You don’t dare reach out to touch him as his shoulders slump, any and all forward momentum he’d gathered suddenly sapped.

“It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever gone through.”

Unable to let him suffer alone with his thoughts, you wrap your arms around his middle and let your cheek rest between his shoulders. “I didn’t mean to alienate you. I was waiting for you, too.”

“You needed space and I gave it to you.” His hand rests on your arm with a gentleness you’ve come to expect when he lays himself bare like this. “There were so many times I almost gave in to the impulse and just messaged you but I made myself wait. I didn’t want to rush it and make things worse. You always need time to think things through- I knew you would come around eventually. It didn’t make it any easier though.”

You rub soothing circles on his side as you blink back the tears that spring to your eyes. “I’m sorry I put you through that. I’m sorry I took so long and I’m sorry I made you wait. It had to have been torture-”

He turns in your embrace and cups your chin, forcing you to look up at him. The pad of his thumb sweeps across your cheek, the metal of the ring on his middle finger biting into your flushed skin. “It’s alright. You had a lot to sort through and I had to respect that.”

“We lost so much time-”

“Hey,” he says softly, ducking his head to meet your eyes. “We’re together now. If there’s one thing I’m sure of it’s that you can’t let missed opportunities control you or else you’ll never be happy.”

You nod, swiping your sleeve under your eyes. “What did they send?” you ask, nodding towards the box overflowing with tan and navy threads.

“Pull up a chair,” Pierre suggests, “there’s a lot.”

You roll over Max’s desk chair and tug on Pierre’s arm. Once he gets the picture and sits, you settle in his lap. He winds an arm around your middle, the close contact already soothing your frazzled nerves.

“That better?” he murmurs.

“Much better.”

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theconnectingrod-blog · 6 years

Photo

1988 Honda Prelude Si

Before we get stared I have to thank my buddy Rick Ruiz for being so enthusiastic about this project of mine, he jumped at the opportunity to help and was more than happy to have his Prelude be the first car featured.

The prelude has always been an interesting car to me, not the car itself but more rather where it fit into Honda’s lineup. Honda had the Civic, Crx, Prelude, Accord, and Integra, all Front wheel drive, all had 4 cylinder engines, all of them had a two door variation. So why did Honda feel the need to produce this 2 door sport coupe if the CRX and the Civic were currently being sold? My guess is going for a traditional coupe style, the 2-door Civic and CRX came in hatches, and in the states hot-hatch culture was still in its infancy, so perhaps hatches weren’t appealing to the masses. Although, then I become confused, at the same time Honda was also selling the Accord, which came in more configurations, coupe, hatch, and sedan, the mid trim levels came with the same engine as the Prelude, and the coupes had extremely similar styling. So why would anyone buy a Prelude, when you could get an Accord with the same performance, more practicality, and more features? Simply put; marketing, the Accord was marketed as Honda’s mid-size family car with all the bells and whistles that you deserved, while the Prelude from its inception was marketed as a sports car, and oh what a sports car it was. At the time, Honda hadn’t revealed the NSX yet, so the prelude was the most powerful and most advanced car they had on offer. (Unless you opted for the base model which had a sad carbureted SOHC B20.) Under the hood of this Prelude sits a B20A5, a DOHC 2.0L 4 cylinder making 135 hp which was Honda’s biggest engine at the time. If you ever google search a third generation Prelude, one of the first things you’re bound to see is “1988 Prelude Si 4ws” 4ws, you’ll see it everywhere, 4ws is the Prelude’s most notable feature, a four wheel steering system, being the first ever in a mass produced passenger car. Four wheel steering systems were seen as the future in passenger cars in the 80s, but never quiet took off due to them being expensive, heavy, and their improvements subtle. They haven’t completely faded from existence though, up until 2005 GM tried using it on a few of their pickups and SUVs and currently BMW and Renault seem to be trying to reintroduce it. (Heres a link to an Autoweek article if you’d to know more about four wheel steering systems and how they work http://autoweek.com/article/car-life/four-wheel-steering-demystified ). The true advantages of a four wheel steering system were mostly felt at a track, were it would give you greatly increased maneuverability at high speeds, the biggest advantage most owners would feel is a smaller turning circle at low speeds, saved tons of people from doing 3-point turns I bet. While the handling advantages were seen as subtle, they were felt when in 1987 a Prelude with four wheel steering beat out true sports cars like the Corvette C4 in Road & Tracks slalom test. The 4ws wasn’t all sunshine and roses, it added a massive 500 pounds to the curb weight of the car, substantially impacting acceleration. I’ve been droning on about this four wheel steering system for long enough, sure its interesting but this Prelude doesn’t even have it. Why not? Well because the 4ws models were damn expensive, $17,945 MSRP, that is roughly $40,600 today, compare a Prelude to what you can buy today with forty thousand dollars and maybe it’ll be more clear why not everyone opted for the 4ws.

What about the styling? Well, at a quick glance, you can clearly tell its a late 80s Honda, might have to quint or look at a badge to tell if its a Prelude, Integra, or an Accord, but you at least know its one of those 3. Seriously google all those from 1988 and take a look, what was Honda thinking making them all look so incredibly similar? I know nowadays car companies give all their models the same basic grill or front end, but at least you can easily tell the difference between a Charger and a Dart. But back to the Prelude, look at its side profile, its body line, the top of the fender lines up perfectly with the bottom of the windows, and then the rear window curves up and gently tosses your eye along the trunk line. Its gorgeous and simplistic, none of the lines dart away in jagged directions to try and create a body line that isn’t there. The rub strip goes around the entire car, from wheel to wheel, bumper to bumper, and even on the wheel arches, because you’re gonna use this car, and you need that rub strip to protect all 360 degrees of you from shopping carts. Side note while we’re on the topic of shopping carts, holy hell the trunk space in this car is surprisingly massive. I wasn’t able to get a picture that properly captured how large the space was, but looking at it from the outside, the truck is about as deep as the rub strip on the bumper and goes all the way to the rear seats, it huge, bigger than you would expect.

