2011 Kia Optima sets a New Standard in Design

Text and photos by Cor Steenstra

As you may have noticed, I have clearly frowned upon new cars coming out with a distinctly bland and boring design in recent articles. Why? Because there is proof that it does not have to be that way. No, I don’t mean going to flamboyant extremes with over-styled surfacing or just plain weird graphics and detailing. It is possible to make a relatively conservative sedan design and still make it an interesting design statement. Enter the Kia Optima!

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2011 Volkswagen Jetta

Text and photos by Cor Steenstra

The VW Jetta has been the bread and butter vehicle for VW on the American market the last few years, so getting “it” right with the next generation was of very high importance. Getting “it” right obviously means a lot of market research into the the likes and dislikes of the American people, and in that respect, getting objective groups of representative target audiences together is already a huge task, getting them to help you about products 3-5 years into the future seems to be out of their league.

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2011 Chevrolet Cruze

Text and photos by Cor Steenstra

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze makes an initial impression of being designed with a tremendous sense of conservatism sprinkled with the headlights of the previous Ford Focus. Admittedly, it is coming in the guise of w “world car” which yet again seems to be used as an excuse for making something bland and boring. Is it truly the case that a car that is targeted to be sold all over the globe has to please so many people that it can only be made to look bland..? Really..? Could it not also mean that all over the world people recognize it as a bland looking car, and therefore choose to go for something else?

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2011 Mazda MX5 with Retractable HardTop

Text and Photos by Cor Steenstra

I have always had a weak spot for the Mazda MX5/Miata, ever since I drove my first ones while working for Mazda in Germany. In fact, after totaling a red MX5 in the rain during a company trip to the Mille Miglia in Italy, I was so impressed with its strength, that I bought one myself, in British Racing Green, with Tan leather interior and with extra 16″ 5 spoke wheels on wide Good Year tires, which, back in 1992 was not very common at all.

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2011 Jeep Patriot

Text and photos by Cor Steenstra

We recently drove the 2011 version of the Jeep Patriot. After all the struggles the Chrysler Group has gone through, and the problems with design and fit and finish we found over the past few years, we were interested to find out what had changed, if anything. On the plus side, the interior of the Patriot seemed of a much higher quality standard than before, more with the times than the designs we found most recently, but we can’t go and call it anything more than that.

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BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Video

Adrian van Hooydonk explains the BMW i Design strategy

BMW introduces the BMW i Sub Brand

Peugeot RCZ

Text and photos by Sebastian Steenstra

We were given the chance to test the new Peugeot RCZ. Unfortunately the weather conditions did not work in our favour and we did not get the chance to drive the RCZ to it’s full potential.

The first thing you notice when you stand on the outside looking at the car is it’s distinctive rear window. The window is curved in both way’s and gives this RCZ a very unique look. The curves flow nicely in to the roof  which makes the whole assembly look very well groomed. As you go inside you might think that this curvature brings with it a lot of disturbance when you look through the rear windows, but this is not the case. It does not distort the view at all. What also makes this RCZ look out is it’s aluminium styles which, together with the roof and rear window, makes it a head turner.
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New Years Special: Red Bull X1 – X2010

I meant to write and post this article in time for New Years Eve, but I had difficulty getting hold of the car. I could not go through the usual channels, since this car only exists in the virtual world of Gran Turismo 5 on Playstation, and as such I had to actually physically win this version. I was aiming to buy the car in orange or matt black, and at 20,000,000 credits I had enough money, but I was not at level 40 in the game yet, so I was not allowed to buy it. Instead I won it by reaching level 35. It was really tough and hard work, so I hope you appreciate my effort in getting this here for you.

All kidding aside, there is a good logic behind me wanting to feature the Red Bull X1, recently renamed to Red Bull X2010 (hinting there might be a 2011 car in the making). The Red Bull X1 is an extreme car, an F1 car sans regulations, taking the boundaries and possibilities of F1 to the limits it never reached after banning the Gordon Murray designed Brabham BT48 fan car.

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