Another surprise of the trunk is actually the trunk lid itself. The trunk lid and quarterpanels are molded to create a very subtle lip on the trunk of the car. That feature alone does more to promote this cars sportiness than fake vents or aggressive lines ever could. Although speaking of vents, this car does have a pair and for awhile they puzzled me quiet a bit, both from a aesthetic and function point of view. You see the Prelude has these funny little vents or channels on both rear tail lights, they appear to have some depth to them so I’m gonna go ahead and assume they serve some function, and my best guess is for cabin air circulation.

I could be 110% wrong but that is my best guess and I couldn’t find anything specifically related to them online that told me otherwise. The Prelude’s exterior has one more very interesting quirk/feature. Look at the hood and you’ll notice a piece of plastic, that looks very similar to the rub strips circling the car, laying horizontally a couple inches from the windshield. Yeah, that is a built in bug/wind deflector, in my mind one of the coolest features of the Prelude, sure it was marketed as a sports car but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some utilitarian features as well. The last thing to talk about on the exterior of this car is the wheels, everything about them screams 80s and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that these were actually super rare Mazda Rx-7 wheels. Having a triangle design like that makes me think of a rotary more than anything.

Moving on to the interior. The interior has a nice balance of sports car styling and utilitarian features. The dash board, the center console, and the door panels all sweep forward giving that cockpit feeling seen in more aggressive cars like the Supra. But it counters that by having a large tray in the dash spanning from the glove box to gauge pod, allowing for lots space to set down any loose items. It has a pod around the gauge cluster with lots of buttons on it similar to whats seen in cars like RX-7 and 300ZX. A humorous feature to me is the seat belt warning light mounted on the ceiling above the rear view mirror. I believe Saabs or Volvos have a similar feature, acting like a “fasten lap belt” light that you would see in an airplane. I find it hilarious to have that in this two door sports car where chances of you always having a full cabin were slim, but Honda gave it to you anyway so you’ll never have to tell your rear passengers to buckle up.

Perhaps this next part is nothing new to some people, but I personally have never come across a system like this before. The seat belts are 100% mounted on the door, not on the floor and the B pillar, not even on the seat, every part of the seat belt is in the door panel. Now when you first get in the car its different but you assume it serves the same purpose as ever other seat belt on every other car, until you try and open the door while you’re still buckled in and realize you can’t. Although even in the worst crash scenarios I can think of, a rescuer could still break the window and cut the seat belt, so I suppose it is not as big of a safety issue as I had first thought. Moving on to the seats, well, most notably they have a good amount of bolstering which was surprising to me given the cars age. There is even a little bit of bucket styling to these seats, its very mild but its there making driving this car quiet comfortable. So how is the drive? Well, quite good to put it simply. I got to drive this car the way most people who would end up owning one would, around tight neighborhood and small town streets. I didn’t drive it on a track, and I didn’t to take it on the highway to test how well that wind deflector worked. I stayed in the neighborhood around Rick’s house and timidly ventured onto one of main roads to get it up to about 50mph. I say timidly because I don’t know my way around Highland, Rick didn’t come with me, and my phone had died. So unfortunately my time driving was just as must spent trying to navigate as it was spent trying to get a feel for the Prelude. For being Honda’s biggest engine at the time, don’t expect to be blown away. Power is adequate, it gets the job done and certainly allows for some spirited driving when you want it. Its exactly what you expect, a nice balance of being fun enough for spirited driving, but practical enough for some great fuel economy. Of course being as it wasn’t my car and Rick wasn’t with me I didn’t want to floor it and be hard on the Prelude without Rick’s consent, although I’m sure he wouldn’t have minded.

Where this car really excels is its steering, not its handling, its steering. The steering is extremely light, you could steer it with your little finger, better yet, you could steer it by blowing on the steering wheel if you tried. Stopped, at low speed, at cruising speed, its incredibly easy to maneuver, there is zero resistance in the steering wheel. My best guess as to why its so light, is that it has a very power power steering pump, as well as light weight steering components to compensate for the whopping 500lbs added by the optional four wheel steering.

The third generation Prelude is a great car, a fantastic car, its appealing, fun, simplistic, and practical. These cars are turning 30 years old, they’re slowly fading from the streets, normal buyers have no faith in a 3 decade old Honda sport coupe. If you find one, buy it, save it, enjoy this piece automotive history, and preserve it. In a few short years they’ll be 40, and the prices will rise as they appeal to enthusiast, collectors, and people who enjoy weird 80s tech. Rick is a lucky man to have found this car in such great shape, where we can admire it very close to as it looked new.

1988 Honda Prelude in Barbados Yellow - Simply good looking.

Sources:

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Prelude

Cargurus: https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/1988-Honda-Prelude-Overview-c3876

#honda #prelude #si #automotive #review #cars #history #1980s #1988 #jdm #civic #crx #integra #accord #japanese car #writing #photography

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memynissanandi · 3 years

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2021 Nissan Qashqai Midnight Edition

Box-office popularity and critical acclaim don’t always align. Sometimes the biggest cinematic hits fall foul of the critics, leaving hearts of the masses and bums on seats to outweigh the minds of a learned few. Ticket sales reign supreme and it’s deemed a success.

The Nissan Qashqai has, for the most part, lived up to this scenario since its inception (previously branded Dualis Down Under). While it doesn’t top the VFACTS sales charts and it’s unlikely to win a group comparison test, the Qashqai is a consistent seller. Tied to a strong brand, the Qashqai offers families big value from their small SUV.

However, it’s been around a while – since 2014, in fact. So, to keep interest high and customers walking back into post-Covid showrooms, Nissan has delved into the gloss-black-paint reserves to create the Midnight Edition.

What does it cost to own?

The Qashqai is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is pretty standard within the industry these days. Servicing is every 12 months or 10,000km (whichever comes first), but you can also opt for a capped-price servicing plan that runs for 12 years/120,000km. Five years of roadside assistance is available.

What’s the exterior like?

In PR-speak, “Nissan invites you to own the night”… what that translates to is a heap of black accents being added to the known styling. And to be fair, it does the trick, with the Midnight Edition offering meaningful flair to keep the Qashqai ageing gracefully. For a known design, the special edition adds an on-road presence.

This is created via a Gloss Black V-motion grille, while the front and rear bumper blades and roof rails gain the same treatment. Darkened LED head (adaptive) and taillights feature, too, as well as body-coloured mouldings. The auto-folding wing mirrors gain gloss black, as do the 19-inch alloy wheels.

There are five exterior colours to choose from and include Vivid Blue, Ivory Pearl, Gun Metallic, Magnetic Red and Pearl Black.

What’s the interior like?

Yes, you guessed it, the black theme continues inside, too. And in a mind-bending juxtaposition, brightens up the tried and tested Qashqai design in line with the exterior. Both gloss and brushed black accents abound, including a black roof headliner, as well as part leather/Alcantara seats and illuminated kick plates.

The benefit of the larger dimensions against the class norm (the Qashqai is 4394mm long, 1086mm wide, 1595mm tall and with a 2646mm wheelbase) is a spacious cabin. All five occupants enjoy generous head, leg and toe room front to back, with the back pews gaining a central armrest with cup holders when four-up.

Despite its almost range-topping status, the Midnight Edition misses out on heated front seats and power adjustment (even for the driver), as well as digital dual-zone climate control. Yet, overall, the styling tweaks give the ergonomically sound cabin a bit of a second wind. The new steering wheel is also a highlight, feeling nice in hand.

What’s the infotainment like?

Updated for the current-gen model, the Qashqai gains a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen to handle the infotainment. It’s on the small side, meaning you have to be precise with your inputs and the graphics are dated. Still, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is DAB+ digital radio, which plays through a six-speaker audio system. The instrument cluster gains a 4.2-inch screen for features like the digital speedo.

Something left wanting, and a sign of the Qashqai’s 2014 ilk, is a lack of USB and USB-C ports. There are none in the back, and just a single port is hidden in the centre storage bin. And there’s no wireless charging, either. The upcoming third generation can’t arrive soon enough.

What is the storage like?

Given its ‘small’ SUV category designation, the Qashqai offers space some of the competition can’t match. The boot is 430 litres, extending to 1598 litres with the 60/40-split rear seats folded. There is a bit of a step up from the boot floor when the rear seats are stowed, however, the load bay is flat and the lip isn’t too intrusive when heaving in weighty/bulky items.

The centre console is endowed with a cavernous storage compartment and further bolstered by numerous provisions for cups, bottles, keys, wallets and sunglasses. Basically, there are a plethora of places to put a family’s worth of items.

What engines are available?

You can have any engine you want, as long as it’s a naturally aspirated four-cylinder. Its relatively large capacity does its best to mask a lack of torque compared to smaller, turbocharged units, with the 2.0-litre unit producing 200Nm. Combined with 106kW of power, the Midnight Edition offers ‘enough’ grunt to cope with the 1392kg kerb weight and fulfil its intended use… just.

Within city limits, the Qashqai operates amicably and the CVT is one of the better units on the market. Where it becomes strained is open-road overtaking, especially given power and torque are developed high in the rev range (6000 and 4400rpm respectively). The 2.0-litre four-pot sounds strained, too, as the CVT perches the tacho needle high in the rev range.

What about the fuel economy?

Officially the Qashqai Midnight Edition is rated at 6.9L/100km on a combined cycle. However, throughout testing the trip computer returned eights, even when pushing the oddly placed Eco mode button for frugal driving. It’s a shame some of the Nissan/Renault alliance turbo petrol and diesel engines offered in other markets aren’t available here.

What’s it like to drive?

All the controls are light, progressive and easy to use for the daily grind and family hauling. Driven within these parameters the Midnight Edition ticks boxes by being easy to live with. The brakes are strong and progressive, the steering is light for city car parks and the stepped-ratio CVT mimics a conventional torque-converter automatic with six ratios for a ‘manual mode’. The suspension tune leans towards the stiff side. However, the dampers offer enough control on the rebound to prevent pogoing. Still, overall, it’s a bit too firm to be branded cosseting.

A somewhat interesting move is the fitment of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres (225/45 front to rear) to the test car. It’s a lot of rubber for a humble SUV, especially given its usual performance-based applications. And while the sticky hoops offer the safety of heightened grip levels, it’s almost too much as the body struggles to match their competence, exacerbating the Qashqai’s roll. There’s also noticeable kickback and rack rattle through the steering wheel on poor surfaces.

How safe is the Qashqai?

The Qashqai range receives a five-star ANCAP safety rating, but it’s worth keeping in mind the score is carried over from the 2017 model year. Nissan Intelligent mobility active-safety includes blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, emergency braking (AEB), rear cross-traffic alert 360-degree surround-view camera with parking sensors and intelligent driver alert. ISOFIX is fitted to the two outboard rear seats.

Sadly, given the price point, active cruise control, pedestrian/cyclist detection and lane-keeping with steering intervention aren’t standard, you have to step up to the Ti for that.

What are the alternatives?

Many. So many, in fact, it’s hard to list them all, so here are some of the key combatants. The never-say-die Mitsubishi ASX which, despite its age, keeps brewing a sales storm. In terms of racking up sales accolades, it’s the Lewis Hamilton of the small SUV segment. Like the Qashqai, it offers a lot of physical car for the monetary outlay.

Others to consider are the not-so-small Kia Seltos, dynamically talented Toyota C-HR, pragmatic Honda HR-V and the ‘funky’ Hyundai Kona. The Skoda Kamiq and Volkswagen T-Roc offer Euro quality, while the Mazda CX-30 pairs dynamics with a premium cabin. The choice is seemingly endless in this burgeoning class.

The bottom line

The Qashqai is a classic case of ‘the more you spend, the less sense it makes. While the Midnight Edition jazzes things up a bit, there really isn’t much point extending into this price bracket. The metal-for-money equation that Nissan’s SUV does so well is no longer in its favour. At $28,290 (manual) and $30,290 (auto), the entry-level ST is about all the Qashqai you’ll ever need. The superior space and easy-to-live-with nature make it appealing to the masses.

So, while the Midnight Edition conjures visual delight and, somewhat out of character, offers grippy performance-orientated rubber, it isn’t the variant to buy. It’s also worth keeping in mind that a new Qashqai is, we’re told, around the corner.

Article sourced from https://practicalmotoring.com.au/

#nissan qashqai #Nissan cars #Nissan SUVs

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joiedevivrevehicles · 4 years

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Tips When Buying A Used Renault Clio Hatchback

What's the used Renault Clio hatchback like?

The Renault Clio for sale is well known to most car buyers. For that, you can thank a certain Nicole and her papa who appeared in a hugely successful advertising campaign to promote the original Clio of 1991.

This fourth-generation car arrived more than twenty years later in 2013 and was a popular choice with small car buyers right up until 2019, when it was replaced by an updated version. That popularity was due mainly to its bold exterior and interior styling (including a dashboard shaped like an aircraft’s wing), competitive pricing and low running costs.

The highlights of the engine line-up are Renault’s smooth 1.5-litre diesel and a turbocharged three-cylinder 0.9-litre petrol engine both with 88bhp. There are also 1.2-litre petrols either with a turbocharger (118bhp) or without (74bhp), but these are rather expensive or rather slow respectively. If you’d prefer an automatic gearbox rather than the slightly notchy manual you’ll need to opt for either the 1.5 diesel or the turbocharged 1.2 petrol, and for speed demons there’s the hot Renault Sport version, with its 1.6-litre turbo.

As for the trim levels at Group 1 Renault, there are five trims for the standard Clio and two for the Clio RS models. Opt for the entry-level trimmed Expression model and you'll find Bluetooth, USB connectivity, cruise control, front electric windows, and electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors fitted as standard. Upgrade to Play and the Clio gains 16in alloy wheels and air conditioning. The Dynamique Nav trims include keyless entry and start, auto lights and wipers, and Renault's MediaNav infotainment system complete with a 7.0in touchscreen display, DAB radio and sat-nav, while the Dynamique S models add 17in alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, LED headlights, climate control and all-round electric windows.

The range-topping Signature Nav trim adorns the Clio with TomTom-powered sat-nav, more speakers, front parking sensors, reversing camera and part-leather upholstery.

If you are after a bit more power then the RS, as mentioned, comes in two versions - the RS 200 and the RS 220 Trophy. For those, after a truly sporty drive the Clio Renault Sport (RS) and in particular its Trophy derivative are very capable cars. The RS 200 comes with RS-designed LED headlights, 17in alloy wheels, a rear diffuser, a F1-styled front blade, a sporty bodykit and chassis set-up and an electronic differential on the outside, while inside there is cruise control, air conditioning, sports seats trimmed in dark cloth with red stitching and Renault's MediaNav infotainment system.

The Clio comes closer than most small cars in terms of ride comfort, with good grip and secure handling that borders on good fun. There's more body lean than some of its newer rivals, but the payback for that is a comfortable ride. Aside from a restricted over-the-shoulder view, it is a doddle to drive, too. The Clio will swallow a couple of large cases without fuss, but if you’re buying a Clio with the aim of transporting small children, be prepared to familiarise yourself with their buggy’s wheel-release mechanism.

Space in the rear seats is fine for children but taller adults will find that both leg room and head room is tight. Those in the front will enjoy much more space, but might still rue the shortage of decent cubby holes for phones and the like. In June 2016 the Clio line-up received upgraded materials for the interior and the addition of a more powerful 110bhp version of the 1.5 diesel complete with a six-speed gearbox. It was eventually replaced by the now older fifth-generation Clio in 2019.

Advice for buyers

What should I look for in a used Renault Clio hatchback? With cars as popular as the Renault Clio there’s really no need to compromise on things such as a lack of service history because if the car you’re looking at doesn’t have it the next one almost certainly will.

You should also pay close attention to the condition of the bodywork because the Clio has always been popular with young drivers who might not be as spatially aware as those with more experience. With rear visibility in particular being tricky look for damage at the rear of the car.

Timing chains Both the 1.2 petrol and 1.5 diesel have a timing chain that needs replacing after five years, so with any car reaching this milestone it’s worth checking it’s been done or factoring the £400 cost into the asking price.

Brake hoses The Clio has been recalled twice over possible issues with how protectors on the brake hoses were fitted. In the worse case scenario this could result in wear to the hoses that causes fluid to leak, ultimately reducing braking performance (you’ll also see a warning light on the dash). This might affect any Mk4 Clio built up until April 2015 so if in doubt ask a Renault dealer if the work’s been carried out.

Article source: https://www.whatcar.com/renault/clio/hatchback/used-review/n791/advice

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welovenissan · 6 years

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Tested: Nissan NP200

The Nissan NP200 did not have an easy introduction to the South African bakkie market. The burden of expectation on it was massive – after all, it was replacing the legendary 1400 Champ.

In terms of perception and Nissan has taken a gamble with the NP200.

Firstly, it remains for all intents and purposes a Dacia, built at Rosslyn outside Pretoria with Nissan badging.

Secondly, it’s the first time Nissan has marketed a front-wheel-drive bakkie locally.

Let’s quickly address these two issues before delving into the NP200’s road test findings.

Firstly, the abhorrent experience South Africans had with Dacia in the late 1990s bears no relation to the company owned by the Renault-Nissan alliance today. Dacia’s products might key an awful many parts from Renaults of recent vintage, yet it’s a proper manufacturer and a regarded entry-level brand in Europe.

Issue number two pertains to the NP200’s front-wheel-drive configuration. Cries of discontent from local 1400 Champ fans for a replacement worthy of the legendary little bakkie’s rear-wheel-drive configuration is plainly illogical. All small bakkies locally are front-wheel drive and the expense to manufacture a rear-wheel drive bakkie of sub 1t carrying capacity simply makes no sense.

With these issues settled, what about the NP200 then?

Strange lines

Do the typical buyer’s inspection walkabout of NP200 and you’ll quickly surmise it’s quite angular. The high loadbay sills and thin vertical rear light clusters make NP200 appear quite tall and more substantial than it really is.

Our test unit boasted SE trim, which adds a Livina X-Gearesque lower bumper (embedded with fog lamps), colour codes bumpers fore and aft whilst blackening out the B-pillar too.

If you pay even closer attention to the NP200’s SE styling package you’ll notice black wheel arch extensions and door mouldings, which contrast with the remainder of the bakkie’s styling elements in a rather ungainly fashion. The NP200 SE’s styling package is rounded off with 15-inch alloy wheels that are rather fussy in terms of design, too.

NP200 features plenty of behind-the-seats stowage space for those valuable items you wouldn't like rolling around in the load box.

Curious ergonomics

If you owned a late 1990s model Renault product you’ll notice a raft of subtle cabin styling carry-overs from the French manufacturer’s small car lines in NP200’s cabin, the most pronounced being that tall shifter.

NP200 cabin architecture is very much late 1990s time-warp stuff, especially some of the ergonomic foibles such as the fixed steering position. Be warned though, if you are a burly artisan or handyman you’ll need to get used to the idea of driving with the steering wheel rim rotating practically on top of your knees.

Beyond the frustratingly inflexible driving position, the NP200 SE’s cabin is fairly well equipped. Side mirrors and windows are both powers adjusted, yet the positioning of these controls are ergonomically unfathomable. The side mirror toggles are on the floor ahead of the handbrake girdle and NP200’s power window controls reside in the centre console instead of the individual door armrests…

The NP200’s detachable Blaupunkt CD front-loader brings a curious blend of retro chic to the little bakkie’s cabin. I must admit it was quite a throwback (and hindrance) to my teenage years detaching the face and storing it in the glovebox each time I went shopping or visiting.

Overall, beyond the ergonomic annoyances, the NP200’s cabin is spacious and with a substantial 300l of stowage capacity behind the front seats, you don’t always have to lug sensitive equipment and tools in the load bay.

Blaupunkt CD front-loader is very old-school, even featuring a detachable face - which is quite hard to reattach when in a hurry.

Unconventional suspension

When it comes to bakkies, the anarchic leaf-sprung rear suspension set-up is best since it enables optimal loadability. On the debit side, leaf-springs reduce ride quality markedly, especially when a bakkie is carrying a load.

To counter the reduced ride quality contingent to leaf-sprung suspensions, Nissan has equipped the NP200 with a coil-sprung supported H-shaped torsion bar at the back. The NP200’s rear suspension differs from live-axle leaf-sprung rivals such as Bantam and Fiat’s Strada.

Despite its passenger car origins, the coil-sprung aft axle suspension arrangement is configured to cope with a notable 800kg worth cargo.

The NP200’s load box is awfully capacious being 1.8m long, 1.37m wide and featuring a sill height of 64cm. It’s fully rubberised too.

Nissan claims the tailgate copes with 300kg when flipped down for loading - perfect for two Springbok props to sit and chill on whilst fishing. It’s not perfect though.

Unfortunately, the rear dampers protrude into the load box via the wheel arch mouldings. Nissan’s mounted rubber protectors over them, which reduce the ability to pack a diffuse array of items flush into a single load within NP200’s cargo area.

Rated to carry 800kg worth of 'whatever-you-need-to-move'. We doubt it would stand up well to sustained levels of such loadability, though...

Multi-valve power

Considering the quality of competitors such as Bantam's 1.6l RoCam power plant and Corsa's 1.8-litre petrol engine the NP200’s K4M 1.6l 16-valve engine

Boasting 16-valves, one would expect the NP200 SE’s engine to be smooth throughout the engine speed range. In practice it pulls cleanly from low engine speeds all the way to its 77kW power peak at 5 750r/min, exhibiting none of the low-speed asthmatics which tend to afflict small capacity multi-valve engines.

Even with a reasonable load (nothing over 300kg), it manages to canter up long inclines without requiring downshifting to fourth gear. Around industrial parks and in urban traffic the NP200 SE’s drivetrain provides ample urge to keep up with suicidal delivery drivers.

If you abuse the drivetrain 0-100km/h is accomplished in 12.5 seconds and in terms of economy I managed to see average consumption around 8l/100km.

Road noise is acceptably dampened, and the tall Renault-sourced shifter is easygoing, with a light clutch and throttle action to boot, which soothes the driving burden in traffic. Unsurprisingly, considering its origins, NP200 SE is infinitely more car- than bakkie-like to drive.

From a ride and handling perspective, it tracks reasonably, with the coil-sprung solid rear less prone to being upset by substandard road surfaces than a leaf-spring bakkie.

All things considered, it cannot match the handling crispness or poise of Ford’s Bantam in terms of ride quality and vehicle dynamics – in mitigation NP200 does boast a 150kg more generous payload rating.

Design

Range-topping SE models add the requisite trinkets to flesh out NP200’s styling properly. Black side mouldings detract notably. Loadbay damper intrusion points an issue, reducing flush full load capacity.

Interior

Generously spacious and decently equipped in SE trim. Some haphazard ergonomics (especially the fixed steering wheel position) debit the experience from behind the wheel.

Driving

Ride quality is good (even when unladen) and balanced by commensurate urge and braking performance courtesy of the 1.6l multi-valve engine and ABS boosted brakes.

Verdict

Let’s get one thing clear – NP200 is no Nissan Champ replacement. Marketed to compete with other hatchback based contemporaries, NP200 tallies a fairly comprehensive feature specification.

By how much NP200 SE’s longevity will be reduced if used to move 800kg worth of kit daily is debatable. If you regularly move such loads, Nissan’s NP300 range offers the seamless 1t capability for cheaper.

As a small leisure bakkie with a generous half-ton working safety margin, it’s convincing. Test drive the NP200 at a Group 1 Nissan dealership.

Article soure:

https://nissandriversclub.blogspot.com/2019/01/tested-nissan-np200.html

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cars4starters · 5 years

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What is it?

The Hyundai i30 Fastback N is a car that everybody asks about?

Their second question is usually: can you get it with an auto? (sometime next year, Hyundai says).

Fastback N offers the same red hot performance as the i30 N hatch, but dressed in very different clothes.

In fact, Hyundai claims the fastback design offers a 7 per cent reduction in aerodynamic drag, so in theory it’s faster.

It also has a different suspension tune — well, d’oh?

Hyundai describes the car as “involving, controlled and comfortable, and equally at home on the track and the road”.

That’s a pretty fair summary, although we don’t get to the track much these days.

What’s it cost?

The Hyundai i30 Fastback N is priced from $41,990 — $1500 more than its sibling the i30N hatch.

There’s also a couple of add-on packs available: Luxury Pack for $3000 and Luxury Pack with Panoramic Sunroof, $5000.

See details below.

Performance features include an active variable exhaust system, electronically controlled adaptive suspension, electro-mechanical limited-slip differential and a launch control function.

It’s fitted with 19-inch alloys and specially developed 235/35 profile Pirelli P-Zero HN tyres, along with an aerodynamically functional body kit.

Inside you get sports front seats, red stitching and highlights, plus leather steering wheel, alloy sports pedals, N race computer and instrument panel-mounted shift lights.

The front axle gets new springs that are 5 percent softer than the hatch, with revised dampers that now feature a rebound spring, and longer, softer bump stops.

The front anti-roll bar diameter is also 0.8mm thinner . . . but who’s counting?

Down the back, revised dampers and adoption of a new camber-control arm complete the changes.

Fastback is 12kg heavier over the rear axle, which translates to a weight distribution of 59.7 percent front, 40.3 percent rear — compared with 61.8/38.2 for the hatch.

A revised logic tune for the adaptive dampers is designed to exacerbate the differences between drive modes.

Standard stuff includes cloth trim and dual climate air, auto lights (not not wipers or rear view mirror), rear parking sensors, LED lights all round, 8.0-inch touchscreen with digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and built-in sat nav.

Two out of three buyers apparently opt for the $3000 Luxury Pack which includes:

Front Parking Distance Warning

Front passenger seat cushion extension

LED courtesy and puddle lights

12-way Power front seats

Power folding exterior mirrors

Electro-chromatic interior mirror

Rain sensing wipers

Heated front seats/steering wheel

Solar control windscreen glass

Luggage net

Driver’s seat memory system

Smart key and push button start

Sport front seats with suede inserts and leather bolsters

What’s it go like?

It’s 12cm longer and 21mm lower than the i30 N hatch, but is powered by the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, with drive to the front wheels via a 6-speed manual tranny — and electro-mechanical limited-slip diff.

The four-cylinder engine produces 202kW of power at 6000rpm, and 353Nm of torque from 1450 to 4700rpm, with 378Nm of torque available for 18 seconds through turbocharger overboost.

It all adds up to a 0 to 100km/h time of 6.1 seconds and electronically limited maximum speed of 250km/h.

The short-throw, 6-speed manual transmission is strengthened and fitted with carbon synchromesh rings to reduce shift effort, allowing for quick and smooth gear shifts.

The Fastback is a better looker than the hatch, especially finished in N only Performance Blue — and has a bigger boot.

Needless to say it is an exciting car to drive, whether it’s going down the road to the shops or howling from corner to corner along a twisty mountain road.

It’s right up there with the GTI, WRX, Type-R and Renault Megane RS, and we might point out of this group the WRX is the only one that’s all-wheel drive.

Surprisingly, it is the easiest and most comfortable to drive too and this fact should not be overlooked when it comes to the decision-making process.

The Fastback delivers extremely high levels of performance in all of the key areas — power, brakes, steering and handling — even ride comfort is streets ahead.

Depending on what drive mode is selected, there’s a real bark from the exhaust on throttle overun.

Reading the fine print, however, it’s artificially enhanced.

Launch control is part of the deal. With first gear selected and the clutch and accelerator fully depressed, the system will hold engine revs between 3600 and 4900rpm for up to five seconds.

Release the clutch and the system manages engine torque, speed and turbo boost to deliver maximum torque to the road, and maximum standing-start acceleration.

The bad news is that you have to wait three minutes between launches for the powertrain components cool off.

Geeks will love the race computer that allows you to customise just about every facet of the drive experience.

But take heart because all you really need to do is select N mode, hold on tight and enjoy the best bang for your buck money can buy at the moment.

Don’t get caught up in pointless discussions about whether the brakes are up to it or not — just enjoy the hell out of the car.

There’s no turbo lag, power delivery is extremely smooth and linear, gear changes are a snap, the steering is pin-sharp, there’s plenty of bite from the brakes and plenty of mid-corner grip from the Pirellis.

Rev matching blips the throttle automatically, ensuring you don’t muff the changes in the heat of the moment, and . . . well . . . because it sounds great.

After a few corners, you’ll love it — this car is that good.

We were however disappointed to find it misses out on many of the latest advances in car safety and is yet to receive a rating from the ANCAP organisation.

A form of auto emergency braking (AEB) is fitted, but it’s not as sophisticated as the system in the standard i30 and it doesn’t get adaptive cruise control.

The system lacks pedestrian detection and cyclist detection. There’s also no blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and the auto braking doesn’t work in reverse.

The one notable inclusion is Lane Keep Assist, but it is so annoying that like us you’ll probably end up turning it off.

With a 50-litre tank, the car takes premium 95 RON unleaded, with fuel consumption rated at 8.0L/100km.

We were getting 9.8 after close to 500km with a bit of hard driving thrown in.

For those that would like to hone their driving skills, it is interesting to note the 5-year, unlimited kilometre warranty extends to track use, iincluding the fitting of semi-slick tyres — but you’re only covered for untimed, non-competitive events.

What we like?

Great colour

Red hot performance

Easy peasy manual change

Incredibly smooth power delivery

Amazingly compliant ride quality

Pin sharp steering

Rabid bark from exhaust

What we don’t like?

No auto

Less sophisticated auto braking

None of the latest safety advances

No wireless charging for mobiles

The bottom line?

Subaru should be very very worried about this car.

It’s eye-catching, offers the same kind of performance for the same kind of price as a WRX and will appeal to the same kind of buyer.

Granted, it’s not all-wheel drive, but I sure as hell didn’t notice the difference pushing hard through a series of punishing mountain bends.

And how good is that steering? There’s a twin clutch version in the pipeline, but who really cares?

Nice one, Hyundai!

CHECKOUT: Hyundai i30 Fastback N: It’s bye-bye GTI

CHECKOUT: Hyundai turns leftover leather into fashion

Hyundai i30 Fastback N: Power to the people #Aussie #carnews #carphotos #carreviews #cars4starters #Fastback #Hyundai #i30 #N #notjustcars What is it? The Hyundai i30 Fastback N is a car that everybody asks about? Their second question is usually: can you get it with an auto?

#Aussie #car news #car photos #car reviews #cars4starters #Fastback #Hyundai #i30 #N #not just cars #Review

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New Post has been published on https://image-cars.com/renault-koleos-2017/

RENAULT KOLEOS 2017

Dynamic crossover D-segment, made in a new corporate style Renault, with a refined salon and premium equipment – this is how you can describe the new Koleos. The elegant design of the novelty will not allow it to remain unnoticed on the road.

Class: SUV D2 Body type: crossover Assembly: South Korea The Common Module Family CVT CVT Drive: full Variants: 3 of the engine The price from $ 28,000

INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR DESIGN

Looking at the appearance of two generations, we can say that these are two different models. The new Renault Koleos 2017 is equipped with strict modern optics based on light-emitting diodes, from below it is emphasized by curved daytime running lights DRL. In the first generation Koleos, a convex and round front optics was installed, and daytime running lights were absent.

Front – left view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

The grille of Koleos in form remained the same, but in sizes increased, made from chrome horizontal strips emphasizes the severity of the new crossover. Instead of three horizontal stripes, designers installed four. Probably one thing is that in the near future this Renault logo will not change, it was placed in the center of the radiator grille.

The front bumper of Koleos has acquired strict features with coarse, harsh shapes. In the first generation, the front bumper was rounded off, and the car itself was soft and “kind.” At the very bottom of the bumper, the fog lights are located on the sides, and in the middle there is an additional grille for blowing the engine. Below it highlights the black splitter, similar to the one that was in the first generation of Renault Koleos.

The hood of the new Renault Koleos 2017 has become larger, curved shapes from the emblem go to the windshield itself. In the first generation, the hood lay down with the front wings, but in the second generation Koleos lies over the wings. It’s like a little hint that the car’s parameters have also changed.

The lateral part of the new Renault Koleos has changed beyond recognition. From a good old crossover there is absolutely nothing left. It was replaced by strict and modern forms of Koleos 2017. The front wings repeat the contours of the front optics to the very doors.

Rear view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

On the front doors of Koleos, the designers placed the side air holes. Below the car emphasizes the bend on the doors and a wide chrome insert. Door handles left standard, chrome with a button for opening, but not touch-open.

The rear part of Renault Koleos 2017 was replaced completely, the rounded optics was changed to a strict and extended. The body forms became strict and really speak of the solidity of the crossover. At the very top, a wing was placed above the glass for the color of the car’s body. The rear optics became elongated, that if it were not for Renault’s emblem, then maybe there was no separation. Under the emblem, in large letters the name of the model “Koleos” is prescribed. At the heart of optics is also the LED technology.

Front – left view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

At the bottom of the Koleos bumper, the fog lights are located on the sides, and the bottom of the bumper is underlined by a black protection, with two exhaust pipe tips. The tips say that under the hood, a solid engine is hidden in front. Throughout the perimeter of the Renault Koleos 2017 designers have installed a black weather cloth, which emphasizes the severity of the crossover.

The roof of the new Renault Koleos, depending on the configuration, can be simple, or panoramic. On the sides are railings, for fixing an additional trunk or other devices.

The dimensions of the new crossover are:

length 4670 mm;

width: 1840 mm;

height 1678 mm;

wheelbase 2710 mm;

clearance of 213 mm.

Colours of Renault Koleos of 2017 year:

white; the black; silver; dark grey; brown; dark blue.

Comparing the interior of the new Renault Koleos 2017 and the first generation of this model, the differences are significant. Unattractive and at first glance, a cheap saloon of the first generation Renault Koleos, was transformed into a rich and stuffed with the latest electronics and systems.

In the middle of the front panel of Koleos there is an 8.7 “touchscreen display, which displays navigation maps, images from round-the-camera cameras, as well as controls and adjustments for additional systems and audio. below the control panel heated seats, heated rear window and other functions, depending on the configuration.

The dashboard also changed its appearance, instead of analog instruments, in the middle there was placed a 7 “display, the speed of the Renault Koleos 2017, engine speed and other information about the car was displayed .The engine and fuel temperature sensor was placed to the right and left of the display.

Dashboard view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

Designers have thought up interesting illumination of the panel of devices, the central display, overlays on doors and branches near the gear lever lever. Depending on the selected topic of the central display, the color on the other devices also changes. The default is blue, green, red and white.

The Koleos steering wheel changed its shape a little, a little flattened from below, and three spokes. In the center were placed the classic emblem of Renault, on the two side spokes placed the multimedia control buttons. The steering wheel, like the whole panel covered with leather.

The interior color will be in several color shades with a combination of black or white. From available color shades it is reliably known:

the black; white; burgundy; Gray; cream. Typically, the ceiling of the Renault Koleos 2017 will be white to the front, at the panel level, including the panel itself, will be black. Other colors can be handles on the doors and seats. Along the entire perimeter of the salon of the new Koleos placed inserts for ebony, for an additional fee can be aluminum.

The quality of the fabric will be used as the material. For the middle class, leather, and at the maximum – a combination of perforated leather and ordinary.

Front seats are made in a modern style, a comfortable fit and the circumferential sides of the backrest allow you to drive comfortably more than one hundred kilometers. Behind the seats are placed one row, the second row is designed for three passengers. Thanks to the modular CMF platform, passengers will have plenty of space.

The saloon of the new Renault Koleos 2017 turned out to be excellent both for this class of car. Previous model with its interior resembled an economical version of the car.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Buyers will be available a gasoline and diesel engine. The basic Koleos equipment will be equipped with a petrol V4 2-liter engine, a power of 144 hp, and a maximum torque of 200 Nm. The following complete sets of the new Renault Koleos after the base will be equipped with a more powerful petrol V4, volume of 2.5 liters. The power of such an aggregate is 171 horses, and the maximum torque is 233 Nm.

ENGINES

Scope

Type

hp at rpm

H*m at rpm

L / 100km min.

0-100km/h seconds

max. V km / h

2.0 CVT 4×4 Executive

in-line

petrol

4 cylinders

144 / 6000 200 / 4400 6,4 11,3 187

2.0 DCI CVT 4×4 Premium

in-line

diesel

4 cylinders

177 / 3750 380 / 2000 5,7 9,5 201 2.5 CVT 4×4 Premium in-line

petrol

4 cylinders

171 / 6000 233 / 4400 6,9 9,8 199

The new Renault Koleos 2017-2018 is based on the modular chassis of the CMF-C / D alliance Renault-Nissan. For all modifications in Koleos, an independent front suspension McPherson and an independent multi-link rear are used. Front-disc ventilated brakes, rear-disc.

Engine view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

SAFETY AND INNOVATIONS IN THIS FIELD

The new Renault Koleos includes many electronic security systems, using the driver and improving the comfort of the car. With more well-known systems, we can note the multimedia complex Renault R-link with the audio system Bose. There is also an active cruise control, which is able to recognize obstacles. On the central display Koleos displays an image from the cameras of a circular view, which helps the driver to understand the situation around the car. The top package includes a winter bag with heated windshield, steering wheel, first and second row seats.

According to the standard for the driver and front passenger airbags are installed, not without the seat belts. Of course this is not the maximum safety kit like Volvo, but enough to protect the passengers.

RELEASE DATE AND PRICE

The new Renault Koleos is available in the following trim levels: Expression; Dynamique; SL Bose; Dynamique Comfort; Luxe Privilege. The cost of the basic equipment Koleos from $23 000, and the maximum from $29 000. This cost is due to the budget version of the model, despite the fact that the filling of the car is very solid.

Left side of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

MAIN COMPETITORS

TOYOTA RAV4 – $20 700

FORD KUGA – $21 400

MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER – $22 300

NISSAN X-TRAIL- $24 000

MAZDA CX-5 – $25 000

SUBARU FORESTER – $27 500

CITROEN C5 AIRCROSS – $27 500*

HONDA CR-V- $28 500

HYUNDAI SANTA FE- $29 300

PEUGEOT 5008 – $32 500

SKODA KODIAQ – $33 000

CONCLUSION

The new Koleos combines French charm, the latest technology, the power of a large car and, at the same time, provides maximum comfort and a high level of safety. The car has everything to ensure safety, help and warn the driver.

PHOTOS OF RENAULT KOLEOS OF 2017 YEAR

Front view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

Front – left view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

Rear view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

Left side of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

Front – left view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

Rear view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

Front – left view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

Dashboard view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

Engine view of Renault Koleos of 2017 year

VIDEOS OF RENAULT KOLEOS OF 2017 YEAR

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#Renault Koleos #Renault Koleos of 2017 year #Renault Koleos of 2017 year review

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